In many nations, the quality of English as a second language is becoming increasingly competitive. English is increasingly necessary for working in a global environment due to its importance in the professional world.
While quantity is important, quality is equally important, especially when it comes to languages. The level of linguistic ability necessary to converse and comprehend the language is important, and the nations with the most speakers may not necessarily represent this.
Here is a list of the top English speaking countries by population:
1. United States
The United States of America is the largest English-speaking nation on the planet. Around 225 million people in the United States use English as their first language, with 43 million speaking it as a secondary.
In addition, with a total population of 268 million English speakers, the United States is the country with the greatest English-speaking citizenry. All the official works, academic works are done in English. People who want to live in the United States it is mandatory for them to learn English.
2. United Kingdom
There is no law that declares English to be the official language of the United Kingdom, hence it is the official national language. Because the majority of the country speaks the language, it is utilized in every official capacity.
Historically, English is being used in almost every part of the United Kingdom, although it is most widely spoken in England.
3. India
With 125 million English speakers, India is the next country on the list. However, only 226,449 people speak it as their native language. It’s a second language for the others. In many states in India people consider English as their official language.
The patchy status of English schooling means that many Indians speak “not so much English as Hinglish,” a blend of English and Hindi, one of India’s official languages. Even all the official work in India is done in English.
4. Australia
Regardless of the fact that there is no official language in Australia, English language is considered as the country’s official language. Considering this, Australia is a linguistically and culturally diverse country, with over 160 spoken languages influencing its culture.
The accent and lexicon of Australian English are distinct. Australian English is comparable to British English, although the former includes a colorful vernacular dubbed “strine” for good measure.
Strine, also known as Ozspeak, is the country’s most creative product, including abbreviations, profanities, and hyperboles, as well as word-tweaking and filthy idioms.
5. Africa
Because of colonization, a number of African countries have adopted English as their official language, similar to the Caribbean. Approximately six million people in Africa’s 1.2 billion-strong population speak English as their first language.
A handful of Africans, however, have studied English as a second language, following the lead of a number of other continents. In all, almost 237 million individuals in Africa speak English.
The country with the most English speakers is Nigeria, where over 111 million people speak the language in some form. Uganda (29 million), South Africa (16 million), and Cameroon (14 million) followed by Nigeria (9.8 million)
6. Canada
The English speaking colony in Canada was developed using a combination of American and British English. The English being spoken Canada is a kind of North American English that is comparable to that used in the Western United States and in the United States as a whole. Canadians are deeply influenced by the impact of American English on their language.
Besides its origins in Southwestern England, the English spoken in Newfoundland differs from that used in the rest of Canada. All government functions, including judicial hearings and the enactment of federal law, are conducted in English.
7. Pakistan
English is a co-official language of Pakistan, alongside Urdu. A national minority of 3 million in a population of 2 million” speaks English as a second language.
English is widely used in important schools, technology, and global business. It is also used extensively in culture and is an important way for the country’s elite to communicate.
8. Netherlands
The population of the Netherlands is around 16.8 million people. Approximately 91 percent of the population, or 15.3 million Netherlanders, speak English. Considering the large number of individuals who speak English, it is uncommon to come across someone who does not.
Those who do not speak English are more likely to reside in rural areas, have a lower educational level, and be impoverished. You may find it simple to discover English speakers when vacationing in the Netherlands. It’s not uncommon for these English speakers to have a better command of the language than you do.
9. Philippines
The Philippines is known across the world as one of the most English-speaking countries, with the majority of its inhabitants speaking the language at some level. More than 14 million Filipinos speak English, which has long been one of the country’s official languages.
In addition, language knowledge is another of the country’s assets that has aided the economy and even pushed the Philippines over India as the world’s top voice outsourcing destination in 2012. Due to the comparatively more cheap but high-quality English as a Second Language (ESL) programs available locally, the number of foreign English learners is on the rise.
10. Germany
In Germany, English speakers account for roughly 56 percent of the population, which is a good number and considerably higher than in other European nations such as France, Italy, and Spain, where English is spoken by just 35-40 percent of the population, and much of it is not proficient.
German people are much more rigorously schooled in English, with a significant proportion of them gaining knowledge of it as soon as they begin primary school. As a result, the younger generation of Germans under 50 have a fairly good theoretical understanding of the language, though proficiency is dependent on how much they get to practice it in actual situations.
11. France
Although English is not generally spoken in France as a whole, it is extensively spoken in Paris’ tourist regions, particularly at well-known sights and restaurants and shops. English is far less common elsewhere in the country, so knowing a few simple French words can make speaking with French people much smoother.
According to recent statistics, roughly 39 percent of the French population, or slightly under two-fifths, claim to be able to communicate in English to some extent.
12. Italy
According to recent estimates, roughly 34% of Italians, or slightly more than a third, can communicate in English. However, many of those in this one-third percentage will only be able to speak very rudimentary English; genuinely competent English speakers are actually fairly rare in Italy, so tourists should learn some basic Italian phrases before going there.
In general, English is not commonly spoken in Italy, while it is spoken by a significant number of people in big cities such as Rome, Tuscany, and Milan. It is not recommended to travel to Italy without knowing at least a few basic Italian words, as not everyone you encounter will be able to communicate in English.
13. Uruguay
Precise numbers on the proportion of the Uruguayan population who can communicate in English are difficult to come by, but from tourist testimonies, it appears to be relatively high, possibly between 50 and 70% of the population, as it is in most other Latin American nations.
The downtown of Montevideo, especially at the larger hotels and restaurants, is probably the best spot to discover English speakers. They’ll have enough English-speaking tourists here that they’ll have someone on hand who can talk in the language.
14. China
In the early 17th century, missionary schools in Macau were the first to teach English. When Russian went out of fashion in the 1960s, English was progressively absorbed into China’s educational system.
After a brief period of condemnation during the Cultural Revolution, English language instruction was restored in the early 1970s and flourished under Deng Xiaoping’s economic reform initiatives. The fact that English has been taught in Chinese schools for many years, many Chinese can be called fluent in the language.
Hundreds of millions of Chinese people learn English, although according to some estimates, just around 1% of Mainland Chinese are conversational. Surprisingly, English is spoken more often in China’s major cities than in smaller communities.
15. Malta
Malta is a small, attractive island off the coast of Italy with one of the nicest climates in Europe, as well as excellent tourist attractions and food. English is widely spoken in Malta because it is a co-official language, along with Maltese, and is taught to children from a young age in schools.
Around 90% of the population speaks English, so you won’t have any trouble getting around if you don’t speak any of the native dialects. English is also often used on food containers and highway signs.
In conclusion, English language is becoming immensely important. Being able to communicate in English language not only helps you find work, but it also allows you to interact with others and learn more about different countries, locations, and habits.
