In this article, we will be studying the English language’s dominance across the world while covering the 20 richest countries that mainly speak English. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 Richest Countries that Mainly Speak English.
English as a Lingua Franca
English has been commonly pursued as the communicative medium of choice especially between people with different languages as their first language. This has given English the standard of a global lingua franca or a common language. The emergence of various dialects has further helped the language grow and adapt to modern-day developments. Other than admitting words from its varieties, English also incorporates words from other prominent languages across the globe. Thus, the language has been capable of maintaining its dominance in this way.
Penetration Across Countries
The global significance of English is evident from the fact that it has been recognized as an official language in numerous countries. Around 86 countries have English as their official language or second language. Countries such as the US, the UK, and Australia have the highest number of native English speakers and hence, English is commonly spoken and understood.
Although countries in Europe tend to have their native languages positioned well, English is spoken by many European residents. Some of the European countries speaking English include the United Kingdom, Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Spain where a high to moderate English proficiency prevails. As reported by Wordspath, almost 370 million people out of the 450 million total population can speak English in Europe. Due to this reason, English has been recognized officially in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, and Poland.
Companies Developing Solutions for English Language Learning
Numerous companies around the world aim to engage speakers in learning languages including the globally recognized English language. Some of these include Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), and Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR).
Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) is an American educational technology company that facilitates the learning of languages including English, French, Spanish, Welsh, and Irish. It serves as one of the most popular language-learning apps worldwide. On October 11, the company reported an expansion in its Duolingo app under which users can switch between learning languages, math, and music. Math and music are two courses which will be available in English and Spanish. For instance, a math lesson can be done one day followed by a music lesson the next day. Similarly, a language learning lesson can be taken afterward. Using this update, the company is gradually moving towards offering all types of learning under one app.
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) is another language-learning software. On October 27, the company reported that Rosetta Stone for Enterprise offers corporate training in 24 languages including English. This can help insurance teams develop the right kind of language skills to serve a multinational customer base. Brokers can communicate with clients in their native language and can even close more deals in this way. The company’s live tutoring also improves language learning, confidence, and fluency. Hence, insurance companies can easily incorporate language training into their professional development programs.
Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) offers various English-speaking courses that are useful for both individuals looking for personal development and corporate teams aiming at building professional skills. On October 10, the company reported that it has allowed access to over 4,000 AI-translated courses in some of the world’s most popularly known languages. Native speakers of Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, French, German, Bahasa Indonesia, and Thai can access courses translated into their own language. Businesses can drive employee productivity by offering in-demand skills training in local languages. Similarly, educational institutes can integrate online courses in native languages in areas such as such as STEM and digital skills. Language learners can either study in their local language or use subtitles for English courses to improve their English language proficiency in specific workplace skills. The company has taken this step to facilitate its 33.1 million registered learners Coursera based in countries where the official language is one of the seven newly introduced translated languages on the platform.
Now that we have taken a look at the penetration of English across the world, we can move to the 20 richest countries that speak mainly English.
20 Richest Countries that Mainly Speak English
Our Methodology:
In order to compile a list of the 20 richest countries that mainly speak English, we acquired a list of all the countries with English as the primarily spoken and recognized language from the English-speaking countries’ list from Northern Arizona University. Moving on, we researched for the most appropriate metric to represent rich countries. GDP per capita and GNI were not chosen as they do not take into account the cost of living or other non-monetary factors such as access to quality education, healthcare, and social support systems which can affect overall wealth.
Finally, we chose the total wealth as our metric which was sourced from Credit Suisse’s Global Wealth Databook 2022. The total national wealth in the respective countries has been reported from 2021. The wealth for all countries in our list where English is mainly spoken was considered to formulate the ranking.
Please note that there are various countries where different languages are recognized officially, with English as one of them. We have included those countries for better coverage since English serves as a commonly spoken language there. The countries that mainly speak English have been ranked in ascending order of their total wealth.
20. Jamaica
Total Wealth: $45 Billion
English is the official language in Jamaica. Jamaican Standard English is the type of English native to the country that is understood by the residents. Hence, Jamaica is a major English-speaking country that has a net worth of $45 billion as reported in 2021.
19. Cameroon
Total Wealth: $46 Billion
Cameroon qualifies as one of the richest countries that speak mainly English. English is spoken predominantly in the country. Cameroon Pidgin English is a lingua franca in the country. In 2021, the country had total wealth equivalent to $46 billion.
18. Uganda
Total Wealth: $49 Billion
English is widely spoken and is one of the officially recognized languages in Uganda. English spoken in the country is influenced by indigenous languages but remains commonly used. Uganda ranks as one of the richest nations that mainly speak English as it had a wealth of $49 billion in 2021.
17. Trinidad and Tobago
Total Wealth: $51 Billion
Trinidadian Creole is an English-based Creole dialect spoken throughout the country. English is the official language of the country as well. The country recorded a total national wealth of $51 billion in 2021 thereby becoming a majorly English-speaking country from the Caribbean.
16. Malta
Total Wealth: $58 Billion
Other than Maltese, English is an officially recognized language in Malta. According to the latest Eurobarometer survey, 88% of the local population can speak English. Malta has a net worth of $58 billion in 2021 which ranks it as another rich nation that commonly speaks English.
15. Zimbabwe
Total Wealth: $71 Billion
Zimbabwean English is the regional form of English in Zimbabwe. English is also used as the primary language in education, government, commerce, and media. In 2021, Zimbabwe’s net worth was $71 billion which ranks it as one of the richest countries widely speaking English. English is also the first language of most white Zimbabweans.
14. Tanzania
Total Wealth: $122 Billion
Tanzania is a multilingual country where English serves as an officially recognized language. English is widely spoken as a lingua franca in the country. In 2021, the country recorded total national wealth of $122 billion thereby becoming one of the richest countries speaking mainly English.
13. Ghana
Total Wealth: $130 Billion
English is used as a lingua franca throughout Ghana. It is also the official language of the state. Furthermore, Ghana had a net worth of $130 billion in 2021 which makes it another rich nation where English is widely spoken. The majority of people in Ghana speak English.
Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), and Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR) continue to promote language learning across the globe.
12. Kenya
Total Wealth: $369 Billion
English serves as an official language in Kenya. Kenyan English is a local dialect spoken by many communities in the country. Kenya had a net worth of $369 billion in 2021 which makes it one of the 20 richest countries speaking mainly English.
11. Nigeria
Total Wealth: $752 Billion
Nigeria is one of the English-speaking countries where English is widely spoken. English is also an officially recognized language in the country which had a net worth of $752 billion in 2021. This makes Nigeria another rich nation that mainly speaks English.
10. Greece
Total Wealth: $914 Billion
Greece ranks as one of the richest nations where English is widely spoken even when the native language is Greek. English is spoken more commonly in Greece as compared to other European nations such as Spain and France. The country recorded a total wealth of $914 billion in 2021.
9. Ireland
Total Wealth: $920 Billion
English is an officially recognized language in Ireland. It is widely spoken across the country. A vast majority of the Irish population speaks English natively in Ireland. Ireland also recorded a total wealth of $920 billion in 2021 thereby becoming another rich country that mainly speaks English.
8. South Africa
Total Wealth: $938 Billion
South Africa makes it to the 20 richest countries that mainly speak English. The country recorded a total national wealth of $938 billion in 2021 while English is one of the most widespread languages among South Africans. It is also commonly pursued in government and business.
7. Philippines
Total Wealth: $992 Billion
With a total wealth of $992 billion, the Philippines qualifies as one of the richest nations where English is spoken as a main language. English serves as an official language and an integral part of local life in the country.
Companies assisting native speakers with learning other languages include Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST), and Coursera, Inc. (NYSE:COUR).
6. New Zealand
Total Wealth: $1.716 Trillion
English is the first language of the majority of the population in New Zealand. New Zealand English is the most commonly followed English dialect in the country. New Zealand had a net worth of $1.716 trillion in 2021 thereby ranking as one of the 20 richest countries that mainly speak English.
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Disclosure: None. 20 Richest Countries that Mainly Speak English is originally published on Insider Monkey.