English is one of the most widespread languages on the planet. If you speak the language, you can easily communicate with people worldwide. English is also termed the unofficial global language of the world. But, have you ever wondered exactly how many countries speak English? Well, let’s find out!
Our team has combed through all continents and complied the names of all the countries from all six continents that speak English.
How Many Countries Speak English in 2022?
For your ease, we have listed all the countries that speak English on each continent. So keep reading till the end to know how many countries speak English.
Countries that Speak English in North & South America
The United States of America does not identify any language as its official language. Still, it is a well-known fact that most people identify English as their first language and use it daily. English is also the primary language used for educational and official activities.
After the USA, Canada is another English-speaking country in North America. English is Canada’s official language, followed by their second official language, French. Most of Canada’s population is bilingual and speaks both.
Countries that recognize English as their official language are:
- Puerto Rico
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- The Virgin Islands
- Anguilla
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Jamaica
Please take note that even though some of these countries recognize English as their official language, a significant amount of their population doesn’t speak English.
Countries that Speak English in Europe
A study conducted by the Eurydice network concluded that about 90% of European schoolchildren learn English at some stage of their primary education. But that doesn’t mean they’re proficient in English as they grow up.
Several countries and territories in Europe speak English chiefly and recognize English as their official language. They are listed below:
- Ireland
- England
- The Isle of Man
- Scotland
- Northern Ireland
- Jersey
- Wales
- Gibraltar
- Malta
- Guernsey
Countries that Speak English in Africa
Most of the countries in Africa have several official languages. South Africa alone has eleven official languages in total. Other than these languages, various languages and dialects are used in the country.
Many African countries, like Botswana, have enlisted English as their official language, but a minority of their population speak and use it daily. In Ethiopia and Eritrea, English is used abundantly, even though it is not identified as an official language.
So, Countries that identify English as their official language and a big part of the population speaks it too are listed below:
- Kenya
- Ghana
- Nigeria
- Lesotho
- South Africa
- Rwanda
- Zimbabwe
- Uganda
The countries listed below recognize English as their official language, but it is not used primarily.
- Liberia
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- The Gambia
- Mauritius
- Malawi
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Saint Helena
- Seychelles
- Swaziland
- Sierra Leone
- Zambia
Countries that Speak English in Asia
English is one of the most spoken languages on the continent. Several countries do not identify English as their official language even though most of the population is proficient in it and uses it daily.
Countries that recognize English as their official language are listed below:
- India
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Malaysia
- Brunei
- Sri Lanka
- Israel
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
Note that in some of these countries, even though English is listed as an official language, it is mainly used for official and educational purposes.
Countries that Speak English in Oceania
Similar to the USA and U.K, Australia does not recognize English as its official language even though it is used widely on a daily basis. Countries that follow the same practice are the Cook Islands and American Samoa. In New Zealand, English is both the official and chiefly used language.
The Countries listed below have officially listed English as their official language, even though it is not the primary language used by the masses.
- Fiji
- Marshall Islands
- Guam
- Kiribati
- Papua New Guinea
- Micronesia
- Nauru
- Niue
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Palau
- Tuvalu
- Pitcairn
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Vanuatu
- Solomon Islands
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Final Words: Countries Speak English
English is considered a global language because it is widely spoken and understood by almost everyone in all the regions of the planet. Additionally, it is the third most spoken language. English is the language of global business, and billions of people use English daily.
So, now that you know how many countries speak English. We hope this article helps you in case you are planning to travel to any of these countries or are just looking for a push to become fluent in the language.
FAQs: Countries Speak English
About 1.35 billion people on this planet speak English. However, a majority of them have different native languages. Approximately 360 people speak Engish as their first language.
Even though The The United States of America doesn’t identify English as an official language, with a population of about 317 million English-speaking people, the country has the most English speakers.
A total of about 67countries, as well as 27 non-sovereign entities, recognize English as their official language.