All English speaking countries. Countries with English as the official language

How many English-speaking countries are currently on Earth? Find out in this article!

Countries where English is spoken.

Hi friends! Indeed, when you come to completely different countries, located on opposite sides of the world, you hear English everywhere. English has become an international means of communication, everyone is trying to learn it, from young to old, its knowledge has become considered the standard of a competent competent person. At the same time, English is not considered the most common language in the world. It stands in 2nd place and is inferior to the Chinese language, or rather its Mandarin dialect. But, all the same, we can say with confidence that the victorious march of the English language around the planet is a solemn march and is not going to get tired or stop yet.

English speaking countries in the world.

And it all started with those countries that later became known as English-speaking. This is the name of a country where English is recognized as the official state language. There are more than 80 such countries in the world. Surprisingly, these countries cover the entire geography the globe. Where are the countries where they speak English language?

• They are in Asia. There are the largest English-speaking countries - India, Pakistan, Philippines and others.
• In Africa. These are Tanzania, Nigeria, Sudan, Kenya and many other countries.
• In Europe. English-speaking Malta, Jersey, etc. are located here.
• In America. English is spoken in Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados and other countries.
• In Oceania. Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and others are considered to be English-speaking.

This is, of course, very short list. But notice a feature? An observant person who knows and history loving immediately understand what's going on. Most of these countries are former colonies of Great Britain and the United Kingdom. After all, since the XVIII century, England tried to develop its influence on all the conquered countries. And this influence was not only economic or military, but also cultural and scientific.

Despite the fact that in most countries English is considered the official language, it is known and spoken in only a few a large number of people compared to the entire population of the country. Usually, these are the people who live in major cities and received a fairly good education or related to the tourism business.

And yet, English is rightfully considered the most common. This is due, first of all, to the fact that it is considered the most taught in the world. Every day it is taught by a huge number of people, and not only in English-speaking countries. English is a true leader among other languages ​​in the world of big politics and business. It has become a means of international communication on the Internet, and it is in this language that most of the world's information is stored.

We are often asked: in which country in Europe is it better to live if you speak English well? And many have studied and speak German and are interested in the respective countries. Let's look at the language situation in Europe.

Malta is the main English-speaking country in the EU

Most wealthy people who want to permanently or temporarily live abroad are fairly fluent in English. However, not everywhere in Europe you will also be freely understood. According to statistics, this language is the most used in the EU, it is spoken by a third of all Europeans. German and French share the second and third places (22% and 19%). The top 5 also includes Italian and Spanish(14% and 12%).

If we recommend European countries where English is very common and in which you will not have problems understanding, then, first of all, pay attention to Malta. This country is very closely connected with the UK, it has many schools for learning English. Not surprisingly, about 59% of the population speaks English.

It is important that in Malta you can get any status: residence permit, permanent residence or citizenship. Any of them will give you the right to reside in the country unlimited quantity time or not to live at all (optional). Also, you will be able to travel around Europe without visas, with citizenship - in general, all over the world. In addition, the passport of Malta allows you to live without restrictions in any country of the European Union under a simplified registration procedure.

Scandinavians speak better than English

If we talk about other European countries where English is actively used, then the Top 5 (except Malta) confidently includes:

• Sweden - 52% of the population
• Denmark - 52%
• Finland - 44%
• Cyprus - 42%
• Austria - 40%.

For comparison, in Russia, English is known and used by about 15% of the population.

Sweden is one of the most developed countries in the world. Foreigners joke that the Swedes speak English better than the English. Many want to move here, but Sweden is reluctant to issue residence permits to citizens of other countries. If you set out to settle here after all, having Maltese citizenship will be a great advantage.

Denmark and Finland are countries with a rather harsh climate, quite closed to foreigners, so they are not popular destinations for people who want to move to Europe. But if you wish, the way here, again, is best laid through obtaining a Maltese passport.

Cyprus open to investors

AT last years Cyprus made a strong competition to the English-speaking countries of Europe. This is natural, because here, just like in Malta, there is a program for obtaining citizenship. Moreover, you can get a passport within only six months. Investors from all over the world take advantage of this opportunity, which is why English is actively used in Cyprus. Here you will be understood without problems. By the way, the citizenship of Cyprus can also be used as a “pass” to other European top-level countries.

Austria: comfortable bilingualism

As for Austria, there is a unique bilingualism that is not found in other countries. Of course, the main language is German, but, as we have already said, 40% of the population can also communicate in English, because one of the main sectors of the economy here is international tourism.

By the way, in Germany, 30% of the inhabitants are ready to speak English. And this applies to such large cities as Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Munich. Almost everyone speaks English there. But in small towns there may be problems with understanding in stores, gas stations.

Austria is a country that is equally suitable for living for people who speak English or German. And to get the right to live here, you need to take part in the state program for financially independent persons. If you fall within the quota and if you have a relatively small amount on your bank account, you will receive an Austrian residence permit.

Important! Please note that it is the Austrian program that provides for the passing of a knowledge exam German language on the basic level. Therefore, if you only speak English, you will need to learn the "basic" German. Or choose another country to live.

Countries where they do not favor English

The top 5 countries where it is most difficult to communicate in English are Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain and the Czech Republic. National languages ​​are actively used here. This position of the population must be respected and taken into account when moving to Europe. If you want to move, you have to learn the language.

For example, in Spain there is a state program for obtaining a residence permit for investment in real estate. It is very popular among foreigners and, in particular, Russians. Investors do not need to take any language proficiency exam. However, keep in mind that when you move here, it's still better for you to learn Spanish.

The same situation is in Portugal. Here you can get a residence permit for buying real estate, investing in securities or business, but 87% of the population do not speak English, and you will have to communicate in Portuguese.

It just so happens that in Europe the best English is spoken in Scandinavia, as well as the small island states of Malta and Cyprus. But in Italy, France, countries of Eastern Europe this language is not popular. Keep this in mind when planning your move.

It is no secret to anyone that English is recognized as an international and universal language of communication. It is ideal in cases where two people from different corners planets need to understand each other. Interestingly, there are countries where English is the second or third official language. Have you ever wondered how many countries have English as the official language? Let's figure it out.

Such common English

Today, English confidently ranks second among the most common languages. It is spoken by about one billion people. Scientists say that this is 1/5 of the entire population of the Earth. Moreover, this number can include those for whom English is not a language by birth. This category of people speaks it along with their native or even several other foreign languages.

If we are talking about those for whom speaking English from birth is the norm, then there are just over four hundred thousand million of them in the world. An impressive number, isn't it? But in which countries the official language is English? Let's try to find out.

Countries where English is the official language: a brief description and total number

If we consider countries where it is customary to speak English, then it is necessary to take into account several nuances:

• First of all, countries can be sovereign states and non-sovereign entities.
• In addition to these categories, there are a number of territories where English is the second or even third official language.
• In addition, the general list includes states where there is simply no official language, but most of the population is fluent in English.
• Interestingly, in some regions there is such a thing as a "working language", and most often it is English.

Based on all of the above, it can be said with confidence that the countries where English is the official language are extremely numerous. And this is not surprising, given the fact that we are talking about the second most spoken language in the world. According to the latest data (taking into account sovereign and non-sovereign territories), there are more than eighty such countries. This includes the USA, Great Britain, Seychelles, Malta, Jamaica, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines and many other states. As part of the article, we will not be able to mention all of them, but we will be happy to tell you about the most interesting ones.

Commonwealth of Australia: a state where there is no official language

Of course, if we are interested in countries in which English is the official language, then we have no right to include Australia here. After all, the state language is not established here at the legislative level. But almost all Australians are fluent in English, and it is on it that all documentation in the country is kept.

This is due to the fact that long time Australia was in colonial dependence on the British crown. In addition, a large number of Englishmen once moved to these amazing lands from Great Britain.

Over time, migrants from different countries, speaking mainly in English, created a special dialect, which is now called - Australian English.

India: the country with the most official languages

If we are talking about countries in which English is the official language, then India ranks among them special place. The fact is that the population of this state speaks more than four hundred languages ​​and dialects. Due to the need to indicate the official language, given fact caused some embarrassment to the Government of India. Therefore, a special scheme was invented, which is not found in any other country in the world. The constitution indicates that Hindi and English receive the status of state languages. But in addition to this, a list is attached to the main document of India indicating another twenty-two official languages ​​in which business can be conducted in the country and official papers (including legislative acts) can be drawn up.

Botswana: official and national language

Botswana is a country where a large number of different nationalities coexist, each of which has its own language. On average, there are about thirty different languages ​​in the country, however, according to unofficial data, about fifty more dialects can be safely added to them.

Interestingly, the inhabitants of Botswana themselves clearly distinguish between the official language and the national one. The latter is Tswana, spoken by more than one million Botswana. But English, which is spoken by only about four thousand local residents, has official status. Surprisingly, it was this fact that served as the root cause of the fact that the writing system in the country is based on the Latin alphabet. Although no more than sixty percent of the population consider themselves literate.

Be that as it may, Botswana can be safely included in the list, which is formed by countries where English is the official language. After all, the great language of Shakespeare is enshrined here at the legislative level.

East Timor: official and working languages

East Timor is located in Southeast Asia. The population of the country exceeds 1,000,000 people. Throughout the history of its existence, the state was under the protectorate of Portugal and Indonesia. And only fifteen years ago it received the long-awaited independence.

This fact seriously influenced the development of East Timor as a state, as well as the formation of official languages. Now in the country, the Portuguese language and Tetum have this status. In addition, the large local population actively speaks native dialects and dialects. You ask: "Where is English in this system?" He occupies a special place. The fact is that in East Timor there is such a thing as a "working language". It can be described as the language in which business negotiations, paperwork and processing of large amounts of information are conducted. Now, in East Timor, English and Indonesian are such languages.

As you have noticed from our article, the countries in which English is the official language are quite diverse. They have different cultural traditions and levels of economic development, but they all have one thing in common. Together they create the Anglosphere - a set of English-speaking countries that have a certain commonality of cultural traditions, formed under the influence of Great Britain.

Where, who and how speaks English.

Countries with a predominance of the world language.

English has long been the main world language, especially for business communication(as in the UN and the EU). It is widely used in at least 10 countries, reflecting the British cultural heritage. Geographically, this is mainly the North Atlantic and the coast of the Indian Ocean. This is native language half a billion earthlings (3rd or 4th in the world along with Spanish) and a second language of one and a half billion. In terms of the number of speakers, English is second only to Chinese. Among young people, English is almost ubiquitous as an important educational, employment and immigration advantage.

State English

English is the official language of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Great Britain) as historically native. Celtic speech is preserved only among rural population highland Wales(Welsh) and insular Scotland (Scottish).

It acts as a colonial state in the United States of America (formally in 31 US states), Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia (Australia), New Zealand, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Guyana and many Central American island mini-states as members of the British Commonwealth.

The Canadian province of Quebec is bilingual - local francophones recognize English formally. The natives of inland Australia retain their native speech. Middle American Creole English is characterized by Spanish, French influences and a strong African accent.

Official English

The English colonial heritage is strongly felt in a number of countries in Asia and Africa. English is 1 of 2-3 official languages ​​of India (along with Hindi), Pakistan, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Maldives, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon (along with French), Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa (along with Dutch and Zulu), Belize, Malta (along with Maltese) and Ireland (along with Gaelic). English there (except for the last 2 countries) is a non-native language, although it is taught in depth.

Indo-English is one of the largest in the world in terms of the number of speakers. It is divided into dialects, the most important of which are:

• Hinglish (dialect of Hindi speakers)
• Punjabi English
• Assamese English
• Tamil English

Liberia is an artificial state of freed black US slaves who moved to West Africa for nostalgic reasons.

English in Ireland and Malta is a second mother tongue along with the local language. Irish authorities promote Gaelic as a return to Celtic roots. In fact, but not formally, it is the same in Cyprus as in another former European colony of Great Britain. These 3 countries specialize in Literary English courses, offering reasonable prices and cultural experiences.

English Joke

“Oh, have you heard? Mrs. Blaunt died to-day while trying on a new dress."

"How sad! What was it trimmed with?