WHICH COUNTRIES SPEAK ENGLISH

English originated in Britain back in the 5th century. The most significant spread of modern English throughout the world was facilitated by the ever-expanding British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries. That is why English is today the de jure or de facto official language in major former British colonies such as India, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the United States.

Then during the twentieth century, especially after World War II, the United States emerged as a major superpower. Largely due to the geopolitical influence of the state, combined with Hollywood show business, the development of American entrepreneurship, and the journalistic work of the British Broadcasting Corporation, there was a further spread of the language around the world.

In 2024, more than two billion people speak English. In terms of reach of all inhabitants of the planet, it is the third, after Chinese and Spanish. But when you combine native and non-native speakers, English is the most widely spoken language in the world. In addition, for millions of people from all corners of the globe, learning English is associated with opportunity and an improved quality of life.

Next, let's highlight the countries that speak English.

ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES – CURRENT LISTSM

Note. Only sovereign/recognized states are included in the lists.

Finally, we note that Russian, with over 150 million speakers, is the eighth most spoken language in the world, after Chinese, Spanish, English, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali and Portuguese.

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