English Speaking Countries

English started with the languages spoken by Germanic tribes, especially the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who came to Britain in the 5th to 7th centuries AD. Their languages changed over time into what we now call Old English. In this article we will explore about the English speaking countries, interesting facts about the language, and much more.

How Many Countries Speak English?

English is highly respected around the world. However, in the past, it was seen as a language for the middle class. Now, English is the third most spoken language, after Chinese and Spanish. People who speak English can be found on all seven continents except Antarctica. Speaking English helps people get better opportunities for education and jobs because it is widely accepted. Even countries where English is not the main language are learning it to meet global communication standards and overcome language barriers. 

English is an official language in 67 countries and 27 regions. It is also one of the official languages of many international organizations, such as the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, and the International Olympic Committee.

Top 10 English Speaking Countries

The following list shows the number of people, written against the countries, which speak English:

1. United States

   Approximately 331 million. English is the primary and predominant language spoken.

2. India

   Approximately 135 million. English is one of the official languages widely used in business, education, and government, although it is not the primary language for most people.

3. Pakistan

   Approximately 108 million. English is an official language widely used in government, law, and education, though not as a primary language.

4. Nigeria

   Approximately 60 million. English is the official language used in government, business, and education, serving as a lingua franca among diverse linguistic groups.

5. Philippines

   Approximately 14 million. English is an official language extensively used in government, education, and business, though not as a primary language for all.

6. United Kingdom

   Approximately 68 million. English is the primary language spoken throughout the country.

7. Canada

   Approximately 27.6 million. English is one of the two official languages (the other being French) and is the primary language for the majority of the population.

8. Australia

   Approximately 22.2 million people speak English, the de facto national language, as a first language.

9. South Africa

   Approximately 16 million people speak English, one of the 11 official languages, and use it widely in government, media, and business, although it is not the first language for the majority.

10. Kenya

    Approximately 2.7 million people speak English, an official language widely used in government, education, and business, alongside Swahili.

List of English Speaking Countries

1. Primary English-Speaking Countries
   • United States
   • United Kingdom
   • Canada
   • Australia
   • New Zealand
   • Ireland
   • South Africa
   • Barbados
   • Jamaica
   • Trinidad and Tobago
   • Bahamas
   • Belize
   • Dominica
   • Grenada
   • Guyana
   • Saint Kitts and Nevis
   • Saint Lucia
   • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2. Countries with English as an Official Language
   • India
   • Pakistan
   • Nigeria
   • Philippines
   • Kenya
   • Uganda
   • Ghana
   • Tanzania
   • Zambia
   • Singapore
   • Fiji
   • Namibia
   • Zimbabwe
   • Botswana
   • Malawi
   • Sierra Leone
   • Liberia
   • Papua New Guinea
   • Lesotho
   • Eswatini (Swaziland)
   • Rwanda
   • Cameroon
   • Seychelles
   • Mauritius
   • Vanuatu
   • Solomon Islands
   • Samoa
   • Tonga
   • Antigua and Barbuda
   • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
3. Countries where English is Widely Spoken as a Second Language
   • Germany
   • Netherlands
   • Sweden
   • Denmark
   • Norway
   • Finland
   • Israel
   • Switzerland
   • Belgium
   • Austria
   • Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China)
   • Malaysia
   • Malta
   • Cyprus
   • Lebanon
   • United Arab Emirates
   • Bahrain
   • Qatar
   • Kuwait
   • Saudi Arabia

Interesting Facts About English

• Experts often consider English to have the largest vocabulary of any language, estimating it to range from 500,000 to over a million words, including technical, scientific, and slang terms.
• English has many dialects and variants. For instance, British English, American English, Australian English, and Indian English all have their unique pronunciations, spellings, and slang.
• English evolves constantly, and experts add new words to the dictionary regularly. For example, they have added terms related to technology and social media, such as “selfie” and “tweet,” in recent years.
• A pangram is a sentence that contains every letter of the alphabet at least once. The most famous English pangram is “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
• English is the dominant language of the internet, with a significant portion of websites, online content, and digital communication occurring in English.

Related Links

• What are the levels of English Proficiency around the world?
• What Is Queen’s English And Where Is It Spoken?
• In which Script is English Written?