English is an official language in roughly sixty sovereign states, and a co-official language in several others. In many more countries it has no official status but is the first foreign language taught in schools.
Official, co-official, or neither
There are three different situations:
- Official: used by government and law, for example in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
- Co-official: shares official status with another language, as in Canada, India, Singapore and South Africa.
- Working language: used in business, science or the courts without being official.
The sixty or so
The usual figure is about sixty countries. Some lists include territories and dependencies, which pushes the number towards seventy or more.
English is official in about sixty countries. It is used in many more.
Not always the majority language
In most of these countries, English is not the first language of most people. India, Nigeria and the Philippines use English officially, but most citizens speak other languages at home.
English in international organisations
English is one of the official languages of the United Nations and many other bodies. It is also a working language of the European Union, even though it is not an official EU language.
Words to remember
- official language — a language used by the government
- co-official — official together with another language
- territory — an area that belongs to a country
- working language — a language used for daily business
Questions & answers
Q: Is English the official language of the United States?
Not at federal level, historically. Many states have made it official, and this has changed in recent years.
Q: Is English official in the European Union?
No. It is a working language of the institutions, not an official EU language.
Q: How many countries teach English at school?
Most countries do, usually as the first foreign language.
Q: Why do some lists say seventy countries?
They include territories, islands and dependencies that are not independent states.
Q: Is English replacing other languages?
It is widely used, but it rarely replaces a home language completely. Most speakers keep both.