• ISO code: en
It belongs to the western group of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family and is most closely related to German and Dutch.

English or English (in English: English), and spelled English in the Levant, is a Germanic language that originated in England. It is the third most widely spoken native language in the world (402 million people according to the 2002 census). In addition to its wide global spread due to the military, economic, cultural, scientific, and political influence of the British Empire and subsequently the United States of America, it is the only language present on all five continents alongside French.

Data on English

Language statistics

How many speakers does English have?

English is spoken by About (1.2) billion people of which Up to (350) million as a first language

Distribution of English

Distribution: Worldwide
Language regulator: Several bodies in Britain and America

Which countries speak English?



Language statistics

  • About (1.2) billion speakers
  • First language for Up to (350) million people
  • Official language in 90 countries