English Around the World

                                                              English-speaking countries
 How many people speak English?

• English is spoken as de facto or official language in more than 75 countries: United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Australia, Canada, India, Cameroon, Nigeria, New Zealand, Singapore, Guyana, Barbados, etc.
• English is spoken as a first language by around 375 million and as a second language another 380 million speakers and around 750 million are believed to speak English as a foreign language.

What do people use English for?

• English is often called the International Language since it is the main language in fields such as science, technology, international sport competitions, music, business, air-traffic control, ICT, the Internet, diplomacy, international trade, entertainment and travel.
• According to the British Council "over two-thirds of the world's scientists read in English. Three quarters of the world's mail is written in English. Eighty per cent of the world's electronically stored information is in English."