List of countries where English is an official language

The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where English is an official or language of government.

In many countries English is the dominant language, but does not have official status. In Australia, English is spoken by the vast majority of the population and is the only language used in government institutions, yet Australia does not have an official language. The case is the same in the United Kingdom and the United States, though many states and regions within the U.S. do have English as an official language. English is the official language of Canada along with French.[1] English is the sole official language of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Commonwealth Games. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations, European Union and the International Olympic Committee.

Many of these countries are current or former colonies or dependencies of the United Kingdom (see also British Empire), or of the United States. Notable exceptions include Rwanda which was a former Belgian colony as well as Ethiopia and Eritrea.

India's linguistic picture is complex. According to the Constitution of India, "Hindi in the Devanagari script" is the official language of the union[2] and English the 'subsidiary official language';[3] however, English is mandated for the authoritative texts of all federal laws and Supreme Court decisions, and (along with Hindi) is one of the two languages of the Indian Parliament. English is used almost exclusively for all higher education, business and science. All school courses are taught in English. English is extensively used for administrative purposes in India. India is the 2nd largest English-speaking country in the world by population next to U.S.A. As such, many consider English to be the de facto official language of India. See Official languages of India.

The linguistic makeup of Pakistan is similarly complex. While the national language is Urdu, English is an official language and used in business, government, and law.[4] English is a compulsory language in schools. All school courses are taught in English. Pakistan is the 9th largest English-speaking country in the world by population.[5]

Contents

Majority English-speaking countries

Additional major English-speaking countries can also be found in the Caribbean and Pacific. Former American and British colonies include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belau, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Federation of Micronesia, Grenada, Guam, Guyana, Jamaica, Johnston, Montserrat, Northern Marianas, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. Though these islands are small, they are culturally and linguistically tied to the UK or USA. A number of countries use English as an official language as a unifying force despite the influence of major local languages in countries such as Botswana, Fiji, Ghana, Kenya, India, Hong Kong, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Samoa, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. English may also be a widely-used unofficial language, as is the case in Bangladesh.[6]

Sovereign states

Countries where English is a de jure/official language
Country Region Population1
 Barbados[7] Caribbean 294,000
 Belize [8] Central America / Caribbean 288,000
 Botswana [8] Africa 1,882,000
 Cameroon[9] Africa 18,549,000
 Canada[9] North America 33,531,000
 Dominica[9] Caribbean 73,000
 Eritrea[9] Africa 5,224,000
 Ethiopia[9] Africa 82,101,998
 Fiji[9] Oceania 827,900
 The Gambia[9] Africa 1,709,000
 Ghana[9] Africa 23,478,000
 Grenada[9] Caribbean 106,000
 Guyana[10] South America / Caribbean 738,000
 India [8][11] Asia 1,143,540,000
 Ireland[12] Europe 4,581,269
 Jamaica[13] Caribbean 2,714,000
 Kenya[9] Africa 37,538,000
 Kiribati[9] Oceania 95,000
 Lesotho[9] Africa 2,008,000
 Liberia[9] Africa 3,750,000
 Malawi[14] Africa 13,925,000
 Malta[9] Europe 412,600
 Marshall Islands[9] Oceania 59,000
 Mauritius[9] Africa / Indian Ocean 1,262,000
 Federated States of Micronesia[9] Oceania 111,000
 Namibia[9] Africa 2,074,000
 Nauru[15] Oceania 10,000
 Nigeria[9][16] Africa 148,093,000
 Pakistan[9] Asia 165,449,000
 Palau [8] Oceania 20,000
 Papua New Guinea[17][18] Oceania 6,331,000
 Philippines[9][19] Asia 90,457,200
 Rwanda[9] Africa 9,725,000
 Saint Kitts and Nevis[20] Caribbean 50,000
 Saint Lucia[9] Caribbean 165,000
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[21] Caribbean 120,000
 Samoa[22] Oceania 188,359
 Seychelles[9] Africa / Indian Ocean 87,000
 Sierra Leone[9] Africa 5,866,000
 Singapore[23] Asia 4,839,400
 Solomon Islands[9] Oceania 506,992
 South Africa[24] Africa 47,850,700
 South Sudan[25] Africa 8,260,490
 Sudan[9] Africa 31,894,000
 Swaziland[9] Africa 1,141,000
 Tanzania[9] Africa 40,454,000
 Tonga[26] Oceania 100,000
 Trinidad and Tobago[9] Caribbean 1,333,000
 Tuvalu[8] Oceania 11,000
 Uganda[9] Africa 30,884,000
 Vanuatu[27] Oceania 226,000
 Zambia[9] Africa 11,922,000
 Zimbabwe[9] Africa 13,349,000
Countries where English is the de facto language
Country Region Population1
 Antigua and Barbuda[9] Caribbean 85,000
 Australia[28] Australia 22,374,370
 Bahamas, The[9] Caribbean 331,000
 New Zealand[9] Oceania 4,294,350
 United Kingdom aka

 England  Wales  Scotland

 Europe 61,612,300
 United States North America 309,442,000

Non-sovereign entities

Entity Region Population1
 American Samoa11 Oceania 67,000
 Anguilla[9] Caribbean 13,000
 Bermuda9[9] North America 65,000
 British Virgin Islands[9] Caribbean 23,000
 Cayman Islands [8] Caribbean 47,000
 Christmas Island12[9] Australia 1,508
 Cocos (Keeling) Islands[9] Australia 596
 Cook Islands[9] Oceania 20,200
 Falkland Islands South Atlantic 3,000
 Gibraltar[9] Europe 29,257
 Guam4 Oceania 173,000
 Guernsey10 Europe 61,811
 Hong Kong2[9] Asia 7,097,600
 Isle of Man8 Europe 80,058
 Jersey6[9] Europe 89,300
 Montserrat[8] Caribbean 5,900
 Niue Oceania 1,600
 Norfolk Island[9] Australia 1,828
 Northern Mariana Islands7 Oceania 84,000
 Pitcairn Islands13[9] Oceania 50
 Puerto Rico3 Caribbean 3,991,000
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha[8] South Atlantic 5,660
 Sint Maarten Caribbean 40,900
 San Andrés y Providencia[29] Caribbean 59,573
 Somaliland[30] Africa 3,500,000
 Tokelau [8] Oceania 1,400
 Turks and Caicos Islands[9] Caribbean 26,000
 U.S. Virgin Islands5 Caribbean 111,000

Map of English Status

See also

Footnotes

^1 The population figures are based on the sources in List of countries by population, with information as of 23 January 2009 (UN estimates, et al.)
^2 Hong Kong is a former British Crown Colony (1843-1981) and British Dependent Territory (1981-1997); it is currently a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (1997- present)
^3 Puerto Rico is, historically and geographically, connected to the Spanish-speaking Caribbean; Spanish is the main language of the majority of Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated United States territory referred to as a "Commonwealth"
^4 Guam is an organized unincorporated territory of the United States
^5 The US Virgin Islands is an insular area of the United States
^6 Jersey is a British Crown dependency
^7 The Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the United States
^8 Isle of Man is a British Crown dependency
^9 Bermuda is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom
^10 Guernsey is a British Crown dependency
^11 American Samoa is an unincorporated U.S. territory
^12 Christmas Island is an external territory of Australia
^13 Pitcairn Islands is a British overseas territory

References

  1. ^ OCOL - Home
  2. ^ "The Union: Official Language". National Informatics Centre (NIC). 2007. http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php. Retrieved June 24, 2007. 
  3. ^ "Notification No. 2/8/60-O.L. (Ministry of Home Affairs)". April 27, 1960. http://www.rajbhasha.gov.in/preseng.htm. Retrieved July 4, 2007. 
  4. ^ CIA - The World Factbook
  5. ^ Introduction to Pakistan
  6. ^ "Basic Facts of Bangladesh". High Commission of Bangladesh. http://bangladesh.org.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=62&Itemid=95. Retrieved 14 July 2011. 
  7. ^ "Society". Government Information Service (Barbados). http://www.barbados.gov.bb/society.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i English usage; "Field Listing - Languages". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html. Retrieved 2009-01-11. .
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av Official language; "Field Listing - Languages". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html. Retrieved 2009-01-11. .
  10. ^ "National Profile". Government Information Agency (Guyana). http://www.gina.gov.gy/natprofile/gnprof.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  11. ^ N. Krishnaswamy; Lalitha Krishnaswamy (6 January 2006). "3.14 English Becomes a Second Language". The story of English in India. Foundation Books. ISBN 9788175963122. http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=mBpFLdcEG7IC&pg=PA103. 
  12. ^ BUNREACHT NA hÉIREANN
  13. ^ The Constitution of Jamaica (section 20(6e) — implicit)
  14. ^ Malawi Investment Promotion Agency (August 2005). "Opportunities for investment and Trade in Malawi – the Warm Heart of Africa". Government of Malawi. http://www.malawi.gov.mw/investments/INVESTOR%27S%20GUIDE%20TO%20MALAWI.doc. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  15. ^ "Nauru". New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. 2008-12-03. http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Countries/Pacific/Nauru.php. Retrieved 2009-01-18.  English and Nauruan are official.
  16. ^ "Country profile: Nigeria". BBC News. April 30, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064557.stm. Retrieved November 10, 2008. 
  17. ^ "General Information on Papua New Guinea". Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority. http://www.pngtourism.org.pg/png/export/sites/TPA/ForTheTraveller/Index.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  18. ^ "Country profile: Papua New Guinea". BBC News. 2008-11-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1246074.stm. 
  19. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Article XIV". Chanrobles Law Library. 1987. http://www.chanrobles.com/article14language.htm. Retrieved October 27, 2007.  (See Article XIV, Section 7)
  20. ^ "Primary Schools". Government of St Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis. http://www.gov.kn/content.asp?cuItem=609&mp=1. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  21. ^ "St. Vincent and the Grenadines Profile". Agency for Public Information (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). http://www.gov.vc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13&Itemid=101. Retrieved 2011-06-18. 
  22. ^ "Legislations: List of Acts and Ordinances". The Parliament of Samoa. http://www.parliament.gov.ws/legislations.cfm?sel=con. Retrieved 2009-01-18.  Languages for official legislation are Samoan and English.
  23. ^ Wong, Aline (2000-11-24). "Education in a Multicultural Setting - The Singapore Experience". Ministry of Education, Government of Singapore. http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000_print.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-18. "There are four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil." 
  24. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of South Africa". Constitutional Court of South Africa. http://www.concourt.gov.za/site/constitution/english-web/ch1.html. Retrieved 2009-01-11. 
  25. ^ "The Constitution of Southern Sudan". Southern Sudan Civil Society Initiative. http://www.gurtong.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=lOqRv9hqgv8%3D&tabid=345. Retrieved 2011-07-09. 
  26. ^ Kingdom of Tonga (March 2008). "The United Nations / Universal Periodic Review by the United Nations Human Rights Council". http://www.pmo.gov.to/guide-to-gov-mainmenu-26/tonga-a-the-world-mainmenu-72/the-united-nations-mainmenu-126.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18.  English and Tongan are listed as official.
  27. ^ "Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu". Government of the Republic of Vanuatu. 1980-83. http://www.vanuatugovernment.gov.vu/government/library/constitution.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18. 
  28. ^ "Pluralist Nations: Pluralist Language Policies?". 1995 Global Cultural Diversity Conference Proceedings, Sydney. Department of Immigration and Citizenship. http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/multicultural/confer/04/speech18b.htm. Retrieved 11 January 2009. "English has no de jure status but it is so entrenched as the common language that it is de facto the official language as well as the national language."
  29. ^ http://www.alcaldiabogota.gov.co/sisjur/normas/Norma1.jsp?i=2780
  30. ^ "National Profile". Republic of Somaliland. http://www.somalilandgov.com/cprofile.htm. Retrieved 2011-08-24. 
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Countries and territories where English is the national language or the native language of the majority.

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Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority language.

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