English as World Langauge
Ninety of the almost 200 nations of the UN are listed in the NYT Almanac with sufficient English speakers to warrent listing as a major language of that country.
"English is by far the most commonly found language outside of China. Some estimates suggest that as many as one-third of the world's people can speak English." -- NYT Almanac.
The following is from the UN website listing the 191 member states of the United Nations with dates on which they joined the Organization. Tiawan and Vatican are not members. English is an official language of the UN and its agencies.
Member -- (Date of Admission) -- Almanac Code
Where : "O" an official language ; 1, 2, 3 is order of English usage as listed.
Listing by English Usage
Offical or Primary Language of the Country.
Antigua & Barbuda -- (11 Nov. 1981) 1, O
Australia -- (1 Nov. 1945) 1
Bahamas -- (18 Sep. 1973) 1
Barbados -- (9 Dec. 1966) 1
Belize -- (25 Sep. 1981) 1, O
Botswana -- (17 Oct. 1966) 1, O
Cameroon -- (20 Sep. 1960) 1, O
Canada -- (9 Nov. 1945) 1, O
Dominica -- (18 Dec. 1978) 1, O
Fiji -- (13 Oct. 1970) 1, O
Gambia -- (21 Sep. 1965) 1, O
Ghana -- (8 Mar. 1957) 1, O
Grenada -- (17 Sep. 1974) 1, O
Guyana -- (20 Sep. 1966) 1
Ireland -- (14 Dec. 1955) 2, O
Jamaica -- (18 Sep. 1962) 1
Kenya -- (16 Dec. 1963) 1, O
Kiribati --(14 Sept. 1999) 1, O
Lesotho -- (17 Oct. 1966) 2, O
Liberia -- (2 Nov. 1945) 1, O
Malawi -- (1 Dec. 1964) 1, O
Malta -- (1 Dec. 1964) 2, O
Marshall Islands -- (17 Sep. 1991) 1, O
Mauritius --(24 Apr. 1968) 1, O
Micronesia --(17 Sep. 1991) 1, O
Namibia -- (23 Apr. 1990) 3, O
New Zealand -- (24 Oct. 1945) 1, O
Nigeria -- (7 Oct. 1960) 1, O
Pakistan -- (30 Sep. 1947) 8, O
Palau -- (15 Dec. 1994) 1, O
Philippines --(24 Oct. 1945) 2, O
Rwanda -- (18 Sep. 1962) 3, O
Saint Kitts and Nevis -- (23 Sep. 1983) 1
Saint Lucia --(18 Sep. 1979) 1, O
Saint Vincent & Grenadines -- (16 Sep. 1980) 1
Seychelles --(21 Sep. 1976) 1, O
Sierra Leone -- (27 Sep. 1961) 1, O
Singapore --(21 Sep. 1965) 4, O
South Africa --(7 Nov.1945) 2, O
Swaziland --(24 Sep. 1968) 1, O
Uganda -- (25 Oct. 1962) 1, O
United Kingdom -- (24 Oct. 1945) 1
Tanzania -- (14 Dec. 1961) 3, O (was Tanganyika and Zanzibar)
Trinidad & Tobago -- (18 Sep. 1962) 1, O
United States of America --(24 Oct. 1945) 1
Vanuatu -- (15 Sep. 1981) 1, O
Zambia -- (1 Dec. 1964) 1, O
Zimbabwe -- (25 Aug. 1980) 1, O
====
47
Second most popular Language
Argentina --(24 Oct. 1945) 2
Bahrain -- (21 Sep. 1971) 2
Bangladesh --(17 Sep.1974) 2
Brunei Darussalam --(21 Sep. 1984) 2
Costa Rica --(2 Nov. 1945) 2
Egypt -- (24 Oct. 1945) 2
Equatorial Guinea --(12 Nov. 1968) 2
Greece -- (25 Oct. 1945) 2
India -- (30 Oct. 1945) 2
Indonesia --(28 Sep. 1950) 2
Jordan -- (14 Dec. 1955) 2
Korea, South -- (17 Sep. 1991) 2
Kuwait -- (14 May 1963) 2
Maldives-- (21 Sep. 1965) 2
Monaco -- (28 May 1993) 2
Nauru -- (14 Sept. 1999) 2
Nicaragua --(24 Oct. 1945) 2
Oman -- (7 Oct. 1971) 2
Panama -- (13 Nov. 1945) 2
Papua New Guinea -- (10 Oct. 1975) 2
Qatar -- (21 Sep. 1971) 2
Samoa -- (15 Dec. 1976) 2
Solomon Islands -- (19 Sep. 1978) 2
Suriname -- (4 Dec. 1975) 2
Thailand -- (16 Dec. 1946) 2
Tonga -- (14 Sep. 1999) 2
Tuvalu -- (5 Sept. 2000) 2
==
27
Third most popular Language
Brazil -- (24 Oct. 1945) 3
Cyprus -- (20 Sep. 1960) 3
Israel -- (11 May 1949) 3
Laos -- (14 Dec. 1955) 3
Libya -- (14 Dec. 1955) 3
Malaysia-- (17 Sep. 1957) 3
was Malaya, Singapore, Sabah (N. Borneo) and Sarawak.
Sri Lanka --(14 Dec. 1955) 3
United Arab Emirates --(9 Dec. 1971) 3
==
8
Fourth or lessor most popular Language.
Belgium -- (27 Dec. 1945) 4
Estonia -- (17 Sep. 1991) 4
Ethiopia -- (13 Nov. 1945) 6
Lebanon -- (24 Oct. 1945) 4
Luxembourg--(24 Oct. 1945) 4
Somalia -- (20 Sep. 1960) 4
Sudan -- (12 Nov. 1956) 6
Viet Nam -- (20 Sep. 1977) 4
==
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Last updated September 15, 2004
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