New research from translation experts, Jublo, has shown that just 12 out of the 50 most popular tourism destinations have over 50% English speaking populations. However, the UK is the worst country in the EU when it comes to learning a second language.
Most Popular Languages Across The Globe
Using the top 50 countries in the UNWTO World Tourism Rankings, Jublo conducted in-depth research to find the top 3 spoken languages in each country.
The results have been plotted on an interactive map on their website so that anyone looking to travel can plan ahead and see what languages they are most likely to encounter.
Just 8 countries speak English as their first language (including the UK and the US), and 28 countries speak English as a second language.
Countries with the highest % of English speakers:
- Ireland 98%
- United Kingdom 93%
- Netherlands 89%
- Norway 83%
- United States 77%
- Australia 74%
- Israel 72%
- Canada 56%
- Switzerland 54%
- Vietnam 54%
- Germany 54%
- Greece 53%
37 countries have populations with less than 50% English speakers, and 10 countries (including China, Cuba, and Morocco) do not include English in their top three spoken languages.
The 5 most popular languages spoken:
- Spanish (and variations)
- English
- Arabic (and variations)
- Portuguese
- German
Language Skills in the UK
ONS data from the most recent language census (2011), reveals that 92% of the UK population speak English as their first language, and 8% say that English is not their main language.
However, 79% of non-Native speakers are still able to speak English well, with just 21% saying that they cannot.
In contrast, 2016 data from the European Commission shows that the UK is the worst country in the UK regarding learning multiple languages.
According to their survey, 62% of Brits can only speak English, and just 38% say they can speak a second language. On average, most countries in the EU have around 58% of the population who can speak a foreign language.
Just 18% of Brits can speak two additional languages, compared with an average of 28% across the rest of the EU.
What does this mean?
Joshua Atkins, Managing Director of Jublo said in response to the research, “Travelling experiences and more importantly business opportunities are vastly improved if you are able to speak more than one language. More and more businesses are looking for multilingual employees to help take their businesses global – there’s definitely a shortage. ”
“I think we have relied on other countries incorporating English into their culture too much, rather than engaging in new languages ourselves.”
“One positive thing that we have seen is an increase in accessibility for adults who are curious about learning a language, but who might have previously been unable to do this due to time or money constraints. There are now all sorts of distance learning options and free apps that anyone can use. Hopefully, this means that more and more people will explore new languages”.
Wanda Rich has been the Editor-in-Chief of Global Banking & Finance Review since 2011, playing a pivotal role in shaping the publication’s content and direction. Under her leadership, the magazine has expanded its global reach and established itself as a trusted source of information and analysis across various financial sectors. She is known for conducting exclusive interviews with industry leaders and oversees the Global Banking & Finance Awards, which recognize innovation and leadership in finance. In addition to Global Banking & Finance Review, Wanda also serves as editor for numerous other platforms, including Asset Digest, Biz Dispatch, Blockchain Tribune, Business Express, Brands Journal, Companies Digest, Economy Standard, Entrepreneur Tribune, Finance Digest, Fintech Herald, Global Islamic Finance Magazine, International Releases, Online World News, Luxury Adviser, Palmbay Herald, Startup Observer, Technology Dispatch, Trading Herald, and Wealth Tribune.