A Huge And Helpful Guide To 67 English-Speaking Countries (And More!)

English, a language which was the tongue of three tribes 1,500 years ago, is the language of about two billion people today. Out of the world population of 7.8 billion, the global language stands tall, with 1.35 billion speaking it. And surprisingly, the majority aren't even native English speakers. But about 360 million people speak it as their first language. In this article, we will inform you about several countries where English is commonly spoken.

The Spread And Reach of English In the World

English has three times more non-native speakers than native speakers.

Of course, English is the most common foreign language that is studied worldwide. But out of the many perks, one of the major benefits of the growing influence and dominance of the language is—it bridges the gap and makes communication easier in the globalised era. People from different areas around the globe—like America, Singapore, and India can come together and share a language despite the regional differences.

History Of The English Language

Let's go back, just like the English language. The origins of English date back to the fifth century. This was when Germanic tribes invaded Britain, and "Old English" was born. Later, when the Normans invaded Britain in 1066, they brought a form of French that today is referred to as “Middle English.”

“Modern English,” formed with two important factors:

• The beginning of colonialism and modern printing in the 16th century.

• Thanks to Britain's first colonial 'adventure,' the language was brought to the New World—the Americas, South Africa, and Australasia.

Since English belongs to the Indo-European family of languages, it is related to most other languages spoken in - Europe, Iceland, western Asia, and India!

How Did English Spread In Most Of The World?

Thanks to trade and colonization by the British Empire in the 18th and 19th centuries, English spread to several parts of the world. It was after the seventeenth century that English was extended as a language, and it hasn't stopped since.

As for why? Many important factors led English to spread in most of the world:

• Power of the British Empire

• Birth of the Industrial Revolution in England

• Supremacy of the United States of America throughout the world

Most importantly, English, over the last fifty years, has become a global language and the official language of international and multinational industries and companies. English is also popularly known as the language of the Internet.

Today, it is the dominant language of Ireland, Britain, the United States, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and many smaller colonies. The language's use doesn't stop here. It is supremely spoken in various continents like Africa, Asia, and more! English became a global lingua franca in the second half of the twentieth century.

The use of the language isn't just limited to regions and writings. In fact, in Europe, English has taken over Latin and French languages in business and diplomacy, sharing technological and scientific information, and communication across national borders. However, global variations in English accents and dialects remain constant, even today.

English—Important For Personal and Professional Development

With potential employers, partners, clients, or teachers, a better command of English can help you grow immensely. Of course, other skills make a difference, too, but the confidence of speaking English speaks louder for your personality. When you plan to relocate to English-speaking countries, you're helping yourself grow both personally and professionally.

Important For Personal Growth

Knowing English is great for making an impression and can make you seem confident during interaction with the concerned person. Those who have a good command of the language find it easy to communicate freely among friends, in groups, and with colleagues fearlessly. Even when you relocate to English-speaking countries in the world, your personality may benefit further from those surroundings.

Important For Professional Growth

The English language has, over the years, become the number 1 tool for employability. It is no longer a demand but a must to know the language. Whether you're planning on moving to get your dream job, for higher studies, or become an entrepreneur, learning English will always be a plus. 

Now, let's look at 67 English-speaking countries in the world that can help you on an international vacation, for higher studies, or a job in these countries.

An Overview of 67 English-speaking Countries In The World

Being one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, English is spoken by over 1.35 billion people worldwide. However, not all 1.35 billion speak English as a native language. But only 360 million do!

Many English-speaking countries use English as a lingua franca working language to enable communication between people who speak various dialects. This list will unveil the most English-speaking countries and why the language is the most relevant one today.

English Spoken Natively and Non-Natively

Native English speakers: Someone who speaks English as their first language rather than learning it as a foreign language. A person with English as their first language from birth is a native English speaker.

Non-native English speakers: Someone who may often have a different accent or may make grammatical errors influenced by their native language are non-native English speakers.

But, of 1,453 million speakers of English, 373 million are native speakers (English as their first language), and 1,080 million are non-native speakers (English as their second language).

List of Majority Native English-speaking Countries in the World

According to the University of Sheffield, the UK government classifies these overseas countries as majority native English-speaking:

• Antigua and Barbuda

• Australia

• The Bahamas

• Barbados

• Belize

• Canada

• Dominica

• Grenada

• Guyana

• Ireland

• Jamaica

• New Zealand

• St Kitts and Nevis

• St Lucia

• St Vincent and the Grenadines

• Trinidad and Tobago

• United Kingdom

• United States of America

Many non-native countries in the world use English as a lingua franca or a de facto working language (most communication is done in English, even though it is not accepted as an official language)!

Below, in this blog post, we have classified the countries according to regions to simplify things for you when you relocate to the most English-speaking country or elsewhere.

English Speaking Countries in Europe

There are way too many English-speaking countries in Europe. It is the native language of the UK and Ireland. English is also the official language of Malta, Dhekelia, Jersey, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Guernsey, and the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

In The Netherlands, English is officially a regional language, with 90% of the Dutch population speaking it. English is also the de facto official language of England.

Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, and Finland are some of the top English-speaking countries in Europe. 38% of European Union citizens can speak English locally, while only 13% speak English as their native language.

This means only a few European countries have English as an official language. However, many Nordic and Scandinavian countries have a high population that speaks the language.

Below, find a table of English-speaking countries with the estimated percentage of the population in Europe speaking English.

English Speaking Countries in Asia

In the Asian Region, there are about 372 million native English speakers and a billion non-native English speakers. With the fast development and growth of English worldwide, the language has gained immense status in Asia.

English is the official language of Asian nations, such as India, Singapore, Nepal, the Philippines, and Pakistan. An estimated 125 million people speak English in India, around 94 million in Pakistan and 90 million in the Philippines.

English in Contemporary India

Thanks to English's global presence today, it has become an international language. The history goes long back to the British arrival in India when English was introduced to Indians for becoming clerks at administrative buildings.

Fast forward to today, English has become one of the most sought-after languages and for all the right reasons. English has surpassed the language of Hindi in India and links and brings people from different cultures, regions, and mindsets together.

Today, English stands to be the language of trade and commerce, and with globalisation at its peak, the language is also vastly used in import and export areas.

In India, English is the language of education and the library language. About 1.3 billion people in India have English as their common language. No wonder knowing English in India today is an "essential skill" of modern life.

Plus, proficiency in English is more of a need for those who want to pursue higher education, as most colleges and universities in India (and abroad) require students to understand the language well. This has led to a high demand for English-speaking professionals from India in the global job market.

Below, find a table of English-speaking countries with the estimated percentage of the population in Asia speaking English.

English-Speaking Countries in the Oceania Region

Oceania is a region consisting of thousands of islands throughout the Central and South Pacific. Oceania is divided into four —Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Australasia (Australia and New Zealand). 

Oceania is described as a geographical region in most of the English-speaking world. However, outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is considered one of the continents. 

It is one of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world, with 450 Oceanic languages, all branches of the Austronesian languages. Speakers of these languages occupy the area: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia.

Even though they cover a vast area, Oceanic languages are spoken by only two million. And despite the number of languages, English is the most prominent one across Oceania, with over 30 million English speakers.

Below, find a table of English-speaking countries with the estimated percentage of the population in Oceania speaking English.

English-Speaking Countries in Africa

The 12th Executive Committee Meeting in March 1994 approved the National Ozone Officers (NOOs) Network for English-speaking Africa. It is one of the largest Networks, which consists of 28 countries.

Africa is home to about 1 billion people, out of which nearly 130 million speak the English language. However, 27 out of 54 countries on the continent speak the language as their secondary or official language. The number of English speakers who are fluent in the language isn't as high even though English is spoken officially or unofficially in half of the countries in Africa.

Nigeria is the most English-speaking country in Africa with the highest number of English speakers.

Below, find a table of English-speaking countries with the estimated percentage of the population in Africa speaking English.

English-speaking countries in the Americas

As of 2023, the United States is the most populous nation where English is a de facto national language, with around 332 million people speaking it, followed by Spanish with 35 million.

The colonists from England who settled along the Atlantic seaboard in the seventeenth century were the first ones to bring the English language to America. It was further followed by migrations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The United States has contributed immensely to the spread of English as a global, international language. As for why? The country's economy, culture, and history have together contributed to making English a widely understood language worldwide.

One of the key factors for the spread of English across the United States is the American influence. Thanks to media like television, music, and movies, the domination of American culture is still uptight.

Additionally, the US also has a large population of native English speakers and those who learn English as a second language to communicate with fellow Americans.

The United States has a strong education system, with American universities being respected throughout the world. It isn't surprising to find numerous international students who come here and return home with a strong command of English; after all, the US is the most English-speaking country.

While England played a major role in the spread of English, the credit goes to the US for a widespread influential impact on the global language scene.

• North America is the largest English-speaking continent, with a 78.1% population and 334 million people speaking it.
  

• However, South America is made up of many Spanish-speaking countries. It also has one large Portuguese-speaking country called Brazil. Spanish and Portuguese stand neck to neck in South America for the title of the most spoken language in South America.

Below, find a table of English-speaking countries with the estimated percentage of the population in America speaking English.

Different Types of English Language—American and British English

The differences between American and British English occurred after the first settlers arrived in America. The key difference between the two is pronunciation. Additionally, there's a distinction in spelling, vocabulary, and grammar.

For instance;

American English: The band is playing. (collective nouns are considered singular).

British English: The band are playing. (collective nouns can be singular or plural).

Did you know?

English is not an official language in the United States of America. However, certain states like Michigan, New Jersey, and New York in the US list English as their official language.

The Importance of Learning English Language & How Clapingo Can Help

Of course, surviving without knowing English is difficult, and we understand that you'd want to get well-versed in it to grow individually and professionally. If you're here to go beyond the typical "thank you," "sorry," and "no problem" and want to master the language for fluency and command, it's time you invest your time in learning it with Clapingo.

At Clapingo, you can enroll in an online spoken English course and start learning the language right away! Whether you're in India or plan to move to the most English-speaking country, Clapingo believes a language shouldn't stop you from chasing your dreams.

With Clapingo's IELTS course, you can now confidently study abroad, seek a job overseas or migrate eternally without worrying!

English can also significantly help in improving your quality of life. These benefits include memory improvement, increased listening skills, better communication, and self-confidence.

Plus, students, professionals, homemakers, and entrepreneurs and advance their professional and personal lives. Because a great entrepreneur and interviewee must effectively sell, focus, learn, and communicate.

To learn English, Clapingo offers classes to help individuals polish their command over the language. Clapingo, a unique platform, helps you to practice conversations live with various tutors across the country. We're a judgment-free space where you can speak with a diverse set of people freely!

Benefits of Clapingo:

• At Clapingo, you get a no-nonsense, 100% practice-based learning experience as only daily English speaking can make you confident.
  

• In Clapingo's personalized spoken English coaching, you benefit from one-on-one individualised attention and a tailored approach to your weaknesses, preparing you when moving to English-speaking countries.
  

• You can choose your tutor at Clapingo in every spoken English session. If you have twenty sessions, you can speak to twenty tutors or continue with the same.

• Clapingo has self-paced classes that let you pick a convenient time to practice, so there's no need to preset a particular slot beforehand.

To be a fluent English speaker, watch this video by Clapingo!

Be a FLUENT ENGLISH SPEAKER

Conclusion

The English language is recognised as an official language in a total of 67 countries and 27 non-sovereign entities. The two largest English-speaking countries are the United States and the United Kingdom. With 230 million native speakers in the US, it is one of the largest English-speaking countries in the world, followed by the UK with 60 million native speakers.

Having a good command of the English language is crucial for both personal and professional fronts. If you're good at communicating through the language, you will appear confident for job interviews, with friends and families and also adjust well to English-speaking countries in the world.

FAQs

1. How many English-speaking countries are there in the world?

In 88 countries and territories, English is either an administrative, cultural, or official language.

1. Which type of English is particularly in demand among non-native English-speaking countries?

UK English is the preferred language in most European countries and English-speaking countries in Africa and South Asia.

1. Which five countries speak English the most?

The United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and South Africa are the five countries that speak English the most.

1. Why is English preferred in India?

English is the language of higher education in India, giving students a competitive edge when applying for jobs. It is also widely spoken among government officials and corporate executives, making it an important tool for communication.