Countries where there are 2 official languages. The status of languages in various states of the world. Reference. Italian in Switzerland

Switzerland is a country of mysteries. One of them, no doubt, lies in how many lakes and Alps in the country are actually state (national) and official languages and how they coexist with each other. Don't rush to answer right away! The question is not so easy, because sometimes even the Swiss themselves sin with incorrect answers. The “fault” is the complexity of the language issue. The Portal "Switzerland Business" decided to plunge into the linguistic jungle of Switzerland and help you find out the truth.

1. Languages in Switzerland

2. Official and national languages of Switzerland in the Constitution

3. National and official languages of Switzerland in numbers

4. Swiss languages in politics and everyday life

5. The need for the integration of foreigners

6. Reform of migration law

7. Language passport

Languages in Switzerland

The uniqueness of Switzerland has many facets, one of which is manifested in the fact that the country emerged at the junction of 3 great European cultures: Germanic, French and Italian. The linguistic border also crosses the cultural border. According to this principle, the Alpine Republic is divided into 4 parts: German-speaking Switzerland (center, north, east), Romandy (west), Ticino (south) and some valleys of the Canton of Graubünden, where the Romansh language is still preserved (east). Read also our material "Switzerland on the world map: fascinating facts about the state."

It is impossible to imagine Switzerland without linguistic diversity. However, at the same time, it is extremely difficult to answer the almost Hamlet question, how can parts of the country, whose inhabitants speak different languages, still stick together and do not strive to form an independent state? There is an opinion that friction on the basis of the language issue is smoothed out by the wealth of the Swiss (supposedly they simply do not care and time for language strife), a sense of national difference from the same Germans, French and Italians, as well as fear of giant neighbors (on the scale of Switzerland), who would not mind taking a bite out of the delicious Swiss pie.

To some extent, each of the arguments is correct, which allows for a better understanding of how languages determine the attitude of the Swiss towards their neighbors and each other. Let me, however, assert that languages do not become the reason for the disintegration of Switzerland into separate parts, first of all, because of the language policy, which presupposes the same respect for all languages, takes into account the opinion of the minority and allows solving many issues locally, and not from the federal center. ...

The Constitution of the Swiss Confederation in Article 4 establishes 4 languages as national / state (Landessprachen): German (Deutsch), French (français), Italian (italiano) and Romansh (rumantsch). I will show due respect to the main legislative act of the Alpine Republic and I will cite excerpts from it in all 4 national languages:

The specificity of the Romansh language as an official language is manifested in the fact that it acquires such a status only in cases when the communication of the federal authorities with a Swiss citizen takes place in Romansh. Do not rush to think that there is discrimination: the circumstance is explained by considerations of the effectiveness of the work of the state apparatus, given the small number of speakers of this language (more on that below). Nevertheless, the factual and legal specificity does not deprive the Romansh language of its national and official status. Accordingly, Switzerland knows 4 national and official languages!

National and official languages of Switzerland in figures

German in Switzerland

Speaking about the German language in Switzerland, one cannot but make a small explanation at once, which, nevertheless, is of great importance for the inhabitants of German-speaking Switzerland. The Swiss themselves speak in everyday life and even at work in a dialect of German, which is so different from the standard version of the language of Schiller and Goethe that it is almost impossible for the Germans to understand the Swiss. At the same time, in most cases, the Swiss speak almost perfectly (at the level of their second mother tongue) in high German, which is most often used in politics, in high school and at work. The question of the ratio of Swiss and German German is in no way inferior in its complexity to the language question in Switzerland originally posed in this material. Our video will help you to feel the difference between German German and Swiss German (and even the differences between individual dialects of Swiss German):

German is spoken in Switzerland by about 65% of the population; Among the Swiss themselves, the share of German is higher - more than 73%, which makes it the most common mother tongue and language of business communication in Switzerland. 17 out of 26 cantons name German as the only official language at the cantonal level. The Canton of Bern is dominated by a German-speaking population; in the Cantons of Wallis and Friborg, German is inferior to French in terms of prevalence, nevertheless, retaining with the latter the legally equal status of the official language of the respective canton.

German is also the official language of the largest canton in Switzerland, the Canton of Graubünden, which is also unique in that only in it not 1 or 2, but as many as 3 languages are called official (along with German - Italian and Romansh).

Even in the Cantons of Ticino and Jura, there is a municipality where German is mainly spoken. Thus, the German language is not represented only in the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Neuchâtel.

About 22.6% of the Swiss population speaks French as their mother tongue; among the Swiss this share is just over 23%. The French-speaking population lives in the west of the Alpine Republic in the region called Romandi (French Suisse romande, German Welschland). The 4 cantons of Switzerland have only French as their official language: Geneva, Vaud, Neuchâtel and Jura (although in the latter Canton, as already noted, there is a German-speaking municipality of Ederswiler). In the cantons of Freiburg and Wallis, French is the most widely spoken language; in the Canton of Bern, the status of a minority language from the Bernese Jura region.

Italian in Switzerland

Italian is spoken in Switzerland by about 500,000 people, or 8.3% of the population; among Swiss citizens only 6%. Italian is the official language of the Swiss Federation. The fiefdom of this language is the Canton of Ticino and the 4 southern valleys of the canton of Graubünden (about 15% of the population of the canton of Graubünden speak Italian as their mother tongue). In both cantons - also called Svizzera italiana - Italian is the official language. Outside the designated areas, the Italian language is represented only at the informal level at the cantonal and municipal levels. Basically, we are talking about large cities where immigrants from Italy live. Similar to the ratio of Swiss German to German German, the dialects of Italian in Ticino and Graubünden differ from the standard version spoken in Italy.

Romance in Switzerland

Romansh is the least used national and official language in Switzerland in terms of the number of speakers. About 0.6% of the Swiss population (0.7% of Swiss citizens) are fluent in this language. Most of them live in the Canton of Graubünden, the only canton that enshrines Romansh as an official language at the level of its Constitution (Art. 3). Over the past century, there has been a natural trend towards the supplanting of Romansh by German, which currently means that the overwhelming majority of Swiss speakers of Romansh as their first language simultaneously speak Swiss German and High German (at a level comparable to their native language).

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Linguistic neighborhood in the Canton of Graubünden: German (yellow), Italian (purple), Romansh (light burgundy); mixed regions (with a linguistic minority share of over 30%). Source: Bundesamt für Statistik

Swiss languages in politics and everyday life

The presence in Switzerland of 4 national and official languages, however, does not mean that throughout the country every local resident speaks all 4 languages at once. In most cases, within a specific territory, one of the four prevails. The political process, cultural events, newspapers and television in Switzerland cannot be imagined without the factor of linguistic diversity. In addition, Swiss law is written and the administration of justice is done in German, French, Italian and (in certain cases) Romansh.

Usually the Swiss themselves, in addition to their native language, speak well another official language (most often, respectively, German or French) and English, which they studied at school. In some regions, bilingualism is often encountered (possession of 2 languages at once as native): in the Canton of Friborg and the Bernese Lake District - French and German; in the Canton of Graubünden - German and Romansh. A certain flavor to the linguistic picture of Switzerland is added by the already mentioned fact that, although standard German is used in newspapers and official affairs, at the everyday level, local dialects are almost universally used, which are very different from "high / written German".

The need for the integration of foreigners

The percentage of foreigners in the total population of Switzerland is quite impressive - 23% (perhaps only the Principality of Liechtenstein can compete with Switzerland here - see details here). Those. almost every fourth inhabitant of the Alpine Republic is a citizen of another state. A significant part of the 23% of foreigners are citizens of neighboring France, Germany, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein, who are usually not faced with the question of knowing at least one official language of Switzerland.

Switzerland is a country, Four official languages, Switzerland is a language, Official languages of Switzerland, What is the official language in Switzerland, Switzerland is the official language, How many languages are in Switzerland, Language Switzerland, www.business-swiss.ch Switzerland is a language Switzerland is a country of four official languages / Switzerland is a schweizer language pass 2014However, Switzerland also has many immigrants from English-speaking countries (UK, USA), Portugal, Spain, Turkey and the former Yugoslavia. For various reasons, sometimes these categories of people do not strive to master the local language at a level sufficient for good integration. So, usually English-speaking expats prefer not to bother learning the more difficult German or French, relying on the fact that the local population itself is fluent in English. However, English is not the official language of Switzerland, which means that this category of foreigners must comply with Swiss immigration law.

In order to support the desire of foreign citizens to better integrate into Swiss society, the Swiss Government and Parliament intend to bring into effect some legislative innovations in immigration law in the near future.

Migration law reform

The introduction of the language passport is part of the Swiss migration law reform, which the Parliament has been actively working on throughout 2013. The new legislative provisions, inter alia, require a high degree of integration from the applicant for a permanent residence permit in Switzerland (permit C / Niederlassungsbewilligung). An integral part of this requirement is a good knowledge of the national language in the place of residence.

Exceptions apply to persons with medical conditions that prevent language acquisition. In addition, persons with a short-term residence permit are exempted from the obligation to have a language passport.

For foreigners who already have a residence permit of category B (Aufenthalsbewilligung B / validity limited to one or five years), a systematic test of language proficiency is not expected, due to budgetary considerations and unloading the bureaucratic apparatus.

For new recipients of Permit B, however, the cantonal authorities may impose an obligation to master the local language in special courses. The aim of this measure is to better integrate people who have moved to Switzerland through family reunification. Ultimately, the Swiss authorities would like foreigners to be able to properly navigate everyday situations, such as being able to understand the attending physician or the information of the teachers in the school where their children study.

Language passport

The Swiss language passport is guided by the General European Language Regulations (Gemeinsame Europäische Referenzrahmen). In addition, the level of language proficiency will be measured on a specific date in time. However, it is still not completely clear how well candidates for a permanent residence permit in Switzerland should be fluent in the official language. Most likely, this issue will be decided by each canton in its own way. On April 25, 2014, the Canton of Bern decided to raise the bar for the required knowledge of German or French from A2 to B1.

It is planned that a language passport, in addition to being an essential criterion for obtaining a permanent residence permit in Switzerland, will also serve as a benchmark for an employer in assessing language proficiency when applying for a job.

To the question In which countries have two or more official languages? and which ones? given by the author Meg the best answer is Russia - Russian and 30 more languages of the peoples of Russia
The state language of the Russian Federation throughout its territory in accordance with Article 69 of the Constitution is Russian. In addition, autonomous entities within the Russian Federation have the right to establish their own state languages, therefore, there are 31 state languages in Russia.
Other states:
Bolivia, Peru: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
Botswana: English, Setswana
India: Hindi, English and 21 other languages recognized as official languages of individual states
Ireland: Irish, English
Cameroon: French, English
Full list here
And the respondents made mistakes .. .Switzerland - 4 state languages - German, French, Italian, Rettoorian; Bklgia - three state languages - French (Walloon dialect), Dutch (Flemish) and German. and to call Dutch a cross between English and French, in general, some kind of nonsense.

Answer from Azamatus[guru]
For example, Mauritius - there is a state. languages English and French.

Answer from Ayoma[guru]
Canada - French and English

Answer from Zhanna Kuznetsova[guru]
Ukraine - Russian and Ukrainian. The latest news.

Answer from In[guru]
In Canada French and English

Answer from June[guru]
Sweden, there seem to be three of them, Canada - English. French. And it would be nice to see the former Spanish, English and French colonies.

Answer from Alenka[guru]
in switzerland, for example, 4 state. language: English. German fran. italy. , and 2 languages of such countries are complete, it would take a long time to list: all the countries of the cis, and most of old Europe.

Answer from User deleted[guru]
A striking example of the expediency of using the second state language for socio-economic reasons is Finland, the former province of the Russian Empire, which was previously a part of the Kingdom of Sweden for 300 years, a country with a population of 5 million people, which has one of the highest quality indicators in the world. life. Finland uses two official languages - Finnish and Swedish, although the share of the Swedish-speaking population in Finland does not exceed 5%. Countries such as India, Ireland, the Philippines, Pakistan, Malta, Singapore, Kenya have English as their state languages, in addition to the languages of the peoples inhabiting these countries. But in little Switzerland (which arose in the XIII-XIV centuries as a union several independent regions - the cantons) even speak four languages: German (the majority of the population), French, Italian and Romansh (this language is close to Italian, a small number of its speakers live in Switzerland and in northern Italy). On Swiss money, for example, they are sure to make inscriptions in all four languages, but German remains the most commonly used of these four languages in "national" life. True, the German dialect spoken in the Swiss cantons differs from literary German much more than, for example, Dutch, which is considered an independent language (here is another case when different languages are closer to each other than dialects of one and of the same language). But if you know German, do not despair: in Switzerland you will be understood. Literary German is studied there in schools, it is written in books and newspapers. True, in a Swiss village you will still have a difficult time ...

Answer from Valyushka[guru]
I would like it to be in ours, but since 2007, Kazakhstan has introduced office work in the Kazakh language, what should Russian-speaking and other nations do, teach or leave?

Answer from User deleted[newbie]
There are 2 official languages in Israel - Hebrew and Arabic. Although by the communication that is heard on the streets, the Russian language is heard from all sides.

Answer from Azer Huseynov[guru]
I would answer yes, I look up to me all the answers have already been given. Of course, at this moment, when I wanted to answer, before I read the answers, and an idea came to my mind about Canada! But since there are already answers, maybe I shouldn't answer at all, but ask for something? Let's get to know each other ?!

Answer from User deleted[active]
Finland has two official languages - Finnish and Swedish ... and the school compulsory curriculum includes either 3 or four languages

Answer from Chimera[guru]
Forgot about Belgium - Walloon (a dialect of French) and Dutch (with German influence).

Answer from Shadow[guru]
In Finland: Finnish and Shvets. All vives, announcements, TV sets are all in two languages.

Answer from Alexis[guru]
In Canada, Belgium

Papuan languages

It is interesting to know in which country the largest number of languages are spoken and what are these languages? Worldwide, people speak more than 6 thousand languages, with an eighth of them being Papuan. These languages are spoken by a little more than 4.6 million people, the population of the Papuan, Indonesian and Melanesian tribes living mainly on the island of New Guinea, as well as on some islands and archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean.

Papuan languages do not belong to the Austronesian family. These languages have hardly been studied and their relationship with each other is little proven. They are officially recognized and even have (though not all) a developed writing system based on the Latin alphabet, although most of these languages are spoken by only a few hundred to two hundred thousand people.

Almost all Papuan tribes live on one island New Guinea, part of this island belongs to Indonesia, whose official language is Indonesian. The second part of the island is given to the state of Papua New Guinea by the ideal border line, which is the seat of the Papua tribes. Thus, it is Papua New Guinia that is the country with the largest number of languages.

New Guinea

This state in Oceania is located on several islands (the main of which is New Guinea), has a population of 4.2 million, and the total number of ethnographic groups is estimated at several hundred.

All citizens speak about 800 languages, united by common characteristics in 12 families. The largest language groups are the Trans-New Guinean Fila, the West Papua Phila, the Sepik-Ramu Fila, and the Torricelli Fila. The Trans-New Guinean family is the most numerous; representatives of the largest Papuan tribes speak it: the Enga, Chimbu, Hagen, Kamano.

It is curious that due to such multilingualism, the country of Papua New Guinea does not have an official state language, and in the documents, English is most often used, or rather its local version.

In heated discussions about the consequences of the language referendum in Latvia, defenders of bilingualism often appeal to the experience of other European countries, which have several official languages.

A review of the Delfi portal indicates that in several European countries there are actually two or more official languages, but the historical circumstances there are not similar to Latvian. Only in the cases of Malta, Finland and Belarus in the newly independent states did the languages of the foreigners who historically ruled in them received official status.

In several European countries, not even two, but three and four state languages. For example, in relatively small Switzerland, representatives of different nationalities live, and the official languages there are French, German, Italian and Romansh. This mountainous country was formed as a result of the unification of a number of states that became federal territorial units, or cantons. In them, depending on the origin and history, they spoke different languages and dialects.

The most widely spoken language in Switzerland is German. More than 60% of the population speaks it. In some cantons, the official language is only German. For 20% of Swiss citizens, their native language is French, which is mainly spoken in the western part of the country, near the border with France. Most French-speaking Swiss do not speak German. Italian is spoken in the south and is spoken by less than 10% of the population. Usually Italian-speaking Swiss also speak German. Romansh is the least commonly used language, which is spoken by about 1% of the population of the eastern regions of Switzerland.

Another of the most recognizable and important European countries - Belgium, whose capital Brussels is considered the capital of the European Union - also has several official languages. Belgium is divided into several regions and linguistic communities. There are three official languages in Belgium: Flemish, French and German. Education in Belgium can be obtained in any of these three languages. The use of state languages regulates a specific region and self-government, while Brussels is bilingual, French and Flemish are spoken in it.

The two largest ethnic groups in Belgium are Flemings and Walloons. The majority of the population are Flemings who live in the northern part of the country, or Flanders. The official language there is Flemish. Walloons live in the southern part of the country, or Wallonia, French-speaking. Since the Middle Ages, Belgium has been in close contact with France and the Netherlands, as a result of which these regions and linguistic communities arose. And a small number of German-speaking Belgians live along the eastern border.

There are also more than two official languages in very small countries, for example in Luxembourg there are three state languages - Luxembourgish, German and French. Luxembourgish is closely related to German, which is spoken by the majority of the population. Luxembourg's media also use German. Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in Europe, and for a long time it was ruled by a number of states, but neighboring Germany and France had the greatest influence on it, so the languages of these countries have retained their official status. French is the only language that can be used in legislation. Official documents in Luxembourgish are usually not available.

There are also a number of countries in Europe where, together with one official language in certain regions, local languages also have an official status. For example, in Spain, along with the state language in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, regional languages have an official status. Galician and Catalan languages belong to the group of Romance languages and are related. People who speak them can understand each other. In turn, the Basque language is completely different. It is only spoken in the Pyrenees.

In Macedonia, other languages have this status along with the two official languages in some regions. This country gained independence in 1991 with the collapse of Yugoslavia. Macedonian was recognized as the only state language. Local Albanians, whose number exceeded 20%, were dissatisfied with this. In 2000, the Albanians began protests, after which the constitution was amended, and the Albanian language became the second state language. Also, if in some local government the ethnic minority exceeds 20%, its language is the official one.

Finland is one of the European countries with two state languages, which have official status throughout the country, and not only in certain regions. Finland, from the 12th to the 19th century, was subordinate to neighboring Sweden with short interruptions. As a result, approximately 6% of the country's inhabitants speak Swedish, and this language, together with Finnish, has an official status.

Warm Malta also has two official languages - Maltese and English. Malta is a historically significant state, the territory of which was inhabited thousands of years before our era. Before the accession of Malta to the British Empire, in the early 19th century, the country's inhabitants spoke mainly Italian. But in 1934, Maltese and English were recognized as the official state languages, although even today some of the country's inhabitants speak Italian.

There are also two official languages in Belarus, where Russian received this status through a referendum. After gaining independence in 1991, the Belarusian language was recognized as the only official language. A goal was put forward to completely supplant the Russian language, but in 1995 President Alexander Lukashenko initiated a referendum in which the people voted to grant the Russian language official status.

InoSMI materials contain assessments exclusively of foreign mass media and do not reflect the position of the InoSMI editorial board.

Incredible facts

Today, knowing several languages is no longer just useful, but also very fashionable.

Malaysia

There are fewer official languages in Malaysia than in Singapore, but almost everyone here speaks them. The official language is Malay, and absolutely all residents speak it.

Also most Malaysians know English as it is a compulsory language in school and is often spoken in, especially in cities. They also speak here in simplified English, which is called "manglish"... It is usually used on the streets.

Many ancestors of local residents emigrated from India, therefore Hindi popular here as well.

It is worth noting that Chinese Malays study Mandarin at school, but in everyday life they communicate in various dialects, including Cantonese, Hokkien or hakka... In megacities such as Kuala Lampur and Penang, there are Chinese Malays who know not only Malay and English, but also speak all three of the above dialects.

World languages

South Africa

This country has an incredibly large number of official languages - 11. Residents of different ethnic groups communicate with each other in english... It is also popular in the media and in government, with less than 10% of all residents referring to English as their primary language.

Residents in the southern and western regions of South Africa communicate in German Afrikaans which has similarities to Sniderlandic.

South Africa has 9 official languages of the Bantu group. The most popular are zulu and scythe... It is worth noting that the braid is the native language of Nelson Mandela.

Most South African residents can speak both their native language and English and at least one more, which is popular in the region where they live. Many people in South Africa know at least 3 languages.

Mauritius

Mauritius is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. It is considered part of Africa. At school they study here English and French, but, despite the fact that all adults know these two languages, they do not communicate in them in everyday life.

Everybody speaks Mauritian Creole which is based on French, but the French themselves would not understand it.

Some Mauritians of Indian descent speak bhojpuri, Hindi dialect. Also, descendants of immigrants from China live here, who communicate in the language of their ancestors. As a result, we can say that every inhabitant of this island state is fluent in at least 3 or even 4 languages.

India

The official languages here are Hindi and English... In the southern part of India, English is more commonly spoken, while the rest of them all know both languages well, especially educated Indians living in cities.

It is also worth noting that each state has one or more of its own official languages, which are not similar to Hindi. All of these languages are popular both in the media and in everyday communication.

Most people in India know at least 3 languages, but those who often visit other states know even more. Indians may not perfectly know the languages of other states, but they are quite capable of communicating and understanding. We can say that a large number of Indians know 4 or even 5 languages.

In which countries, which languages are spoken

Suriname

Suriname is located in the northern part of South America, in the thick of the rainforest. More than half of the population speaks Dutch... Moreover, for them this language is native, and all because of the colonial expansion. The Dutch language is used not only in education but also in commerce and in the media.

In ordinary life, the inhabitants of this country speak "sranan tongo"- a language based on a mixture of English and Dutch.

It will also be interesting to note that Suriname is home to many people of Indian origin who communicate in a dialect. Hindi, Chinese and Javanese origin who speak to each other in the languages of their descendants. But English almost everyone knows, since culturally the country has become closer to several English-speaking countries of the Caribbean, rather than to the countries of South America.

East Timor

This small and young country, gained independence in 2002, is located in Southeast Asia. It occupies the eastern half of the island of Timor, the province of Ocusi Ambeno, located in the western half of Timor, and the islands of Atauru and Jacques.

There are two official languages here: tetum and Portuguese as well as two active languages: Indonesian and English(according to the constitution). Moreover, most of the local population also speaks various native languages.

Once East Timor was a Portuguese colony, and when it became independent, it was decided to make Portuguese the official language.

Almost all locals are fluent in both English and Portuguese. Even though most residents understand Indonesian, they choose not to speak it.

USA

Everything here is not entirely unambiguous. The fact is that the United States is home to a huge number of immigrants who speak different languages of the world. Yet 75% of Americans mostly communicate in english and only know him.

But it is worth noting that the number of people in the country who, in addition to English, also know Spanish.

Simply put, in the country itself there are many visitors from different countries, each of whom knows their own language, but when compared with other countries from this list, there are very few multilingual people in the United States.

The most popular languages in the world

1. English- It is spoken in 56 countries.

2. French- It is spoken in 29 countries.

3. Arabic- It is spoken in 24 countries.

4. Spanish- It is spoken in 20 countries.

5. Portuguese- It is spoken in 8 countries.

Countries where English is good

The most common language on our planet is English. Its origin began about 1,400 years ago. Modern English dates back to the 15th century with the first printing press.

Today, 400 million people use English as their first language, and 1.1 billion people consider it their second language. In terms of the number of native speakers, English is in third place after Chinese and Spanish, but if you count people for whom English is not native, but they often communicate in it, this language is perhaps the most popular on the planet.

Interesting Facts:

* According to the English Proficiency Index, women are more proficient in English than men.

* According to scientists, the more developed a country is, and the higher the income of the population, the higher the level of English proficiency.

* English proficiency tests in 2016 showed that Dutch people know it best.

* Europe has the highest level of English, while the Middle East has the lowest.

Where English is best spoken

Data provided by the English Proficiency Index, the world's most widely used English language proficiency rating. This test is carried out in Europe, some countries in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.

1. Netherlands- EF EPI score: 72.16 - Language proficiency: very high

2. Denmark- EF EPI score: 71.15 - Language proficiency: very high

3. Sweden- EF EPI score: 70.81 - Language proficiency: very high

4. Norway- EF EPI score: 68.54 - Language proficiency: very high

5. Finland- EF EPI score: 66.61 - Language proficiency: very high

6.Singapore- EF EPI score: 63.52 - Language proficiency: very high

7. Luxembourg- EF EPI score: 63.20 - Language proficiency: very high

8. Austria- EF EPI score: 62.13 - Language proficiency: high

9. Germany- EF EPI Index: 61.58 - Language Proficiency: High

10. Poland- EF EPI Index: 61.49 - Language Proficiency: High.

34. Russia- EF EPI Index: 52.32 - Language Proficiency: Low.

Where the English is worst spoken:

1. Libya- EF EPI Index: 37.82

2. Iraq- EF EPI Index: 37.65

3. Laos- EF EPI Index: 38.45

4. Cambodia- EF EPI Index: 39.48

5. Saudi Arabia- EF EPI Index: 40.91

6. Algeria- EF EPI Index: 41.60

7. Mongolia- EF EPI Index: 42.77

8. Kuwait- EF EPI Index: 42.98

9. Oman- EF EPI Index: 43.44

10. Jordan- EF EPI Index: 45.85

What other countries speak English

Of course, most Anglophones live in the US, UK, Australia, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand. In the USA, New Zealand and Australia there is no official language, as there are no official acts that would consolidate this fact. In them, English is considered simply the most spoken language.

Here is a list of countries where English is still the official language:

* Botswana

* India (Hindi and 14 other languages are also considered official languages).

* Ireland (also Irish)

* Cameroon (also French)

* Canada (also French)

* Kenya (also Swahili)

* Kiribati

* part of the PRC

* Hong Kong (also Chinese)

* Nigeria

* Pakistan