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List of countries by English-speaking population

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Percentage of native English speakers by subdivision according to the latest census data in each country

The following is a list of English-speaking population by country, including information on both native speakers and second-language speakers.

List

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This list may be sorted by column by clicking on the column header.

Some numbers have been calculated by combining data from different sources; figures not attributed to sources and given with a date should be treated with caution.

In most sources, the results shown are of people who say that they can speak English, while that was not verified, which means the actual number of English speakers could be higher or lower.
Country Eligible population Total English speakers Total % As first language L1 % As an additional language [1] L2 or L3 % Notes / Sources
United States 312,142,415 299,270,000 95.88% 244,079,241 78.19% 55,191,937 17.68% Figures are from the 2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau for persons age 5 and older. Total English speakers are those who either spoke English at home (i.e. as first language) or reported speaking another language at home but could speak English "very well" or "well" (i.e. as an additional language).[2][3]
India 1,210,854,977 129,259,678 10.67% 259,678 0.02% 129,118,287 10.66% 2011 figures for population and first, second, and third languages. English as a first language is spoken by 259,678 people, as a second language by 83,125,221 and as a third language by 45,993,066.[4]
Nigeria 206,200,000 125,039,688 60.64% 20,000,000 9.70% 103,198,040 50.05% English is the most widespread language in the country due to the many different languages spoken, with 60 million speakers.[5] This includes speakers of an English creole, accounting for 51% to 57% of the total population.[5][6] It is estimated that 10% of Nigerians speak English as a first language.[7]
Pakistan 220,892,331 108,044,691 48.91% 8,642 0.0035% 108,036,049 48.91% English is one of the official languages under the constitution and is commonly used in education and administration.[8][9][10] According to statistics from various sources, the English-speaking population ranges from 88.69 million[11] to 108 million,[12][13] accounting for 49% to 58% of the total population.[14][15]
Indonesia 279,118,866 85,968,611 30.80% 837,356 0.30% 85,131,255 30.50% Indonesians learn English as a major foreign language.[16]
Philippines 110,000,000 70,117,935 63.74% 36,935 0.04% 70,081,000 63.71% Over 60 million people aged 5 years or more can speak English.[17][18][19] "Six out of 10 people aged 5 and over can speak English (63.71%)."[20]
United Kingdom 64,835,742 63,718,834 98.28% 59,323,568 91.50% 4,395,266 6.78% Data is from the 2021 census.[21][22][23] Additional English speaker figures are for usual residents aged 3 years and over with a main language other than English who can speak English "very well" or "well" (or, in the case of Scotland, those who have reported speaking ability in English).
Germany 82,347,000 45,900,000 55.74% 774,000 0.94% 45,100,000 54.77% Native speakers: Mikrozensus 2021, Statistisches Bundesamt.[24][25]
Non-native speakers: Eurobarometer report 2012. Does not include foreign military personnel based in Germany.
Kenya 52,533,109 41,332,711 78.68% – – 7,900,000 15.04% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
France 67,500,000 38,643,750 57.25% – – 38,643,750 57.25% In Paris, 60.28% of the population has "reasonable competency", while 57.25% of the entire country has "reasonable competency".[26]
Egypt 110,990,000 38,846,500 35.0% – – – – Speakers to at least an intermediate level, Euromonitor International Report 2012[27]
South Africa 65,000,000 31,000,000 50.00% 5,228,301 8.73% 25,771,699 38.96% Native speakers from 2022 Census.[28]
Non-native speakers: Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Canada 37,138,500 30,480,750 82.07% 20,193,335 54.37% 10,287,415 27.70% The 2016 count reported that 23,757,525 people were able to conduct a conversation in English only, while 6,216,065 were able to converse in both English and French. The census also asked for the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual: 52% or 19,460,850 reported English as their only mother tongue, 165,320 reported both English and French as mother tongues, 533,265 reported English and a non-official language as mother tongues, and 33,900 reported English, French and a non-official language as mother tongues. The data also show that 26,007,500 Canadians report English as their first official language spoken.[29]
Australia 25,422,788 23,161,344 91.10% 18,303,662 72.00% 4,857,672 19.10% The 2021 census data is subject to multiple interpretations.[30] The data noted that 18,303,662 persons out of 23,401,892 total only spoke English, and a further 4,857,672 spoke English either "Very Well" or "Well". A further 872,213 persons were listed as speaking English "Not Well" or "Not At All". However, 1,389,243 persons provided incomplete information; 1,331,417 provided no language or proficiency details and 57,828 gave no information on proficiency.
Uganda 44,270,000 19,800,000 44.73% – – 19,800,000 44.73% Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2016)
Poland 38,036,118 19,000,000 49.95% 737,276 1.94% 18,000,000 47.32% AutoLingual (blog).[31] Number of first language speakers comes from Statistics Poland.[32] However, of the 737,276 people who spoke English "at home", 714,002 also spoke another language "at home", including 707,487 people who also spoke Polish "at home".
Ghana 26,210,872 17,610,870 67.19% – – 17,610,870 67.19% 2021 Ghanaian Census,[33][34] on population aged 6 or above who were "literate" in English.
Thailand 63,038,247 17,121,187 27.16% – – 17,121,187 27.16% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Ukraine 33,365,000 17,016,000 51.00% – – 17,016,000 51.00% Sociological study by KIIS[35]
Mexico 120,664,000 15,686,262 13.00% – – 15,686,262 13.00% Consulta Mitofsky-Tracking Poll Roy Campos: Las Lenguas Extranjeras en México, January 2013;[36] and II Conteo de Población y Vivienda, Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (INEGI)[37]
Malaysia 27,170,000 15,580,000 57.34% 380,000 1.40% 15,200,000 55.94% EF English Proficiency Index[38]
Netherlands 16,770,000 15,250,000 90.94% – – 15,250,000 90.94% Eurobarometer report 2016
Turkey 80,200,256 12,000,000 14.96% – – 12,000,000 14.96% Eurobarometer report 2006
Brazil 216,000,000 12,000,000 5.56% 292,000 0.14% 10,250,000 4.75% British council (2012) and EF. About 5% of Brazilians have a proficient grasp of English as a second or foreign additional language and an additional 6% have a very rudimentary knowledge.
Zimbabwe 14,439,000 11,850,710 82.07% 505,365 3.50% 11,530,710 79.86% [39][40][41]
Iraq 31,700,000 11,095,000 35.00% 95,000 0.30% 11,000,000 34.70% Euromonitor International report (2011)
Bangladesh 165,158,616 10,784,488 6.53% 709,873 0.43% 10,074,615 6.10% Population data are from 2022 Bangladeshi census,[42] and second language data come from the subsequent survey [43]
Spain 47,190,000 10,400,000 22.04% – – 10,400,000 22.04% Eurobarometer report 2012
South Sudan 10,913,164 10,258,374 94.00% 818,487 7.50% 9,439,887 86.50% Countries That Speak English[44] and the World Bank[45]
China 1,432,035,200 10,000,000 0.70% – – 10,000,000 <0.70% Figures are for English users in mainland China only (i.e. excluding Hong Kong where English is an official language and Macau). The often-cited figure of 300 million is for "learners".[46]
Sweden 10,377,771 9,236,000 89.00% – – 9,236,000 89.00% Statistics Sweden, 2021
Italy 59,619,290 8,121,000 13.62% – – 8,121,000 13.62% Languageknowledge.eu[47]
Tanzania 35,341,131 7,660,000 21.67% 240,000 0.67% 7,420,000 21.00% 2022 Population and Housing Census[48] on literacy rate amongst people aged 15 or above. Figure for native speakers referred to those who were "literate in English only" while number for non-native speakers referred to those who were literate in "both Kiswahili and English".
Cameroon 19,740,000 7,500,000 37.99% – – 7,500,000 37.99% Euromonitor International Report (2009)
Morocco 37,340,000 6,883,220 18.43% – – 6,883,220 18.43% [49]
Belgium 10,584,534 6,250,000 59.05% – – 6,250,000 59.05% Eurobarometer report 2006 The Belgian population is divided in two distinct linguistic regions: The Belgian Dutch-speaking Flanders, and the Belgian French-speaking Wallonia (the region of Brussels also has a majority of native French speakers). Like in the Netherlands, a high percentage of Flemish people speak English fluently, and in Wallonia, a lower percentage of people speak English (as it is the case in France), which brings down the total percentage.
Israel 7,303,000 6,205,000 84.97% 100,000 1.37% 6,105,000 83.60% Ethnologue (2005)[50] English is widely spoken, both by the Jewish majority and by minority ethnic groups.[51][52]
Austria 8,415,000 6,150,000 73.08% – – 6,150,000 73.08% [53][54]
Romania 19,043,767 5,900,000 30.98% – – 5,900,000 30.98% Eurobarometer report 2012
Greece 10,787,690 5,500,000 50.98% – – 5,500,000 50.98% Eurobarometer report 2012
Czechia 10,562,214 5,350,000 50.65% 16,481 0.16% 5,350,000 50.65% [55][56]
Russia 135,125,671 5,066,515 3.75% – – 5,066,515 3.75% Russian population Census, 2021,[57] total count excluded 12,056,452 people who did not specify a language.
Ireland 5,084,879 4,958,527 97.52% 4,333,372 85.22% 625,155 12.29% Central Statistics Office 2022 Census[58][59] Figures for native speakers are people whose spoke English or Irish at home (which likely included the approximately 70,000 people who spoke Irish daily outside education system), and additional speakers are people who spoke other languages and declared that they spoke English "very well" or "well".
Sierra Leone 5,866,000 4,900,000 83.53% 500,000 8.52% 4,400,000 75.01% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
New Zealand 4,889,202 4,750,056 97.15% 3,692,670 75.53% 1,057,386 21.62% There were 4,993,923 responses to 2023 Census: Language spoken. 4,750,056 gave English as a response . Another 104,721 reported no language (e.g. too young). Hence it is most meaningful to express the English-speaking per cent without including the figures for these 104,721. This gives 97.2% English-speaking (3,673,679 divided by 3,755,565), 2.8% non-English-speaking. Figures for native speakers are those who declared English to be the only language they spoke, so they are very likely to be undercounts.[60]
Denmark 5,543,000 4,770,000 86.05% – – 4,770,000 86.05% Eurobarometer report 2012
Norway 5,136,700 4,500,000 87.60% – – 4,500,000 87.60% [61]
Papua New Guinea 6,331,000 4,459,191 70.43% – – 4,459,191 70.43% 2011 Census. This statistic is people who are literate in Standard English, not including Tok Pisin.
Hong Kong 7,179,127 4,217,535 58.75% 330,782 4.61% 3,886,753 54.14% According to 2021 population census, Hong Kong has approximately 4.2 million speakers, of whom 330,782 regard English as their "usual" language.[62][63]
Madagascar 23,042,300 4,147,614 18.00% – – 4,147,614 18.00% The main languages are French and Malagasy.[64]
Sri Lanka 21,803,000 3,994,174 18.32% 10,000 0.05% 3,994,174 18.32% Crystal (2003), p. 109; Department of Census and Statistics, 2012. 23.8% of the population aged over 10 could speak English.[65]
Finland 5,563,970 3,900,000 70.09% 29,448 0.53% 3,870,000 69.55% Native speakers: Statistics Finland;[66] Total speakers: Eurobarometer report 2022
Cambodia 15,766,292 3,500,000 22.20% – – 3,500,000 22.20% Quote of a Ministry of Education spokesman[67]
 Switzerland 8,482,268 3,279,538 38.66% 492,343 5.80% 2,787,195 32.86% Figure for speakers of English as "main language", according to Federal Statistical Office 2020.[68] Source for number of total English speakers is an FSO survey in 2019 on "the main languages in regular use", which reported that 48.8% of permanent residents aged 15 or above (7,187,688 as of 2020) regularly used English;[69] as a result, total speakers and non-native speakers are likely to be undercounts due to the exclusion of children below the age of 15.
Liberia 3,750,000 3,100,000 82.67% 600,000 16.00% 2,500,000 66.67% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Jordan 6,598,000 2,969,370 45.00% – – 2,969,370 45.00% Euromonitor International report (2011)
Portugal 10,623,000 2,900,000 27.30% – – 2,900,000 27.30% Eurobarometer report 2012
Argentina 42,192,500 2,752,681 6.52% – – 2,752,681 6.52% Percentage of people who state they have a high level of English. Another 19.49% and 16.23% of people said they had an intermediate and low level, respectively, of English.[70]
Singapore 3,596,284 2,668,719 74.21% 1,735,242 48.25% 933,477 25.96% Figures indicate Singaporean residents (citizen and permanent resident population); data for population who spoke English as an additional language came from summing number of people whose second most spoken language at home was English.[71]
Jamaica 2,714,000 2,650,000 97.64% 45,900 1.69% 2,604,100 95.95% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Algeria 35,954,000 2,516,780 7.00% – – 2,516,780 7.00%
Peru 31,151,643 2,492,131 8.00% – – 2,492,131 8.00% GfK survey in 2015[72]
Afghanistan 41,130,000 2,467,800 6.00% – – 2,467,800 6.00% During the two decades since the U.S. military intervened in Afghanistan, English as a foreign language was learned by 6% of Afghans. (see Languages of Afghanistan)[73]
Hungary 9,603,634 2,428,295 25.29% – – 2,428,295 25.29% 2022 Census[74]
Myanmar 53,900,000 2,400,000 4.45% – – 2,400,000 4.45% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Yemen 24,800,000 2,232,000 9.00% – – 2,232,000 9.00% Euromonitor International report 2011
Colombia 47,661,368 2,012,950 4.22% 75,600 0.16% 1,937,350 4.06% Total was estimated by multiplying projected population for 2014 (DANE) by percentage of Colombian population who speak English, 4.09%,[75] then 63,600 was added to that figure which is the total of American and British residents. Figures for native speakers are as follows: 60,000 U.S. citizens who reside in Colombia. 12,000 are Colombian Raizal from San Andrés and Isla de Providencia where they speak San Andrés–Providencia Creole.[76] 3,600 British expatriates.[77]
Zambia 11,922,000 1,910,000 16.02% 110,000 0.92% 1,800,000 15.10% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Bulgaria 7,640,238 1,902,605 24.90% 2,605 0.03% 1,900,000 24.87% Eurobarometer report 2012 and 2011 Census[78]
Kazakhstan 12,156,705 1,874,583 15.42% 602 0.01% 1,873,981 15.42% Number of those who understand spoken English, from these 1.9 million: 311,435 (2.6%/16.6%) can only read, 931,444 (7.7%/49.6%) can read and write in English. The number of native speakers is the sum of Americans and Englishmen "by nationality". (Census 2009)
Rwanda 8,289,582 1,760,444 21.24% – – 1,760,444 21.24% Figures reflect the resident population aged 15 and above who are literate in English (National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda 2022 Census)[79]
Lebanon 4,265,600 1,706,000 39.99% – – 1,706,000 39.99% Euromonitor International report (2011)
Chile 16,634,603 1,585,027 9.53% – – 1,585,027 9.53% 2012 Census.[80]
Croatia 3,781,833 1,500,000 39.66% 2,863 0.08% 1,500,000 39.66% 2021 Croatian census; Eurobarometer report 2024[81][82]
Slovakia 5,449,270 1,400,000 25.69% 4,365 0.08% 1,400,000 25.69% (For native speakers) 2021 census [83](total count includes 312,364 people whose first language was unknown, which is excluded when calculating the percentage), Eurobarometer report 2012
Puerto Rico 3,159,608 1,247,939 39.50% 159,024 5.03% 1,088,915 34.46% 2022 American Community Survey [84]

Figures for non-native speakers were those who spoke another language and spoke English "very well" and "well".

Slovenia 2,050,000 1,210,000 59.02% – – 1,210,000 59.02% Eurobarometer report 2012
Trinidad and Tobago 1,305,000 1,145,000 87.74% – – 1,145,000 87.74% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Tunisia 10,527,600 1,052,760 10.00% – – 1,052,760 10.00% 2011 Euromonitor report
Latvia 2,070,371 950,000 45.89% – – 950,000 45.89% Eurobarometer report 2012
Lithuania 2,810,761 873,941 31.09% – – 873,941 31.09% 2021 census.[85][86] Number of native speakers was not explicitly stated but included in "other".
Uruguay 3,500,000 840,000 24.00% – – 840,000 24.00% 2019 National Statistics Institute poll.[87]
Guatemala 14,901,286 745,000 5.00% – – 745,000 5.00% Figure given by Prensa Libre (2011)[88]
Guyana 751,000 680,000 90.55% – – 680,000 90.55% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Cyprus 923,381 670,000 72.56% 44,482 4.82% 630,000 68.23% (Native speakers),[89] (Total speakers) Eurobarometer report 2024[82]
Estonia 1,331,824 626,439 47.03% 3,879 0.29% 622,560 46.74% 2021 Census.[90]
Botswana 1,639,833 630,000 38.42% – – 630,000 38.42% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Panama 4,176,869 584,762 14.00% – – 584,762 14.00%
Eswatini 1,141,000 550,000 48.20% – – 550,000 48.20% Crystal (2003), p. 109. Official language, business conducted in English; primary school language.
Malawi 13,931,831 540,209 3.88% 209 0.01% 540,000 3.87% Crystal (2003), p. 109 and Kayambizinthu.[91]
Lesotho 1,795,000 500,000 27.86% – – 500,000 27.86% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Solomon Islands 631,061 459,906 72.88% – – – – 2019 Census.[92] Labelled "English Ability", defined as people who can write a simple sentence in English.
Malta 497,265 440,000 88.48% 50,242 10.10% 390,000 78.43% (For native speakers) Census of Population and Housing 2021,[93] Eurobarometer report 2012
El Salvador 6,029,976 414,887 6.88% – – 414,887 6.88% 2024 Census.[94]
Suriname 470,784 410,000 87.09% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Costa Rica 4,910,526 400,415 8.15% – – 400,415 8.15% Encuesta Nacional de Hogares 2017[95]
Iceland 376,248 368,723 98.00% – – – – [96]
Namibia 1,820,916 314,000 17.24% 14,000 0.77% 300,000 16.48% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Barbados 296,000 296,000 100.00% 10,000 3.38% 286,000 96.62% This includes speakers of an English creole.
Bahamas 330,549 288,000 87.13% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Belize 368,924 278,390 75.46% – – 278,390 75.46% 2022 Census[97] Included population aged 4 or above who spoke English, no distinctions between first and second languages were made.
Ecuador 14,483,499 225,000 1.55% – – – – There are an estimated 225,000 English speakers in Ecuador. The majority resides in Quito.[98]
Turkmenistan 7,057,841 204,189 2.89% – – 204,189 2.89% 2022 Population and Housing Census[99]
Mauritius 1,233,097 202,000 16.38% 15,759 1.28% 200,000 16.22% 2022 HPC[100]
Fiji 853,445 176,000 20.62% 6,000 0.70% 170,000 19.92% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Macao 663,782 150,359 22.65% 23,635 3.56% 126,724 19.09% 2021 Census [101]
Brunei 381,371 144,000 37.76% 10,000 2.62% 134,000 35.14% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Armenia 2,921,062 143,939 4.93% – – 143,939 4.93% 2022 census,[102] total count excludes 11,669 people who didn't answer question about language proficiency. All speakers were explicitly listed as second language speakers.
Vanuatu 239,839 137,827 57.47% 4,955 2.07% 130,000 54.20% 2020 Vanuatu Census.[103] Data for total speakers were people aged 15+ who were literate in English, so the corresponding percentage was calculated through dividing the number by population aged 15+ (179,302). On the other hand, number of native speakers included anyone aged 3+, so the corresponding percentage is calculated by dividing it by total population aged 3 or above (239,839). It is impossible to precisely calculate number of non-native speakers as a result. Figures exclude Bislama.
Azerbaijan 9,594,300 123,664 1.29% – – 123,664 1.29% 2019 Census,[104] excluded territories controlled by Republic of Artsakh at that time. Figures included only "the fluent speakers". They were all explicitly listed as second language speakers.
Luxembourg 477,061 122,467 25.67% 20,316 4.26% 100,000 20.96% RP2021.[105] Figures for total speakers were those who spoke English at home / school / work, so it excludes the people who knew English but didn't actively use it. Percentage of native speakers was calculated from a denominator of total valid responses on that question (563,092). Number of non-native speakers, therefore, cannot be precisely calculated.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 120,000 114,000 95.00% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Guam 135,770 109,218 80.44% 57,906 42.65% 51,312 37.79% 2020 U.S. Census[106] Figures for non-native speakers only included those who spoke another language and spoke English "very well".
  Nepal 29,164,578 103,884 0.35% 1,323 0.0005% 102,561 0.35% Census 2021 [107] Figures only include those who declared English as their first/second language and does not reflect overall English ability.
Grenada 110,000 100,000 90.91% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Samoa 188,540 94,000 49.86% 1,000 0.53% 93,000 49.33% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
U.S. Virgin Islands 80,430 73,219 91.03% 56,173 69.84% 17,046 21.19% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Isle of Man 84,069 80,781 96.09% 80,781 96.09% – – 2021 Census [108] Figure for total English Speakers was likely to be an undercount due to the number of second language speakers not being available.
Saint Lucia 165,000 71,000 43.03% 31,000 18.79% 40,000 24.24% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Antigua and Barbuda 85,000 68,000 80.00% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Micronesia 111,000 64,000 57.66% 4,000 3.60% 60,000 54.05% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Bermuda 65,000 63,000 96.92% 63,000 96.92% – – Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Dominica 67,000 63,000 94.03% 3,000 4.48% 60,000 89.55% Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Cayman Islands 68,811 61,070 88.75% 61,070 88.75% – – 2021 Census[109]
Kiribati 94,312 68,765 72.91% – – 68,765 72.91% 2010 Census [110]
Marshall Islands 59,000 58,000 98.31% 10,000 16.95% 48,000 81.36% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Saint Kitts and Nevis 50,000 39,000 78.00% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
American Samoa 44,174 20,855 47.21% 1,444 3.27% 19,411 43.94% 2020 U.S. Census[111] Figures for non-native speakers only included those who spoke another language and spoke English "very well".
Northern Mariana Islands 44,111 28,599 64.83% 11,466 25.99% 17,133 38.84% 2020 U.S. Census [112] Figures for non-native speakers only included those who spoke another language and spoke English "very well".
Aruba 104,000 44,000 42.31% 9,000 8.65% 35,000 33.65% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Gambia 1,709,000 40,000 2.34% 40,000 2.34% – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Seychelles 87,000 33,000 37.93% 3,000 3.45% 30,000 34.48% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Tonga 100,000 30,000 30.00% – – 30,000 30.00% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Gibraltar 26,786 24,965 93.20% 20,689 77.24% 4,276 15.96% 2012 Census,[113] native speakers correspond to those who speak English "very well" and non-native speakers correspond to those who speak English "well".
British Virgin Islands 23,000 20,000 86.96% 20,000 86.96% – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Palau 20,000 18,500 92.50% 500 2.50% 18,000 90.00% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Andorra 86,610 17,869 20.63% 2,600 3.00% 15,000 17.32% Source Census: (Total speakers) Linguistic knowledge 2004, (Native speakers) Linguistic knowledge 2022 [114][115]
Anguilla 13,000 12,000 92.31% – – – – Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Nauru 12,000 11,600 96.67% 900 7.50% 10,700 89.17% English is spoken as the language of government and commerce.
Cook Islands 20,200 4,000 19.80% 1,000 4.95% 3,000 14.85% Crystal (2003), p. 109.
Montserrat 5,900 4,000 67.80% 4,000 67.80% – – Crystal (2003), p. 109. This includes speakers of an English creole.
Liechtenstein 39,055 5,900 15.11% 199 0.51% – – [116]
Norfolk Island 2,188 1,911 87.34% 1,146 52.38% 765 34.96% 2021 Australian census (conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics)[117]
Native English-speaking total does not include native Norfuk speakers, though all Norfuk speakers also speak English
Christmas Island 1,692 1,034 61.11% 495 29.26% 539 31.86% 2021 Australian census (conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics)[118]
Cocos (Keeling) Islands 593 370 62.39% 113 19.06% 257 43.34% 2021 Australian census (conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics)[119]
Total of listed nations (142) 6,410,533,533 1,640,353,763 25.59% 391,286,346 6.11% 1,210,829,887 18.89% This is only a summation of all listed countries and the respective percentages.
  • European Union The European Union is a supranational union composed of 27 member states. The total English-speaking population of the European Union and the United Kingdom combined (2012) is 256,876,220[120] (out of a total population of 500,000,000,[121] i.e. 51%) including 65,478,252 native speakers and 191,397,968 non-native speakers, and would be ranked 2nd if it were included. English native speakers amount to 13% of the whole population of the EU and the UK, while the percentage of people that speak English "well enough in order to be able to have a conversation", either as first (32%), second (11%) or third (3%) foreign language, was 38%.
  • When taken from this list and added together, the total number of English speakers in the world adds up to around 1,430,000,000. Likewise, the total number of native English speakers adds up to around 410,000,000. This implies that there are approximately 1,020,000,000 people who speak English as an additional language.

See also

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Non-English speaking populations by language

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Non-English speaking populations by language, historical

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Non-English speaking populations by country

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Linguistic topics

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Notes

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  1. ^ Statistics on second language speakers are inevitably not precise; partly because there is no widely agreed definition of second language speakers – there is no differentiation between countries where English is the lingua franca and those where it is not.
  2. ^ "ACS 5-Year Estimates Public Use Microdata Sample (2022)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
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  18. ^ Proportion of native speakers: Census 1995, as quoted by Andrew Gonzalez in 1625 "The Language Planning Situation in the Philippines" Archived 16 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 19 (5&6), 487–525, p. 492: 67.04% of the then 68.4 million people were native speakers of English. 1998.
  19. ^ From mid-2009 to late 2013 this entry overstated the number of native speakers by roughly 100fold, and inflated the number of total speakers, on the alleged basis of material in "Philippines". Ethnologue. 19 February 1999. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2013.. In fact, Ethnologue Archived 10 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine as of 24 December 2013 simply repeats the number of native speakers, 20,000, reported in Crystal 2003, on the basis of an old (pre-1995) census, and does not address total speakers at all. This attempt to correct these errors in turn perpetrates both error and original research, by applying the old percentages listed above, 63.71% of people over 5 as total speakers in 2000, and .04% of people as native speakers in 1995, to the 2010 totals from Philippines in Figures, 2013, Chapter 5, Demography Archived 26 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine, tables 5.1 and 5.6. Andrew Gonzalez died in 2006; someone else's attention to the 2010 census figures, which appear not to be online and may not have been printed yet in adequate detail, is needed to produce reliable, more or less current, numbers.
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References

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