English-speaking regions around the world
English is the most widely spoken language in the world. Isn’t it great to know that you are part of this global community?
Approximately 330 to 360 million people speak English as their first language!
The United States has the greatest number of native speakers, followed by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, respectively.
English is at least one of the official languages in over 50 countries around the globe, but curiously enough, it is not the official language of the United States – which has no official language!
But besides the “usual suspects’’ we are already familiar with, other countries also use English as their primary and official languages. We decided to talk about some of these less obvious destinations where English speakers should not encounter any language barriers.
Singapore
Singapore is known for its multicultural setting and is considered one of the financial capitals of Asia, with excellent restaurants, hotels and entertainment options. Singaporeans, even those of the same ethnic group, have many different first languages and cultures since a large number of them were born outside the country. Many families use two or three languages on a regular basis, and English is often one of them.
This island country used to be a British colony, so many residents speak English first, Malaysian second (Malaysia is the closest country to Singapore), and Chinese third. Roughly 4 million people speak English in Singapore and it is considered the official and educational language.
The Philippines
The region was an American protectorate between 1898 and 1946, so there is great Western influence. American English isn’t merely the second language to the Filipinos; it’s how many of them communicate. It is known that Filipinos love to celebrate English words by singing!
English is taught in schools as one of the two official languages of the country, the other being Filipino. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English.
Belize
Formerly called British Honduras, the region was a British colony until 1981.
Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America and has a diverse society, composed of many cultures and languages that reflect its rich history.
Over half the population is multilingual. English is the official language and the primary language of public education, government and most media outlets. Belizean Creole is an unofficial native language spoken by the majority of Belizeans.
Malta
During the British during colonial rule over 200 years ago, English became the second official language of the Mediterranean island nation. The first one is Maltese. It is estimated that 88% of the population speaks English in Malta.  Today, all official documentation, signs, and even newspapers are available in English. It’s the most English you can experience between mainland Europe and Africa!
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