Countries that speak English(Map, List and more)

List of Countries that speak English

• 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

As you can see, A few of the countries that speak English natively are very small. The English language started in England and spread around the world especially to the places where England had colonies. The United States of America is by far the largest country by population(300 million) that speaks English. There are also 60 million in the U.K, 29 million in Canada, 25 million in Australia, and around 5 million in New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland. 

What are the main countries that speak English?

• United States of America
• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) 
• Canada
• Australia
• Ireland
• New Zealand

If you are planning on going to an English speaking country to learn English, then these are the main countries that speak English. They are all good options to go to and learn English and they have English language schools where you can have native English speakers as teachers. I recommend going to a smaller city if you really want to improve your English because in a big city it is common to meet people from your own country and then you never practice English. If you need to find a job, then Dublin is a great option because you can get a student visa that allows you to work and study. 

English Speaking Countries in Europe

• England 
• Scotland
• Wales
• Ireland
• Malta

Learning English in Europe is great because you can learn about many different cultures and the rich history of Europe. During the pandemic, it is not safe to travel so learning English online is a good substitute. 

English Speaking Countries in Asia

• India
• Pakistan
• Singapore
• Philippines
• Sri Lanka
• Malaysia

Many of these countries speak other languages too. In my experience, people from Pakistan, Singapore, The Philippines, and Malaysia speak English very well.

English Speaking Countries in Africa

• South Africa
• Nigeria
• Cameroon
• Kenya
• Zimbabwe
• Ghana
• Rwanda
• Sudan
• Botswana
• Ethiopia

How English differs around the World 

The English language is slightly different around the world. In general, people can understand each other from different countries.

American English

The most popular form of English due to its dominant cultural influence around the world. American T.V has influenced people from many countries(even countries that speak English natively) and the American accent is common around the world.

British English

Some people think of British English as “received pronunciation”. In reality, there are a lot of different accents and pronunciation in the UK. In my experience, this BBC English or Queen’s English is not common in many parts of the U.K 

Canadian English

Canadian English is very similar to American English. Most of the time it is difficult for me to tell somebody is from Canada. Sometimes, it is the word “about” that you can tell that the person is from Canada.

Australian English

Australian English is different in accent, pronunciation, and vocabulary. It is interesting that the Australian accent is more or less the same all over the country.

New Zealand English 

The  English in New Zealand is similar to Australian English with some variations in pronunciation and accent, 

Irish English

Irish English is most similar in vocabulary to British English although the accent is quite different. There is some influence from the Irish language and there are a huge number of different accents within the country. Even in my city, Dublin, there are 3 different accents.

English as a global language

English is the most important language to learn if you are not a native speaker. It is the language of travel, business, and technology. Many countries understand this and have invested a lot of money in English education. As the world becomes more connected, we will use English more and more to communicate with people from other countries.

Top 15  non-native countries by level of English