Which Countries Speak English Best? 2026

English proficiency varies dramatically across the globe. This analysis presents English proficiency scores for 123 countries based on standardized assessments, revealing which nations speak English best and why it matters.

What is English Proficiency?

English proficiency measures how well a population can read, write, listen to, and speak English. It's calculated through standardized tests that assess vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and communication skills. The scores range from 390 (very low) to 624 (very high).

Which Countries Speak English Best? 2026

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#	Country	Index (2025)
1	Netherlands NL	624
2	Croatia HR	617
3	Austria AT	616
4	Germany DE	615
5	Norway NO	613
6	Portugal PT	612
7	Denmark DK	611
8	Sweden SE	609
9	Belgium BE	608
10	Slovakia SK	606
11	Romania RO	605
12	Finland FI	603
13	South Africa ZA	602
14	Zimbabwe ZW	602
15	Poland PL	600
16	Latvia LV	598
17	North Macedonia MK	595
18	Bulgaria BG	594
19	Kenya KE	593
20	Greece GR	592
21	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	591
22	Hungary HU	590
23	Czech Republic CZ	582
24	Malaysia MY	581
25	Serbia RS	578
26	Argentina AR	575
27	Zambia ZM	573
28	Philippines PH	569
29	Nigeria NG	568
30	Switzerland CH	564
31	Estonia EE	561
32	Honduras HN	553
33	Lithuania LT	543
34	Uruguay UY	542
35	Georgia GE	541
36	Spain ES	540
37	Ghana GH	540
38	France FR	539
39	Hong Kong HK	538
40	Cyprus CY	537
41	Belarus BY	533
42	Albania AL	532
43	Paraguay PY	531
44	Moldova MD	531
45	Ukraine UA	526
46	Israel IL	524
47	El Salvador SV	523
48	South Korea KR	522
49	Bolivia BO	521
50	Russia RU	521
51	Venezuela VE	520
52	Peru PE	519
53	Uganda UG	518
54	Chile CL	517
55	Costa Rica CR	516
56	Cuba CU	515
57	Armenia AM	515
58	Nepal NP	514
59	Italy IT	513
60	Nicaragua NI	512
61	Guatemala GT	510
62	Bangladesh BD	506
63	Dominican Republic DO	503
64	Vietnam VN	500
65	Ethiopia ET	499
66	Tunisia TN	498
67	Pakistan PK	493
68	Iran IR	492
69	Morocco MA	492
70	Panama PA	491
71	Türkiye TR	488
72	United Arab Emirates AE	487
73	Sri Lanka LK	486
74	India IN	484
75	Brazil BR	482
76	Colombia CO	480
77	Tanzania TZ	479
78	Lebanon LB	477
79	Bhutan BT	473
80	Indonesia ID	471
81	Qatar QA	469
82	Algeria DZ	468
83	Ecuador EC	466
84	Mozambique MZ	465
85	Malawi MW	465
86	China CN	464
87	Palestine PS	463
88	Laos LA	461
89	Egypt EG	458
90	Madagascar MG	457
91	Syria SY	456
92	Turkmenistan TM	456
93	Kuwait KW	455
94	Azerbaijan AZ	454
95	Mongolia MN	447
96	Afghanistan AF	446
97	Japan JP	446
98	Cameroon CM	445
99	Myanmar MM	444
100	Haiti HT	444
101	Kyrgyzstan KG	443
102	Senegal SN	442
103	Mexico MX	440
104	Uzbekistan UZ	429
105	Jordan JO	425
106	Sudan SD	421
107	Kazakhstan KZ	417
108	Rwanda RW	417
109	Angola AO	413
110	Tajikistan TJ	409
111	Mali ML	408
112	Oman OM	407
113	Iraq IQ	406
114	Benin BJ	406
115	Saudi Arabia SA	404
116	Thailand TH	402
117	Yemen YE	402
118	Congo CG	400
119	Somalia SO	398
120	Togo TG	397
121	Libya LY	395
122	Ivory Coast CI	393
123	Cambodia KH	390

Key Findings

The Netherlands leads globally with a score of 624, followed by Croatia (617) and Austria (616). European countries dominate the top rankings, particularly Northern and Central Europe. Meanwhile, countries like Cambodia (390), Libya (395), and Côte d'Ivoire (393) have the lowest proficiency levels.

Notable scores for selected countries:

• Netherlands: 624 (Very High)
• Croatia: 617 (Very High)
• Austria: 616 (Very High)
• Germany: 615 (Very High)
• Norway: 613 (Very High)
• Philippines: 569 (High)
• South Korea: 522 (Moderate)
• Brazil: 482 (Low)
• India: 484 (Low)
• Japan: 446 (Very Low)
• Mexico: 440 (Very Low)
• Cambodia: 390 (Very Low)

Why Europe Dominates

European countries, especially in the North and Central regions, consistently rank highest. The reasons are clear: mandatory English education from primary school, emphasis on practical communication over grammar, strong international business presence, and cultural openness to multilingualism. The Netherlands' top ranking reflects decades of investment in English language infrastructure and a culture that values language learning.

Asia's Mixed Picture

Asia shows the widest range. The Philippines (569) ranks high due to English being widely used in education and business. Malaysia (581) benefits from similar factors. However, Japan (446) and China (464) lag despite economic power, partly because English education traditionally focused on written skills rather than conversation. South Korea (522) is rapidly improving through increased investment in English programs.

Africa's Challenge

African countries with English as an official language – South Africa (602), Kenya (593), Nigeria (568) – rank higher. But many African nations struggle with limited resources for quality English education. Ethiopia (499), Tunisia (498), and Algeria (468) face infrastructure challenges that limit proficiency development.

The Americas: Divided

Latin America shows lower proficiency overall. Argentina (575) and Honduras (553) perform better, but Mexico (440) and many Caribbean nations lag. This reflects inconsistent education standards and limited exposure to English-language media in some regions.

Why This Matters

English proficiency directly impacts economic opportunity. Companies choose to invest in countries where they can communicate easily. Students from high-proficiency nations access better international universities. Job markets reward English speakers with higher salaries. Tourism thrives in English-proficient countries. Technology companies prefer hiring from regions with strong English skills.