Spanish in Non-Spanish-Speaking Countries

Find out the 10 main countries where, despite Spanish not being an official language, there are large Spanish-speaking communities.

Statue of Liberty (2017) by PixabayFundación Antonio de Nebrija

1. United States

64,457,391 Spanish speakers.

Around 19% of the population speaks Spanish, making it the largest linguistic minority in the United States. While its growth is primarily due to immigration, it is also because Spanish is the most studied foreign language by far.

European Union (2017) by Arturo RomanFundación Antonio de Nebrija

2. European Union

27,242,000 Spanish speakers.

France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal are the countries with the most Spanish speakers. It is the fourth most studied language and the preferred second foreign language in 18 of the 27 countries.

United Kingdom (2016) by Amar SaleemFundación Antonio de Nebrija

3. United Kingdom

4,957,000 Spanish speakers.

Spanish has become the preferred language of students, as well as the language British adults enjoy learning the most. Its relevance for employability, and, therefore, the country's economy, is backed up by multiple reports.

Morocco (2020) by Taryn ElliottFundación Antonio de Nebrija

4. Morocco

1,671,409 Spanish speakers.

Over the last few years, the number of speakers has fallen in this country, primarily in academia. Still, the country's proximity and relation to Spain means that Spanish continues to be an attractive language both socially and economically.

Canada (2022) by Avijit SinghFundación Antonio de Nebrija

5. Canada

732,110 Spanish speakers.

Within its multicultural landscape, in its provinces, and especially in its major cities, Spanish takes first or second place after the two official languages. It is the most taught language in formal education.

Brazil (2020) by Michelle GuimarãesFundación Antonio de Nebrija

6. Brazil

556,018 Spanish speakers.

The positive perception and huge support Hispanic culture has in Brazil in all its forms is undeniable. Interest in Spanish is mainly due to its instrumental role and usefulness in South America.

Australia (2020) by Valeriia MillerFundación Antonio de Nebrija

7. Australia

492,069 Spanish speakers.

This country has had multiple waves of Spanish immigrants since the beginning of the 20th century. While recent linguistic policies have promoted its use, Spanish is far from being one of the main languages in schools.

Philippines (2020) by John Renzo AlediaFundación Antonio de Nebrija

8. The Philippines

466,165 Spanish speakers.

Though its use has declined throughout history, Spanish continues to be highly present in the Filipino linguistic landscape. Its influence on the languages of the archipelago can be felt in the words, place names, and names of the majority of its people.

Algeria (2022) by Samir MeftahFundación Antonio de Nebrija

9. Algeria

223,000 Spanish speakers.

Since 1962, the demand for Spanish has grown at all levels of public and private education. A significant number of Algerian businessmen study it to develop relationships with their Spanish business partners.

Belize (2022) by Rob RectorFundación Antonio de Nebrija

10. Belize

201,339 Spanish speakers.

In this melting pot of languages and cultures, English is the official language and Spanish is spoken just as much as English. More than half of the population speaks fluent Spanish.

Credits: Story

Article composed using information from the official censuses carried out from 2010 to 2021, as well as the official estimates of each country's institute of statistics and the predictions of the United Nations (UN) for 2021.

Curator: Rodrigo Díaz

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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