English-speaking countries: the full list by continent, and what "English-speaking" really means

Three meanings of "English-speaking country"

Before the list, one point makes it easier to read: the phrase is not exact.

1. English is the first language of most people. The clearest examples are the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (outside Quebec), Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
2. English is an official language, but it sits beside other languages. Examples are India, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the Philippines and Singapore. Many people in these countries speak English very well, and many do not use it at home.
3. English is the shared language between groups. In countries with many local languages, English often links people from different regions.

Two more details help. The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have no law that names an official language, but English is the main language there. And a country can list English as official on paper while most people use another language every day.

So when you read "English-speaking countries", ask which of the three the list means. The tables below show the official group first, with notes.

The list by continent

This list follows Wikipedia's 2026 page on countries where English is an official language. It counts 57 sovereign states, plus 28 non-sovereign territories, and the examples below are the main ones in each region.

Europe

North America and the Caribbean

Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada (co-official with French), Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.

South America

Guyana is the only sovereign state in South America where English is official.

Africa

Botswana, Cameroon (co-official with French), Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and others.

Asia

India (an official working language, often used between regions), Pakistan, the Philippines (co-official with Filipino) and Singapore.

Oceania

Australia (the main language, with no law naming it official), Fiji, New Zealand (co-official with Maori and New Zealand Sign Language), Papua New Guinea and others.

Countries where English is the first language

To hear how native speakers sound, listen to speakers from these countries.

Even within one country, accents differ a lot. A person from Glasgow and a person from London both speak British English, but they sound very different. For a clear model of American speech, start with American accent training. For British words and phrases, see British slang words.

A practical point for learners: pick one accent as your main model, at least at first. Mixing American and British features is not wrong, but it can make your speech feel less steady while you are still building habits.

English-speaking countries in Europe

Only three sovereign states in Europe are listed with English as an official or main language: Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom. Many people across Europe speak English as a second language, but that does not make it an official language there.

A few details are useful:

• Ireland has two official languages, Irish and English. Most daily life happens in English.
• Malta has two official languages, Maltese and English, so signs and public services often use both.
• The United Kingdom has no law naming an official language, but English is the main language across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Welsh and Scottish Gaelic also in use in some places.

The Commonwealth, a group of 56 member countries, lists three European members: Cyprus, Malta and the United Kingdom. Membership does not by itself mean English is official, so treat it as a link in history and politics, not a language rule.

For studying or practising English in Europe, Ireland, Malta and the United Kingdom are the practical choices. Each has a different accent.

English-speaking countries in South America

South America has one sovereign state with English as an official language: Guyana. Most other countries on the continent use Spanish or Portuguese.

Guyana is also a Commonwealth member, along with a number of Caribbean countries nearby, such as Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. The English spoken in the region is influenced by local languages and has its own sound.

Practising English in or near South America has two realistic routes: the Caribbean countries just north of the continent, or online practice with speakers from any country. Many learners choose the second, because it is flexible and costs less than travel.

How many people speak English worldwide?

Wikipedia's article on the English language gives these figures for 2021:

The same article calls English the most geographically widespread language in the world and the most widely learned second language. It also ranks English as the third-most spoken native language, behind Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

The key point for learners: there are more second-language speakers than native speakers. In practice, you are likely to speak English with other learners as often as with natives. This changes what "good English" means. Clear, steady pronunciation and simple, correct sentences matter more than imitating a perfect accent.

The Commonwealth and other countries with a shared history

Many of the countries on the list share a history with the United Kingdom, which explains why English is official there. The Commonwealth lists 56 member countries: 21 in Africa, 8 in Asia, 13 in the Caribbean and Americas, 3 in Europe and 11 in the Pacific.

Not every Commonwealth country uses English as an official language, and not every English-official country is a member. Wikipedia lists ten countries where English works as a de facto working language without being counted in the 57, among them Bangladesh, Brunei, Israel, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.

The lesson: lists differ by source and by date, because they count different things. If a number matters for a project or a form, check the original source and note the year.

Which country should a learner follow?

You do not need to live in an English-speaking country to improve, but you can choose where your listening comes from.

• For American English: films, podcasts and calls with speakers from the United States and Canada. See American English conversation for dialogues.
• For British English: BBC audio, UK podcasts and British TV. Start with a few regional accents, then widen.
• For a neutral international style: speak slowly and clearly, and stress the key words. This works with speakers from any country.

Then add speaking. Listening alone does not build the ability to produce sentences. Speak aloud every day, even for ten minutes, and record yourself once a week.