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Central Zone

Within India, Central Indo-Aryan languages are spoken primarily in the western Gangetic plains, including Delhi and parts of the Central Highlands, where they are often transitional with neighbouring lects. Many of these languages, including Braj and Awadhi, have rich literary and poetic traditions. Urdu, a Persianised derivative of Dehlavi descended from Shauraseni Prakrit, is the official language of Pakistan and also has strong historical connections to India, where it also has been designated with official status. Hindi, a standardised and Sanskritised register of Dehlavi, is the official language of the Government of India (along with English). Together with Urdu, it is the third most-spoken language in the world.