The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where English is an official language. Most of these countries, such as Pakistan, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines, use English as an official language but not the sole official language (and usually not the main official language).
This list does not include countries where 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. This is the same in the U.S. although some states and regions within the U.S. have English as an official language.
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Almost all of these countries are current or former colonies or dependencies of the United Kingdom (see also British Empire). The notable exceptions are Madagascar and Rwanda which are former French and Belgian colonies respectively with English-speaking neighbors; Philippines, which became a U.S. dependent territory in 1898 by action of the Treaty of Paris; and Liberia which, after being privately colonized beginning in 1821 by the American Colonization Society, developed into the Republic of Liberia.
India's linguistic picture is complex. According to the Constitution of India, "Hindi in the Devanagari script" is the official language of the union[1] and English the 'subsidiary official language';[2] 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. See Official languages of India.
Contents |
Sovereign states
| Country | Region | Population1 |
|---|---|---|
 Antigua and Barbuda[3] |
North America | 85,000 |
 Australia[3] |
Oceania | 21,450,000 |
 The Bahamas[3] |
North America | 331,000 |
 Barbados[4] |
North America | 294,000 |
 Belize [5] |
Central America | 288,000 |
 Botswana [5] |
Africa | 1,882,000 |
 Cameroon[3] |
Africa | 18,549,000 |
 Canada[3] |
North America | 33,531,000 |
 Dominica[3] |
North America | 67,000 |
 Fiji[3] |
Oceania | 827,900 |
 The Gambia[3] |
Africa | 1,709,000 |
 Ghana[3] |
Africa | 23,478,000 |
 Grenada[3] |
North America | 106,000 |
 Guyana[6] |
South America | 738,000 |
 India (associate status)[5] |
South Asia | 1,143,540,000 |
 Ireland[3] |
Europe | 4,517,800 |
 Jamaica[7] |
North America | 2,714,000 |
 Kenya[3] |
Africa | 37,538,000 |
 Kiribati[3] |
Oceania | 95,000 |
 Lesotho[3] |
Africa | 2,008,000 |
 Liberia[3] |
Africa | 3,750,000 |
 Madagascar[3] |
Africa | 19,683,000 |
 Malawi[8] |
Africa | 13,925,000 |
 Malta[3] |
Europe | 412,600 |
 Marshall Islands[3] |
Oceania | 59,000 |
 Mauritius[3] |
Africa | 1,262,000 |
 Micronesia[3] |
Oceania | 111,000 |
 Namibia[3] |
Africa | 2,074,000 |
 Nauru[9] |
Oceania | 10,000 |
 New Zealand14[3] |
Oceania | 4,294,350 |
 Nigeria[3][10] |
Africa | 148,093,000 |
 Pakistan[3] |
South Asia | 165,449,000 |
 Palau [5] |
Oceania | 20,000 |
 Papua New Guinea[11][12] |
Oceania | 6,331,000 |
 Philippines[3][13] |
Asia | 90,457,200 |
 Rwanda[3] |
Africa | 9,725,000 |
 Saint Kitts and Nevis[14] |
North America | 50,000 |
 Saint Lucia[3] |
North America | 165,000 |
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[15] |
North America | 120,000 |
 Samoa[16] |
Oceania | 188,359 |
 Seychelles[3] |
Africa | 87,000 |
 Sierra Leone[3] |
Africa | 5,866,000 |
 Singapore[17] |
Asia | 4,839,400 |
 Solomon Islands[3] |
Oceania | 506,992 |
 South Africa[18] |
Africa | 47,850,700 |
 Sudan[3] |
Africa | 38,560,000 |
 Swaziland[3] |
Africa | 1,141,000 |
 Tanzania[3] |
Africa | 40,454,000 |
 Tonga[19] |
Oceania | 100,000 |
 Trinidad and Tobago[3] |
North America | 1,333,000 |
 Tuvalu[5] |
Oceania | 11,000 |
 Uganda[3] |
Africa | 30,884,000 |
 United Kingdom[20] |
Europe | 61,612,300 |
 Vanuatu[21] |
Oceania | 226,000 |
 Zambia[3] |
Africa | 11,922,000 |
 Zimbabwe[3] |
Africa | 13,349,000 |
Non-sovereign entities
| Entity | Continent | Population1 |
|---|---|---|
 American Samoa11 |
Oceania | 67,000 |
 Anguilla[3] |
North America | 13,000 |
 Bermuda9[3] |
North America | 65,000 |
 British Virgin Islands[3] |
North America | 23,000 |
 Cayman Islands [5] |
North America | 47,000 |
 Christmas Island12[3] |
Oceania | 1,508 |
 Cook Islands[3] |
Oceania | 20,200 |
 Falkland Islands |
South America | 3,000 |
 Gibraltar[3] |
Europe | 29,257 |
 Guam4 |
Oceania | 173,000 |
 Guernsey10 |
Europe | 61,811 |
 Hong Kong2[3] |
Asia | 6,985,200 |
 Isle of Man8 |
Europe | 80,058 |
 Jersey6[3] |
Europe | 89,300 |
 Montserrat[5] |
North America | 5,900 |
 Netherlands Antilles |
N & S America | ? |
 Niue |
Oceania | 1,600 |
 Norfolk Island[3] |
Oceania | 1,828 |
 Northern Mariana Islands7 |
Oceania | 84,000 |
 Pitcairn Islands13[3] |
Oceania | 50 |
 Puerto Rico3 |
North America | 3,991,000 |
 Saint Helena[5] (includes  Tristan da Cunha) |
Africa | 6,600 |
 Tokelau [5] |
Oceania | 1,400 |
 Turks and Caicos Islands[3] |
North America | 26,000 |
 U.S. Virgin Islands5 |
North America | 111,000 |
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 colony (1843-1981), British-Dependent Territory (1981-1997) and 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
- ^14 Widely spoken, but country has not designated any official language
References
- ^ "The Union: Official Language". National Informatics Centre (NIC). 2007. http://india.gov.in/knowindia/official_language.php. Retrieved June 24, 2007.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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..
- ^ "Society". Government Information Service (Barbados). http://www.barbados.gov.bb/society.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ^ 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..
- ^ "National Profile". Government Information Agency (Guyana). http://www.gina.gov.gy/natprofile/gnprof.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ^ The Constitution of Jamaica (section 20(6e) — implicit)
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Country profile: Nigeria". BBC News. April 30, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1064557.stm. Retrieved November 10, 2008.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Country profile: Papua New Guinea". BBC News. 2008-11-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1246074.stm.
- ^ "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)
- ^ "Primary Schools". Government of St Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis. http://www.gov.kn/content.asp?cuItem=609&mp=1. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ^ "St. Vincent and the Grenadines Profile". Agency for Public Information (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines). http://www.gov.vc/Govt/api1/aboutsvg.html. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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."
- ^ "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "United Kingdom; Key Facts". Commonwealth Secretariat. http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookHomeInternal/139560/. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
- ^ "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.
See also
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