If you’re a native English speaker or an English learner, knowing what countries speak English is helpful so you know the travel destinations where most people speak English and where most documents are available in English. In addition, jobs in English-speaking countries may be easier for you to get if you’re a native speaker, bilingual, or trilingual. And if you’re just starting to learn English with the Rosetta Stone App, you can study your new language in an immersive environment!
So, what countries speak English? After careful research, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of countries that use English. You’ll learn the difference between English as a de facto and de jure language, meaning which countries list English as an official language vs. when English is considered the most commonly spoken language.
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How many countries speak English?
There are 75 English-speaking countries and states around the world. 52 of them are independent countries, while 21 are non-sovereign states or territories. The last two countries don’t have any official languages listed, but English is the most commonly spoken language, so we included them.
But what counts as a country that speaks English? Can a country be considered an English-speaking country if it’s not an official language? Here’s how we determined what countries to add to our list of 75 English-speaking countries.
De jure language vs. de facto language
Lists of English-speaking countries include two different considerations. The first is countries where English is considered the official language (also called the de jure language). These countries use English in their education systems, government documents, and media. Even if it’s the official language, English might not be the most common language used.
In countries where English is the most commonly spoken language, but not officially designated, it’s known as a de facto language. You’re likely to hear English spoken widely, but it may be inconsistently documented on signage, etc. Citizens of these countries likely learned English as their first or second languages.
What countries speak English?
Our lists of countries that speak English include countries and states where English is an official language—even if it’s not widely spoken at all. For clarity, we mention other countries that have a strong presence of English speakers, but they are not counted in our total.
English-speaking countries in Africa
According to World Population Review, around 237 million people speak English in Africa with 23 countries listing English as an official language. Most of the people in these countries speak a language besides English, including indigenous languages and creole languages (a mix of two prominent languages). Some countries, like South Africa and Zimbabwe, list English as one of 11 or 12 different official languages!
| Country* | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Botswana | English | Setswana |
| Burundi | English, Kirundi, French | Kirundi |
| Cameroon | English, French | French |
| Eswatini | English, Swazi | Swazi |
| The Gambia | English | Mandinka, Wolof |
| Ghana | English | English, Akan |
| Kenya | English, Swahili | Swahili |
| Lesotho | English, Sesotho | Sesotho |
| Liberia | English | Liberian Koloqua |
| Malawi | English | Chichewa |
| Mauritius | English, French | Mauritian Creole |
| Namibia | English | Oshiwambo languages |
| Nigeria | English | English, Hausa |
| Rwanda | English, Kinyarwanda, French, Swahili | Kinyarwanda |
| Seychelles | English, Seychellois Creole, French | Seychellois Creole |
| Sierra Leone | English | Mende, Temne, Krio |
| South Africa | English, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga, Swati, Tshivenda, Ndebele, South African Sign Language | English, Zulu |
| South Sudan | English | English, Arabic |
| Sudan | English, Arabic | Arabic |
| Tanzania | English, Swahili | Swahili |
| Uganda | English, Swahili | English |
| Zambia | English | English, Bemba |
| Zimbabwe | English, Shona, Ndebele, Chewa, Tshwa, Southern Sotho, Northern Sotho, Xhosa, Venda, Tswana, Tsonga, Tongan, Kalanga, Tonga, Zimbabwean English, Sena | Shona |
*Sources for all charts: www.worlddata.info, www.cia.gov, www.worldpopulationreview.com
English-speaking countries in the Americas and the Caribbean
There are 12 countries that speak English within the American continents and the Caribbean region. Of these, eight countries are Caribbean island countries, where most citizens speak an English Creole language, which is different from Haitian Creole.
Only one South American country (Guyana) and one Central American country (Belize) list English as an official language. In North America, English is an official language in Canada and the United States (English was made an official language of the United States in 2025). All together, 350 million English speakers live in this region of the world.
| Country | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Antigua and Barbuda | English | Antiguan Creole |
| The Bahamas | English | Bahamian Creole |
| Barbados | English | Bajan |
| Belize | English | English, Spanish |
| Canada | English, French | English |
| Curacao | English, Papiamento, Dutch | Papiamento |
| Dominica | English | English Creole |
| Grenada | English | Grenadian Creole English |
| Guyana | English | Guyanese Creole |
| Jamaica | English | Jamaican Patois |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | English | Saint Kitts Creole |
| Trinidad and Tobago | English | Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English |
| United States | English | English |
In addition to the independent countries in the Americas and the Caribbean, there are nine non-sovereign states that consider English as an official and/or commonly spoken language.
| Non-Sovereign State | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Anguilla | English | English |
| Bermuda | English | English |
| Cayman Islands | English | English |
| Curaçao | English, Papiamento, Dutch | Papiamento |
| Falkland Islands | English | English |
| Puerto Rico | English, Spanish | Spanish |
| Sint Maarten | English, Dutch | English |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | English | English, Turks and Caicos Creole |
| Virgin Islands | English | Virgin Islands Creole |
English-speaking countries in Asia
Over 460 million people in Asia speak English, although it’s only listed as an official language in four countries. In India, English and Hindi are the national languages, and each state names its own official languages. People living in countries like Japan, China, and Thailand, where English isn’t the official language, often speak and understand English as a second or third language.
In West Asia, English is also a common second language. Nearly half of Pakistan speaks English, and in countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, many citizens are fluent in English as it’s taught in schools but not recognized officially.
| Country | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| India | Hindi, English | Hindi |
| Pakistan | English, Urdu | Punjabi, English |
| Philippines | English, Filipino | Tagalog |
| Singapore | English, Singaporean Mandarin, Malay, Tamil | Singaporean Mandarin |
Hong Kong, a non-sovereign state in Asia, also considers English as an official language. Most people living in Hong Kong learn Cantonese as their first language, but they often learn English as their second language.
| Non-Sovereign State | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Hong Kong | English, Cantonese, Puntongha | Cantonese |
English-speaking countries in Europe
Although there are 200 million English speakers across Europe, it may surprise you to learn there are only three European countries that consider or use English as an official language. The United Kingdom, one of the most prominent English-speaking countries, considers English only a de facto language, yet Welsh was recently codified as an official UK language and Irish in Ireland as well.
However, that doesn’t mean you won’t hear English outside these three countries listed below. Since English is a Germanic language, other countries that speak Germanic languages often have high English proficiency levels. Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Norway are all known as countries with many English speakers. But wherever you travel in Europe, you’re sure to find people who know enough English to help you order food or get to the airport.
| Country | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Ireland | English, Irish (Gaelic) | English |
| Malta | English, Maltese | Maltese |
| United Kingdom | Welsh | English |
You’ll also hear English spoken in these British territories in Europe. Akrotiri and Dhekelia are located on the island of Cyprus, where Greek and English are the official languages, followed by Turkish and Russian by de facto. Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, and Jersey are also British territories located near the United Kingdom and Spain.
| Non-Sovereign State | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | English, Greek | English |
| Gibraltar | English | English |
| Isle of Man | English | English |
| Jersey | English | English |
English-speaking countries in Oceania
Home to the country with the most languages in the world (Papua New Guinea), Oceania is known as a linguistically diverse region. 11 countries in Oceania list English as an official language. Australia, the largest country in Oceania, doesn’t list an official language, though English is the de facto language there.
Other island countries in Oceania use pidgin languages (simplified versions of languages) or regional dialects of indigenous languages like Māori and Fijian. However, they still include English as an official language for government and education use.
| Country | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| Australia | N/A | English |
| Fiji | English, Fijian, Fiji Hindi | Fijian |
| Kiribati | English, Gilbertese | English, Gilbertese |
| Marshall Islands | Marshallese, English | Marshallese |
| Micronesia | English | English, Chuukese |
| New Zealand | English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language | English |
| Palau | English, Palauan | Palauan |
| Papua New Guinea | English, Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu | Tok Pisin |
| Samoa | English, Samoan | Samoan |
| Solomon Islands | English | Melanesian Pidgin |
| Tuvalu | English, Tuvaluan | Tuvaluan |
| Vanuatu | English, French, Bislama | Bislama |
A few non-sovereign states also use English as an official language. Citizens in Norfolk, the Cook Islands, and Guam speak English as a common language, while those living in territories like American Samoa and Niue speak indigenous regional languages.
| Non-Sovereign State | Official Language(s) | Most Common Language(s) |
| American Samoa | English, Samoan | Samoan |
| Cook Islands | English, Cook Islands Māori | English, Cook Islands Māori |
| Guam | English, Chamorro | English, Tagalog |
| Niue | English, Niuean | Niuean |
| Norfolk Island | English, Norfolk | English |
| Northern Mariana Islands | English, Chamorro | Tagalog, Chamorro |
| Pitcairn Islands | English, Pitcairnese | Pitcairnese |
What country has the most English speakers?
The United States has the most native English speakers in the world. Around 274 million people speak English in the U.S., which is around 81% of the total population. If you live outside the United States, you’re sure to hear English spoken almost everywhere when you arrive, though the dialects vary widely!
However, English is one of the most spoken languages in the world, with over 1 billion speakers across the globe. Most of these speakers learn English as a second language. Around 265 people in India speak English (or an English/Hindi hybrid known as Hinglish) as a first or second language. That makes India the country with the second-most English speakers and learners in the world.
Key takeaways for English-speaking countries
Although there are 75 countries that speak English around the world, no two are exactly the same. Remember these important details when it comes to English-speaking countries:
- Countries that list English as an official language (or de jure language) use it in government and education systems.
- When English is a de facto language, it’s not listed as an official language, but it’s commonly spoken in that country.
- Even though a country lists English as an official language, English may not be commonly spoken there.
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