Facts about the English Language
English is spoken by one out of every six people in the world. It is the primary language of the United States, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and, partly, Canada.About 80% of the world's electronically stored information is stored in English language. 2/3 of scientists world wide read and publish in English.
English is the first language of about 375 million people. Probably, as many people speak and understand English as a second language. In more than 75 countries English has official or special status.
80% of the English used in the world is used between non-native speakers.
Region: Mainly Western Europe, North America and Australasia.
Total speakers: First language: 402 million.
Second language: about 600 million.
Statistics:
- United States - 210,000,000
- United Kingdom - 55,000,000
- Australia - 15,682,000
- Canada - 14,122,770
- India - 11,021,610
- South Africa - 3,457,467
- New Zealand - 3,213,000
- Ireland - 2,600,000
- Zimbabwe - 375,490
- Barbados - 259,000
- Singapore- 227,000
- Israel - 100,000
- Namibia - 10,941
- Sri Lanka - 97,000
- Puerto Rico - 82,000
- Liberia - 69,000
- Hong Kong - 59,000
- Bermuda - 58,800
- Papua New Guinea - 50,000
- Zambia - 41,434
- Gibraltar - 33,00
- Guam - 28,800
- Malawi - 16,000
- Philippines - 32,802
- U.S. Virgin Islands - 8,414
- Fiji - 4,929
- Micronesia - 5,341
- Mauritius - 3,000
- Malta - 2,400
- Vanuatu - 1,900
- Botswana (?)
- Cameroon (?)
- Dominica - 10,000
- Eritrea (?)
- Ethiopia - 1,986
- Gambia - 1,000
- Ghana- 1,000,000
- Grenada - 750
- Guyana (?)
- Jamaica (?)
- Kenya (?)
- Malaysia (?)
- Marshall Islands - 600
- Nigeria - 1,000,000
- Northern Mariana Islands (?)
- Pakistan (?)
- Sierra Leone (?)
- Solomon Islands (?)
- St. Helena - 5,400
- St. Kitts and Nevis - 200
- St. Lucia - 1,600
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 400
- Surinam (?)
- Swaziland (?)
- Tanzania (?)
- Tonga (?)
- Trinidad and Tobago - 2,600
- Tuvalu (?)
- Uganda (?)
- Western Samoa (?)