English-speaking countries / English-speaking countries

English-speaking countries… The question immediately flashed through my head: “How many people speak English?”.

It is hardly possible to say exactly how many people in the world speak English. It is difficult to find exact figures for 2014, and even previous years. Even the popular free encyclopedia Wikipedia last recorded data on the number of people who speak English in 2012, and has not been verified by experienced participants to this day.

Nevertheless, let's look at what we have at the moment.
In many countries, English is the dominant language, but has no official status. That is, for some it is their native language and the official language of their country, for others it is a second or foreign language.

The countries with the largest populations for which English is their mother tongue are:
United States of America (215 million);
United Kingdom (61 million);
Canada (18.2 million), Australia (15.5 million);
Nigeria (4 million);
Ireland (3.8 million);
South Africa (3.7 million);
New Zealand (3.6 million).

English is the only official language of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Commonwealth Games. English is one of the official languages ​​of the UN, the EU and the IOC (International Olympic Committee).

An interesting fact is that some states from the list, such as England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines, use English as their official language, but they have other official languages ​​besides it.

The list also includes countries where English is the predominant language but has no official status. In Australia, English is spoken by the majority of the population and is the only language used in government offices, yet Australia does not have an official language.

In a word, if you combine all the speakers of English, then you can safely talk about the most common spoken language in the world. Thus, English is the international language.

English is the language of business and politics. More than 90% of all information in the world is also stored in English. This language is defined as the primary language of the Internet. Television and radio broadcasting of the world's largest companies (CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC, CBC), covering an audience of 500 million people, is also performed in English. Songs are sung and films are made in this language. English is the most taught language in the world.

List of countries that speak English

Countries where English is the official language:

THE COUNTRY	REGION	POPULATION
Antigua and Barbuda	Caribbean	85,000
Bahamas	Caribbean	331,000
Barbados	Caribbean	294,000
Belize	Central America/Caribbean	288,000
Botswana	Africa	1,882,000
Cameroon	Africa	18,549,000
Canada	North America	33,531,000
Dominica	Caribbean	73,000
Eritrea	Africa	5,224,000
Fiji	Oceania	827,900
Gambia	Africa	1,709,000
Ghana	Africa	23,478,000
Grenada	Caribbean	106,000
Guyana	South America/Caribbean	738,000
India	Asia	1,247,540,000
Ireland	Europe	4,581,269
Jamaica	Caribbean	2,714,000
Kenya	Africa	37,538,000
Kiribati	Oceania	95,000
Lesotho	Africa	2,008,000
Liberia	Africa	3,750,000
Malawi	Africa	13,925,000
Malta	Europe	412,600
Marshall Islands	Oceania	59,000
Mauritius	Africa/Indian Ocean	1,262,000
Federated States of Micronesia	Oceania	111,000
Namibia	Africa	2,074,000
Nauru	Oceania	10,000
New Zealand	Oceania	4,294,350
Nigeria	Africa	148,093,000
Pakistan	Asia	165,449,000
Palau	Oceania	20,000
Papua New Guinea	Oceania	6,331,000
Philippines	Asia	90,457,200
Rwanda	Africa	9,725,000
Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis	Caribbean	50,000
Saint Lucia	Caribbean	165,000
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Caribbean	120,000
Samoa	Oceania	188,359
Seychelles	Africa/Indian Ocean	87,000
Sierra Leone	Africa	5,866,000
Singapore	Asia	5,312,400
Somaliland	Africa	3,500,000
Solomon islands	Oceania	506,992
South Africa	Africa	47,850,700
South Sudan	Africa	8,260,490
Sudan	Africa	31,894,000
Swaziland	Africa	1,141,000
Tanzania	Africa	40,454,000
Tonga	Oceania	100,000
Trinidad and Tobago	Caribbean	1,333,000
Tuvalu	Oceania	11,000
Uganda	Africa	30,884,000
Vanuatu	Oceania	226,000
Zambia	Africa	11,922,000
Zimbabwe	Africa	13,349,000

Countries where English is the de facto official language:

Non-sovereign entities

THE COUNTRY	REGION	POPULATION
Eastern Samoa	Oceania	67,000
Anguilla	Caribbean	13,000
Bermuda	North America	65,000
british virgin islands	Caribbean	23,000
Cayman islands	Caribbean	47,000
Christmas Island	Australia	1,508
coconut islands	Australia	596
Cook Islands	Oceania	20,200
Falkland Islands	South Atlantic	3,000
Gibraltar	Europe	29,257
Guam Island	Oceania	173,000
Guernsey	Europe	61,811
Hong Kong	Asia	7,097,600
Isle Of Man	Europe	80,058
Jersey Island	Europe	89,300
Montserrat Island	Caribbean	5,900
Niue Island	Oceania	1,600
Norfolk Island	Australia	1,828
Northern Mariana Islands	Oceania	84,000
Pitcairn Islands	Oceania	50
Puerto Rico	Caribbean	3,991,000
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha	South Atlantic	5,660
Sint Maarten	Caribbean	40,900
San Andres y Providencia	Caribbean	59,573
Tokelau Islands	Oceania	1,400
Turks and Caicos	Caribbean	26,000
Virgin Islands (US)	Caribbean	111,000

English is the third most spoken language in the world, after Chinese and Spanish. 365 million people on Earth speak English. And if you add to them those for whom English is a second language, you get an impressive figure - 840 million. The list of countries where English is spoken is quite large, the main English-speaking countries are the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland.

As you study English grammar and vocabulary, don't forget some interesting information about English-speaking countries that will help you better understand the living structure of the language and its history. We have collected some interesting facts that you might not know about, and now you can surprise your teachers or friends.

So, interesting information about English-speaking countries and the English language:

1. The letter “E” is found in English much more often than other letters, it is almost every eighth letter.

2. What letter do you think most English words start with? Turns out it's an "S".

3. The shortest sentences in English are considered “Go!” and "I am".

4. Do you know what the sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” is famous for? It contains all the letters of the English alphabet.

5. Curious word “Queueing” (stand in line) is the only word in English that has 5 vowels in a row.

6. English is the official language of world aviation. All conversations between pilots and dispatchers on international flights and airports are conducted in English.

7. English is the official language in 67 countries around the world.

8. According to the British Council, one billion people in the world study English.

9. 80% of the electronic information in the world is stored in English.

10. The most common words in English are “the” and “be”.

11. “Good” is the most common English adjective.

12. “Time” is the most common English noun.

13. The word "happy" is used 3 times more often than the word "sad", so English can be safely called one of the happiest languages.

14. The word “Goodbye” came into modern English from an Old English phrase that can literally be translated as “God be with you.”

15. The first dictionary of the English language was published in 1755.

16. “Town” is the oldest word that came from Old English and is still widely used today.

17. The oldest English words have come down to us from the Stone Age! These are “I”, “we”, “two”, “three” and “five”. These prehistoric words can be tens of thousands of years old. According to British scientists, some of them may be 40 thousand years old.

18. English is descended from the oldest dialects - West Germanic and Danish. These dialects were brought to Britain by the Germanic tribes, whose invasion began in the 5th-6th centuries AD. Therefore, at present, most words in English have Germanic roots. Since then, the language has changed a lot, but the main roots remain.

19. In the history of Britain there was a period when the English nobility could not speak English for a whole century. In 1066, the army of William the Conqueror invaded the country. The conquerors brought with them French and Latin. All representatives of the local nobility began to speak French, it became the language of power and aristocracy. As a result of the Norman invasion, 10 thousand French words came into the English language. These historical events serve as a very likely explanation for the fact that some words of French-Latin origin sound more "aristocratic" than similar words of English origin. For example, "mansion" sounds much more prestigious than "house", similarly "commence" sounds more impressive than "start".

There are over 300 million people in the world speaking English. English is used as an official language (along with a few others) in many international organizations, such as the UN and IOC. This language is recognized as the state language in a lot of countries all over the world.

Great Britain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are 64 million people in Great Britain whose first language is English (97% of the population). London, the capital of Great Britain, is one of the leading global cities. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the country. Great Britain has always been a Great Power and contributed a lot to the development of new territories.

The USA

The history of the USA started with 13 British colonies set along the Atlantic coast. On July, 4, 1776 they proclaimed their independence from Great Britain. Today the country consists of 50 states and the federal District of Columbia, where Washington, the capital of the USA, is located. It is one of the most developed countries in the world, with English being the first language for about 80% of its population.

Canada

The first European colonists came to this country from France. But after that for many years Canada was under British rule until the country gained its independence in the XX century. There are two official languages ​​in Canada. English is the first language for nearly 70% of Canadians. Canada is the second largest country in the world with rich oil, coal and natural gas fields.

Australia

Australia is the only country in the world which occupies the whole continent. The exploration of the continent began in the late 18th century when the first British colonies were formed. Australia was a place where prisoners were serving their sentences in exile. Today the country is among the most developed countries in the world, with 80% of the population speaking Australian English.

New Zealand

New Zealand occupies two large islands and many small ones in the south-western part of the Pacific Ocean. First Europeans started visiting New Zealand in the late 18th century with the territory being announced as a British colony in 1788. The country gained its independence in the middle of the 20th century. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries in the world with unique flora and fauna. English is spoken by more than 96% of the population.

English prevalence

Over 300 million people around the world speak English. English is used as an official language (along with several others) in many international organizations such as the UN and the IOC. This language is recognized as the state language in many countries of the world.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In the UK, English is the mother tongue of 64 million people (97% of the population). London, the capital of Great Britain, is one of the world's leading cities. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the country. Great Britain has always been a Great Power and has made a great contribution to the development of new territories.

USA

The history of the United States begins with 13 British colonies located along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. On July 4, 1776, the United States declared independence. Today, the country consists of 50 states and the Federal District of Columbia, where Washington, the capital of the United States, is located. It is one of the most developed countries in the world, where 80% of the population speaks English as their mother tongue.

Canada

The first European conquerors arrived here from France. Then for a long time the country was under the control of Britain until it became independent in the 20th century. The country has two official languages. English is native to 70% of Canadians. Canada ranks second in the world in terms of area and has rich deposits of oil, coal and natural gas.

Australia

Australia is the only country in the world that occupies an entire continent. Its development began at the end of the 18th century with the advent of the first British colonies. Australia was the place where prisoners were sent to serve their sentences. Today, Australia is one of the most developed countries in the world, with 80% of the population speaking Australian English.

New Zealand

New Zealand occupies 2 large islands and many small ones in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. The first Europeans arrived in New Zealand at the end of the 18th century, and in 1788 it was declared a British colony. The country gained independence in the middle of the 20th century. New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries with unique flora and fauna. English is spoken by about 96% of the population.

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English is the native language in:

NEW ZEALAND GREAT BRITAIN Australia Canada USA

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Canada

Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is nearly as big as small of Europe. She shares with the USA the world "s largest seven lakes, as well as Canada"s longest river three in the world. The capital of Canada is Ottawa. In Canada there are people of many nationalities. There are two official languages ​​in my country, English and French. English spoken in Canada is a bit different from British English: there are some pronunciation and grammatical differences. The red and write Canadian flag shows a leaf of the maple tree , which grows in North America. The maple leaf is the official emblem of Canada.

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Attractions Canada

CN Tower Nigarsky Falls

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Great Britain

Great Britain is an island nation. Usually it is shortened to the United Kingdom or UK or Great Britain. It "s one of the world" s smallest countries - it "s twice smaller than France or Spain. However, there are only nine other countries with more people, and London is the world" s seventh biggest city. In Britain you can meet people of many different nationalities. The capital of the UK is London. The official language is English. Do you know that English is made up of Anglo-Saxon, French and Latin? It also includes a lot of words from Greek and other languages, even Russian.

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The rose is the national emblem of England. Emblem of England

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New Zealand New Zealand is a small country in the Pacific Ocean. It consists of two major islands. New Zealand is the same distance from Australia as London is from Moscow. When it's summer in Europe, it's winter in New Zealand. But the school year still starts in autumn - in February! When it's time to go to bed in Europe, It's time to go to work in New Zealand. The capital of New Zealand is Wellington. The population of the country is mixed. Some people came from Britain years ago. Some Maori people lived here before the British came. Official languages ​​are English and Maori. But English is spoken in a very unusual way in New Zealand. It is often called Kiwi English. New Zealand is sometimes called "The Worlds Biggest Farm". It is famous for its products: butter, cheese, meat.

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Australia Australia is the biggest island and the smallest continent in the world. It is the only country in the world, which occupies an entire continent and some of the islands around it. It lies between the Indian and: the Pacific Oceans. It "s a large country, but its population is only 18.3 million people. There are "original Australians" who lived here long ago but most of the population came to Australia from Britain, Ireland and other countries years ago. At present in Australia there are a lot of people from Russia. The capital of Australia is Canberra. English is the official language in Australia. But English spoken in Australia is a bit different from British English and American English. Sometimes Australia is called "Oz" or "the Lucky Country»

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Christchurch Cathedral in Australia Christchurch Cathedral is one of the main attractions of Australia

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USA United States one of the most powerful and advanced countries in the world. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the cast to the Pacific Ocean in the west and from Canada in the north to Mexico in the south. The capital of the USA is Washington, though some people think it's New York. This famous city is the financial and cultural center of the USA. The USA has the third largest population in the world. It's a real melting pot. English is the official language in the USA. But the English language spoken in my country is known as American English. There are some differences between British and American English. For example a film in Britain is a movie in America, a postman is a mailman, the underground is the subway. But people speaking British English can be easily understood in the US. no problem. The second important language in the United States is Spanish. The motto of the country is "In God We Trust"

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Presentation was prepared pupil grade 7 Gymnasium No. 3 Balina Anastasia

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