List Of Countries Where English Is An Official Language
The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where English is an official language or language of government. In 2012, there were 88 states in total (60 sovereign states and 28 non-sovereign states).
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, but 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 an official language of Canada (along with French), India (along with Hindi), Ireland (along with Irish), and the Philippines (along with Tagalog). 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, the 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, itself a former colony of the UK. Notable exceptions include Rwanda, which was a former Belgian colony 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; and English the 'subsidiary official language'; 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 higher education, business and science. Courses in majority of the schools are taught exclusively in English. English is extensively used for administrative purposes in India. India is the second-largest English-speaking country in the world by number of speakers, after the United States. 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. 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.
Read more about List Of Countries Where English Is An Official Language: Sovereign States, Non-sovereign Entities
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