20 Most Multilingual Countries in the World
In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 most multilingual countries in the world. if you do not want to read about the global language market, head straight to the 5 Most Multilingual Countries In The World.
Language diversity is a captivating facet of human civilization, and exploring the most multilingual countries offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich tapestry of global communication. These nations are a testament to the coexistence of numerous languages, each contributing to the cultural mosaic and fostering a deeper understanding of linguistic diversity on a grand scale. From the highlands of Papua New Guinea to the heart of Europe and beyond, this article delves into the most multilingual countries, celebrating the beauty and complexity of their linguistic landscapes.
The Multifaceted Value of Multilingualism
Multilingualism is a formidable asset, offering numerous advantages for countries in tourism, business, and outsourcing. In the tourism sector, embracing multiple languages opens doors to expanded global reach, enhancing communication with diverse audiences and broadening business horizons. Notably, studies, such as one by Harvard Business Review, reveal that 72.4% of consumers are more likely to purchase when product information is available in their native language, and 56.2% consider language accessibility more important than price, which underscores how multilingualism can attract more customers and boost revenue.
In the realm of business, multilingualism is equally pivotal. Hiring multilingual employees is advantageous, as they serve various roles beyond translation, such as marketing, advertising, and customer service, offering a global edge. Bilingual employees, with insights into their native culture, prove invaluable when engaging international clients, while the travel industry actively seeks bilingual agents to cater to a diverse clientele. Multilingualism enhances business interactions, particularly in a globalized world.
Multilingualism is a potent asset for outsourcing, boosting job prospects abroad, and impressing potential employers with language proficiency. Proficiency in two or more languages can increase job prospects by 10% to 15%, experts suggest. Moreover, multilingualism unlocks doors for studying, working, and conducting business in foreign countries, offering a passport to a world of experiences and global success.
Multilingualism is vital in finance and accounting, especially in fields like investment banking and financial advising, where international clients demand linguistic versatility. Spanish, Mandarin, and French are high-demand languages, with 42.8%, 10.2%, and 7.5% of U.S. finance professionals speaking them, according to research. Finance professionals are also among the highest paid professionals in the world.
The banking sector prioritizes hiring bilingual and multilingual staff to effectively connect with a diverse customer base, as emphasized by reports from The Language Flagship. Initiatives like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's guide published in 2021 underscore the importance of serving consumers with limited English proficiency. In the fast-paced financial world, multilingualism isn't a luxury but a necessity, fostering business relationships and ensuring precision in alignment with customer expectations.
Navigating the Global Language Learning Landscape
Language learning companies and apps like Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL), Babbel, Mango Languages, and Rosetta Stone are seizing opportunities in countries where multiple languages are spoken. The online language learning market in the United States is poised for substantial growth, with projected increase to $5.72 billion in market value by 2030, driven by the influx of immigrants, according to Meticulous Market Research. This expansion is projected to manifest as a notable 19.75% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the same period, with industry leaders like Babbel, Berlitz Corp., Duolingo Inc., Mango Languages, McGraw Hill Education Inc., Pearson Plc, and Rosetta Stone at the forefront.
Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) achieved remarkable growth, reporting a 62% increase in daily users and a 44% revenue rise YoY in Q2. Their 2023 guidance points to total bookings of $569-$575 million and revenue of $510-$515 million. Additionally, Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) is investing $1 million in early childhood education in Pittsburgh and exploring generative A.I., mainly in their Duolingo Max subscription tier. They streamline content creation using A.I. and focus on Duolingo Max.
The global language learning market's robust outlook is underscored by its current valuation of $52 billion in 2022, with an anticipated CAGR of 20% between 2023 and 2032, reflecting its resilience and growth potential. Amazon's Career Choice program also contributes to this trend by expanding its language programs globally, providing English-language classes and local language offerings in select countries.
The rise in immigration and increasing diversity, notably in countries like Canada, has driven a surge in demand for language learning apps and services, leading companies such as Duolingo and Babbel to position themselves to strategically cater to this trend. They've not only focused on individual language learners but have diversified their services into the B2B sector, offering language learning tools to meet the needs of companies seeking multilingual employees.
Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly boosted language learning apps, exemplified by Busuu's threefold increase in revenue in regions like China and Italy, which heightened demand aligns with demographic projections indicating a 7 to 11 times faster growth in the number of allophones in Canada relative to the rest of the population, potentially reaching between 11.4 and 14.3 million people by 2031. The language learning industry's expansion mirrors the increasing need for multilingual employees, prompting companies to enhance their B2B offerings.
Our Methodology
For our methodology for the most multilingual countries in the world, we have considered two important factors; number of languages spoken and demographic sizes speaking those languages, but we've ranked the list based on number of spoken languages. We relied on sources like Babbel, Rosetta Stone, and WeForum, among others.
Here is our list for the 2o most multilingual countries in the world.
20. Canada
Number of Languages: 2
Canada is one of the most multilingual countries in the world, with English spoken by 75.5% and French by 21.4% as their first language. Indigenous languages, over 70, are significant, especially in Nunavut, where 83% speak Inuit. A Canadian government survey shows that 84% of Francophones and 65% of English speakers believe learning both official languages enhances mutual understanding.
19. Luxembourg
Number of Languages: 3
Luxembourg, a small Western European country, embraces three official languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish. While Luxembourgish is the most widely spoken, French and German are also prevalent. Expats contribute to the linguistic diversity, with nearly 50% of population being foreign-born residents. The country's central European location fosters this multilingualism. Luxembourg's educational system prioritizes languages, with students learning at least three foreign languages.
18. Belgium
Number of Languages: 3
Belgium, situated in Western Europe, boasts three official languages: Dutch (spoken by about 60% of the population), French (spoken by almost 40%), and German (spoken by less than 1%). Regional languages like Luxembourgish, Limburgish, and Walloon are also prevalent, with language choices often tied to the region. The country is divided into language regions, some mandating multilingual communication.
17. Spain
Number of Languages 4
Spain holds Spanish as its official language, spoken by over 45 million people. The country is also home to regional languages spoken in specific autonomous communities, including Catalan, Galician, Basque, and Aranese. Catalan, with 4.6 million speakers, is the national language of Andorra and co-official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian community. Galician, spoken by 2.6 million, is prevalent in Galicia near Portugal. Basque is expressed in the Basque Region and Navarra, while Aranese is found in the Pyrenees mountains, part of Catalonia.
16. Switzerland
Number of Languages: 4
Switzerland boasts four official languages: German, spoken by 76% of the population; French, 39%; Italian, 15%; and Romansh, 0.8%. Notably, more than two-thirds of Swiss residents use multiple languages daily, with English being the most prevalent non-national language, spoken by 45% of the population. The German-speaking part of Switzerland has the highest usage of English at 46%, compared to 37% in the Italian-speaking and 43% in the French-speaking regions. Moreover, nearly three-quarters of individuals aged 15-24 engage with English weekly, a significant increase from 2014.
15. Singapore
Number of Languages: 4
Singapore, one of the most multilingual countries in the world also boasts four official languages: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English. Malay is the national language, spoken by nearly 13% of the population, while Mandarin, the most prevalent Chinese language, is spoken by about 75%. English is the most widely spoken language pravelent in education, business, and government. Alongside these languages, Singapore has various dialects and tongues, including Hokkien, Cantonese, and Singlish, a unique English-based creole.
14. South Africa
Number of Languages: 11
South Africa stands out for its linguistic diversity, with eleven official languages. Predominantly spoken languages include Zulu (22%), Xhosa (16%), Afrikaans (13%), and English (9%). Alongside these official languages, South Africa hosts a variety of others, reflecting its rich history and culture, from Portuguese to French and German. This linguistic diversity mirrors the nation's complex journey, from its colonial past to constitutional recognition of its multilingual character.
13. United Kingdom
Number of Languages: 11
The U.K., a diverse Western European nation, predominantly communicates in English, with over 98% of the population speaking this language. In addition, the U.K. features regional languages: Welsh, one of the easiest second languages to learn for English speakers, spoken by more than 20% of the people in Wales; Scottish Gaelic, spoken by less than 1% in Scotland; Irish, used by less than 1% in Northern Ireland; Cornish, employed by a small community in Cornwall; and British Sign Language, spoken by approximately 151,000 individuals across the U.K.
12. Russia
Number of Languages: 26
Russia, a diverse nation spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, has Russian as its official language, spoken by virtually the whole population. Tatar is spoken by around 3%, and Bashkir by about 1%. Beyond these official languages, there is a wealth of linguistic diversity, including Chuvash, Chechen, Yakut, and more. This diversity reflects Russia's history, culture, and societal changes from the Soviet era to its constitutional recognition of multiple languages.
11. Mexico
Number of Languages: 68
Mexico is one of the top multilingual countries with 68 different languages spoken throughout the country, but Spanish is the predominant language. Nahuatl is the most widely spoken indigenous language (1.5 million speakers), followed by Yucatec Maya (800,000 speakers) and Mixtec (423,000 speakers). Spanish is the second most studied language globally, surpassing French, according to the 2020 Duolingo Language Report.
10. Philippines
Number of Languages: 120
The Philippines stands tenth among the most multilingual nations with approximately 120 languages. The national language is Filipino, based on Tagalog, and used in formal education. In addition to Filipino, English is also an official language commonly used by the government. About 28% of the population speaks Filipino, and over 14 million Filipinos speak English. Furthermore, Cebuano, with 21 million speakers, Ilocano, with 7.7 million speakers, and Hiligaynon, with 7.5 million speakers, are among the most widely spoken languages in the country.
9. Malaysia
Number of Languages: 137
Malaysia is a linguistically diverse country with 137 languages. The official language is Malaysian Malay, but English is widely spoken and taught in public education. Other languages include Chinese dialects and Tamil, mainly used in ethnic community schools. Historical settlers from Indonesia, China, and India influenced the country's linguistic diversity.
8. Brazil
Number of Languages: 228
Brazil is a multilingual country, and Portuguese is the most widely spoken language in the country. There are approximately 228 languages spoken in Brazil, primarily Amerindian and immigrant languages. Portuguese is the dominant language in government, education, business, and media, with 97.9% to 98% of the population speaking it. In addition to Portuguese, other languages include Spanish, German, and Italian, with Spanish gaining popularity as a second language. German is Brazil's second most widely spoken language, followed by Italian, which is spoken by approximately 1 million Brazilians.
7. Cameroon
Number of Languages: 279
Cameroon, in Central Africa, is one of the most multilingual countries with 200 languages. English and French, inherited from colonial history, serve as official languages. Other languages include Fulfulde in the north, Ewondo in the central region, Beti in the south, and Bamileke in the west. Approximately 56% of the population speaks French, and 23% speaks English.
6. Australia
Number of Languages: 300
Australia is a multilingual country with a diverse population speaking various languages. Aside from English, the most commonly spoken languages are Mandarin by 2.5% of the population, Arabic by 1.4%, Cantonese by 1.2%, Vietnamese by 1.2%, and Italian by 1.2%. Additionally, Australia is home to other languages such as Greek, Hindi, Spanish, Punjabi, and Tagalog.
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Disclosure. None: The 20 Most Multilingual Countries In The World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
