English is one of the world's most widely spoken and understood languages. It enables people from different backgrounds and languages to communicate with ease. It is also the dominant language of business, as many transactions, negotiations, and agreements take place in English. The United States and the United Kingdom have the highest number of native English speakers. However, global penetration of the language has made it the official language in almost 86 countries worldwide. You can also check out: 20 Richest Countries that Mainly Speak English.
Africa: English-Speaking Nations Beyond US and UK
English speaking countries except US and UK are largely concentrated in Africa. Almost 26 African countries have English as their official language. The widespread adoption of English in the region links directly with the colonial legacy. Post-decolonization, most British colonies adopted English as their primary or official language. The stronghold of English speaking countries in global affairs has helped maintain English's status as the lingua franca in these countries.
Africa is rich in natural and human resources. On June 5, McKinsey published a report forecasting that the African population will reach 2.5 billion by 2050. The continent has experienced a tumultuous economic environment, with real GDP growth falling to 3.3% per year between 2010 and 2019 compared to an average rate of 5.1% during the previous decade.
Most of the population is mainly employed in agriculture, accounting for 49% of the continent's total employment. However, the services sector is the fastest-growing sector in the African economy. The sector contributed 56% in 2019 to the continent's economic output, compared to 50% in 2000. The sector has been estimated to add 85 million new jobs across the continent by 2030.
The continent also has massive opportunities for large firms. According to the report, 345 companies in Africa have annual revenues of more than $1 billion individually and more than $1 trillion collectively. Large companies in Africa could potentially add $550 billion by 2030 to their revenues using the right strategies. By 2030, $3 trillion in consumer spending is also expected to be added to the economy.
Leading Companies Facilitating English Teaching
English is a significant tool when connecting and communicating with people worldwide. Learning English can also unlock a whole new realm of knowledge and education. Many companies are offering courses that help people learn English. Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) is a leading name in this area. The company was founded in 2011 and offers many language courses and certifications. Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) has gamified the learning experience, enabling users to learn using the mobile platform.
On November 9, Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) announced that it had added a music course and an updated math course to its flagship mobile app. These new courses will be available along with 40 already offered language courses. Duolingo Inc (NASDAQ:DUOL) is expanding into new subjects by the launch of these courses and is no longer restricting itself to language courses only. The company will also attract many learners by offering a diverse range of courses.
Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) is another leading company working on offering solutions for learning languages. The company was founded in 1992 in Virginia and is renowned for its language learning products. Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) provides solutions for over 30 languages, including English. On October 16, Rosetta Stone Inc. (NYSE:RST) announced the launch of Mandarin picture dictionaries. The dictionaries employ colourful visuals to help people learn Mandarin Chinese and offer traditional and simplified versions.
Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) is another noteworthy company offering English-speaking courses. The company was founded in 2012 by two Stanford professors and has gained massive traction. Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) has partnerships with almost 7,000 campuses, businesses, and governments.
On October 26, Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) reported strong earnings for the fiscal third quarter of 2023. The company's revenue for the quarter grew by 21.37% and amounted to $165.54 million, ahead of market consensus by $6.6 million. As of November 29, Coursera Inc. (NYSE:COUR) has surged nearly 58.8% over the past six months. Here are some comments from the company's earnings call:
"For the third quarter, gross profit was $84.9 million and a 51% gross margin, which was down 14 points from the prior year period. Total operating expense was $94.5 million or 57% of revenue, down 15 points from 72% in the prior year period. Looking at the P&L line item components of OpEx, sales and marketing expense represented 32% of total revenue, down 6 points. Research and development expense was 16% of revenue, down 5 points. And general and administrative expense was 10% of revenue, down 4 points. Net loss was $2.1 million or 1.3% of revenue, and adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $5.3 million or 3.2% of revenue. The better-than-anticipated result was due to both overall revenue growth and strong operating expense discipline, and I continue to be pleased with our ability to invest in multiple growth initiatives while delivering leverage and scale."
With this context, let's take a look at the top English-speaking countries other than the US and the UK. You can also check out Top English Speaking Countries in Europe.
20 English Speaking Countries by Population Except US and UK
20 English Speaking Countries by Population Except US and UK
Our Methodology
To make a list of English-speaking countries by population except US and UK, we initially extracted our data from the English-speaking countrieslist from Northern Arizona University. The list included more than fifty countries where English is spoken and understood. There is an absence of data for the percentage of English speaking population of countries. We have therefore used the hypothesis that the majority English speaking countries with a higher total population are likely to have a larger English-speaking populace. We have then used the total population data from the World Bank to rank these countries. The list has been arranged in ascending order.
20 English Speaking Countries by Population Except US and UK
20. Sierra Leone
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 8,605.72
Sierra Leone is located in Africa. The country has English as its official language. A majority of the population can speak and understand English. In 2022, the total population in Sierra Leone was 8,605,720.
19. Papua New Guinea
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 10,142.62
Papua New Guinea is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country has English as its official language. The population of Papua New Guinea in 2022 amounted to 10,142,620 individuals.
18. Greece
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 10,566.53
Greece is a majority English speaking country. The country's official language is Greek, but English is widely understood and spoken. In 2022, the total population of Greece was 10,566,530.
17. South Sudan
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 10,913.16
One of the English speaking countries by population except US and UK is South Sudan. The country is located in Africa and is landlocked. English is the official language in the country. In 2022, the total population in South Sudan was recorded to be 10,913,160.
16. Burundi
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 12,889.58
Burundi is located in Africa. English is one of the official languages of the country. The country is also a direct territorial continuation of a pre-colonial era African state. The total population in Burundi was 12,889,580 in 2022.
15. Rwanda
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 13,776.70
Rwanda is located in Africa. The country is small and landlocked. English is one of the official languages in the country. In 2022, the total population in Rwanda was 13,776,700.
14. Zimbabwe
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 16,320.54
Zimbabwe is one of the English speaking countries by population except US and UK. It is a landlocked country and is located in Africa. English is one of the official languages of the country. The total population of Zimbabwe was recorded at 16,320,540 in 2022.
13. Zambia
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 20,017.67
Zambia is located in Africa. It is a landlocked country with English as one of its official languages. The country had a total population of 20,017,670 in 2022.
12. Malawi
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 20,405.32
Malawi is one of the prominent English speaking countries except US and UK. Official government records, parliamentary deliberations, laws, education, and commerce are conducted in English. In 2022, the total population of Malawi was 20,405,320.
11. Australia
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 25,978.94
Australia does not have an official language. However, English is the country's most widely spoken and understood language. It is one of the most noteworthy English speaking countries by population except US and UK. As of 2022, the total population in Australia was 25,978,940.
10. Cameroon
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 27,914.54
Cameroon is located in Africa and has a rich history and diverse culture. English is one of the official languages in Cameroon. In 2022, the total population in Cameroon was 27,914,540.
9. Ghana
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 33,475.87
Ghana is located in Africa. The country has significant linguistic diversity; however, English is the official language. In 2022, the recorded population in Ghana was 33,475,870.
8. Canada
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 38,929.90
Canada is one of the most prominent English-speaking countries by population, except for the US and the UK. The country has English as one of its official languages. Canada's total population in 2022 reached 38,929,900.
7. Sudan
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 46,874.20
Sudan is located in Africa. English is one of Sudan's most widely spoken and understood languages, alongside Arabic. In 2022, the total population in Sudan was 46,874,200.
6. Uganda
Total Population in 2022 (Thousands): 47,249.58
Uganda has a rich linguistic landscape. English is the official language in the country. In 2022, the total population in Uganda was 47,249,580.
