EF English Proficiency Index

Last updated

World map representing different levels of English proficiency in the world in 2024:
.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}
600 and above (Very high)
599 - 550 (High)
549 - 500 (Moderate)
499 - 450 (Low)
Below 450 (Very low)}
No data or English is official or de-facto national language Map of countries by EF English Proficiency Index (2024).svg
World map representing different levels of English proficiency in the world in 2024:
  600 and above (Very high)
  599 – 550 (High)
  549 – 500 (Moderate)
  499 – 450 (Low)
  Below 450 (Very low)}
  No data or English is official or de-facto national language

The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) attempts to rank countries by the equity of English language skills amongst those adults who took the EF test. [2] It is the product of EF Education First, an international education company, and draws its conclusions from data collected via English tests available for free over the internet. [3] [4] The index is an online survey first published in 2011 [5] based on test data from 1.7 million test takers. [6] The most recent edition was released in November 2023. [7] [8]

Contents

Methodology

The EF EPI 2024 edition was calculated using test data from 2.1 million test takers in 2023. The test takers were self-selected. 116 countries and territories appear in this edition of the index. In order to be included, a country was required to have at least 400 test takers. [9]

Report

The report is composed of a country ranking table, several pages of analysis with graphs correlating other economic and social factors with English proficiency, and analysis of each region or continent. The 2023 report includes English proficiency levels by gender, age group, and region, within countries, and some English proficiency scores by city. The website displays portions of the report and has analysis of English skills in many countries and territories. [9]

Primary conclusions

2024 country rankings

Below are the latest country scores, proficiency bands, and rankings as published in 2024. [1]

Country / RegionScoreProficiency Band
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 636Very high proficiency
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 610Very high proficiency
Flag of Singapore.svg  Singapore 609Very high proficiency
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 608Very high proficiency
Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia 607Very high proficiency
Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal 605Very high proficiency
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 603Very high proficiency
Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 602Very high proficiency
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 600Very high proficiency
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 598High Proficiency
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 594High Proficiency
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 593High proficiency
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 592High Proficiency
Flag of Finland.svg  Finland 590High proficiency
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 588High proficiency
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 586High proficiency
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 585High proficiency
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 584High proficiency
Flag of Kenya.svg  Kenya 581High proficiency
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 578High proficiency
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 576High proficiency
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines 570High proficiency
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 569High proficiency
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 568High proficiency
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czechia 567High proficiency
Flag of Malaysia.svg  Malaysia 566High proficiency
Flag of Suriname.svg  Suriname 563High proficiency
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 562High proficiency
Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 558High proficiency
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 557High proficiency
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 550High proficiency
Flag of Hong Kong.svg  Hong Kong 549Moderate proficiency
Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 545Moderate proficiency
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 543Moderate proficiency
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus 539Moderate proficiency
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 538Moderate proficiency
Flag of Uruguay.svg  Uruguay 538Moderate proficiency
Flag of Armenia.svg  Armenia 537Moderate proficiency
Flag of Moldova.svg  Moldova 536Moderate proficiency
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 535Moderate proficiency
Flag of Costa Rica.svg  Costa Rica 534Moderate proficiency
Flag of Ghana.svg  Ghana 534Moderate proficiency
Flag of Albania.svg  Albania 533Moderate proficiency
Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 532Moderate proficiency
Flag of Paraguay.svg  Paraguay 531Moderate proficiency
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 528Moderate proficiency
Flag of Bolivia.svg  Bolivia 525Moderate proficiency
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 525Moderate proficiency
Flag of France.svg  France 524Moderate proficiency
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 523Moderate proficiency
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 522Moderate proficiency
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 520Moderate proficiency
Flag of Peru.svg  Peru 519Moderate proficiency
Flag of Uganda.svg  Uganda 518Moderate proficiency
Flag of El Salvador.svg  El Salvador 513Moderate proficiency
Flag of Nepal.svg    Nepal 512Moderate proficiency
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 510Moderate proficiency
Flag of Guatemala.svg  Guatemala 507Moderate proficiency
Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Nicaragua 505Moderate proficiency
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg  Dominican Republic 503Moderate proficiency
Flag of Bangladesh.svg  Bangladesh 500Moderate proficiency
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 499Low proficiency
Flag of Ethiopia.svg  Ethiopia 498Low proficiency
Flag of Vietnam.svg  Vietnam 498Low proficiency
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 497Low proficiency
Flag of Tunisia.svg  Tunisia 496Low proficiency
Flag of Pakistan.svg  Pakistan 493Low proficiency
Flag of Lebanon.svg  Lebanon 492Low proficiency
Flag of India.svg  India 490Low proficiency
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 489Low proficiency
Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 488Low proficiency
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 487Low proficiency
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka 486Low proficiency
Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia 485Low proficiency
Flag of Qatar.svg  Qatar 480Low proficiency
Flag of Morocco.svg  Morocco 479Low proficiency
Flag of Syria.svg  Syria 473Low proficiency
Flag of Algeria.svg  Algeria 471Low proficiency
Flag of Mozambique.svg  Mozambique 469Low proficiency
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia 468Low proficiency
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil 466Low proficiency
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador 465Low proficiency
Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 465Low proficiency
Flag of Mongolia.svg  Mongolia 464Low proficiency
Flag of Madagascar.svg  Madagascar 463Low proficiency
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg  Azerbaijan 462Low proficiency
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 459Low proficiency
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg  Kyrgyzstan 457Low proficiency
Flag of Cape Verde.svg  Cape Verde 456Low proficiency
Flag of Kuwait.svg  Kuwait 456Low proficiency
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 455Low proficiency
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 454Low proficiency
Flag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar 449Very low proficiency
Flag of Palestine.svg  Palestine 448Very low proficiency
Flag of the Taliban.svg  Afghanistan 447Very low proficiency
Flag of Malawi.svg  Malawi 447Very low proficiency
Flag of Cameroon.svg  Cameroon 445Very low proficiency
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg  Uzbekistan 439Very low proficiency
Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti 432Very low proficiency
Flag of Sudan.svg  Sudan 432Very low proficiency
Flag of Jordan.svg  Jordan 431Very low proficiency
Flag of Senegal.svg  Senegal 429Very low proficiency
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 427Very low proficiency
Flag of Oman.svg  Oman 421Very low proficiency
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 417Very low proficiency
Flag of Thailand.svg  Thailand 415Very low proficiency
Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq 414Very low proficiency
Flag of Benin.svg  Benin 413Very low proficiency
Flag of Tajikistan.svg  Tajikistan 412Very low proficiency
Flag of Angola.svg  Angola 409Very low proficiency
Flag of Cambodia.svg  Cambodia 408Very low proficiency
Flag of Libya.svg  Libya 405Very low proficiency
Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda 401Very low proficiency
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast 399Very low proficiency
Flag of Somalia.svg  Somalia 399Very low proficiency
Flag of Yemen.svg  Yemen 394Very low proficiency

2023 city rankings

City2023 score2023 proficiency band
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Amsterdam 646Very high
Flag of Austria.svg Vienna 640Very high
Flag of Denmark.svg Copenhagen 639Very high
Flag of Sweden.svg Stockholm 637Very high
Flag of Norway.svg Oslo 629Very high
Flag of Germany.svg Berlin 625Very high
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Sofia 622Very high
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Bern 621Very high
Flag of Estonia.svg Tallinn 621Very high
Flag of Finland.svg Helsinki 617Very high
Flag of South Africa.svg Cape Town 614Very high
Flag of Croatia.svg Zagreb 612Very high
Flag of Greece.svg Athens 611Very high
Flag of Lithuania.svg Vilnius 610Very high
Flag of Portugal.svg Lisbon 609Very high
Flag of Poland.svg Warsaw 605Very high
Flag of Romania.svg Bucharest 602Very high
Flag of Hungary.svg Budapest 600Very high
Flag of Serbia.svg Belgrade 594High
Flag of Slovakia.svg Bratislava 592High
Flag of Argentina.svg Buenos Aires 592High
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Brussels 592High
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Prague 589High
Flag of the Philippines.svg Manila 587High
Flag of Kenya.svg Nairobi 586High
Flag of France.svg Paris 579High
Flag of Nigeria.svg Lagos 578High
Flag of Moldova.svg Chișinău 573High
Flag of Malaysia.svg Kuala Lumpur 564High
Flag of Bolivia.svg La Paz 562High
Flag of South Korea.svg Seoul 559High
Flag of Albania.svg Tirana 559High
Flag of Spain.svg Madrid 558High
Flag of Italy.svg Rome 555High
Flag of Chile.svg Santiago 553High
Flag of Ghana.svg Accra 552High
Flag of Georgia.svg Tbilisi 551High
Flag of Honduras.svg Tegucigalpa 551High
Flag of Paraguay.svg Asunción 549Moderate
Flag of Belarus.svg Minsk 549Moderate
Flag of Uruguay.svg Montevideo 549Moderate
Flag of Costa Rica.svg San José 549Moderate
Flag of Ukraine.svg Kyiv 547Moderate
Flag of Lebanon.svg Beirut 545Moderate
Flag of Cuba.svg Havana 543Moderate
Flag of Brazil.svg Brasília 542Moderate
Flag of Russia.svg Moscow 542Moderate
Flag of Vietnam.svg Hanoi 538Moderate
Flag of Pakistan.svg Islamabad 538Moderate
Flag of Armenia.svg Yerevan 536Moderate
Flag of Peru.svg Lima 536Moderate
Flag of El Salvador.svg San Salvador 534Moderate
Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunis 533Moderate
Flag of Indonesia.svg Jakarta 531Moderate
Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Colombo 528Moderate
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Santo Domingo 528Moderate
Flag of Nepal.svg Kathmandu 527Moderate
Flag of Venezuela.svg Caracas 521Moderate
Flag of Bangladesh.svg Dhaka 521Moderate
Flag of Guatemala.svg Guatemala City 521Moderate
Flag of Iran.svg Tehran 521Moderate
Flag of Uganda.svg Kampala 520Moderate
Flag of Ethiopia.svg Addis Ababa 515Moderate
Flag of Tanzania.svg Dar es Salaam 515Moderate
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Beijing 514Moderate
Flag of Algeria.svg Algiers 513Moderate
Flag of Ecuador.svg Quito 513Moderate
Flag of Brazil.svg Rio de Janeiro 513Moderate
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Shanghai 512Moderate
Flag of Nicaragua.svg Managua 511Moderate
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg Dubai 510Moderate
Flag of Morocco.svg Rabat 506Moderate
Flag of Turkey.svg Ankara 503Moderate
Flag of Japan.svg Tokyo 503Moderate
Flag of Israel.svg Jerusalem 500Moderate
Flag of Colombia.svg Medellín 500Moderate
Flag of Mongolia.svg Ulaanbaatar 500Moderate
Flag of Panama.svg Panama City 491Low
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Astana 485Low
Flag of Kyrgyzstan.svg Bishkek 484Low
Flag of Qatar.svg Doha 484Low
Flag of Syria.svg Damascus 477Low
Flag of Egypt.svg Cairo 476Low
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Guangzhou 475Low
Flag of Jordan.svg Amman 470Low
Flag of Azerbaijan.svg Baku 466Low
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico City 462Low
Flag of the Taliban.svg Kabul 458Low
Flag of Thailand.svg Bangkok 457Low
Flag of India.svg Delhi 451Low
Flag of Kuwait.svg Kuwait City 446Very low
Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Tashkent 445Very low
Flag of Somalia.svg Mogadishu 442Very low
Flag of Sudan.svg Khartoum 440Very low
Flag of Oman.svg Muscat 436Very low
Flag of Cameroon.svg Yaoundé 436Very low
Flag of Myanmar.svg Naypyidaw 433Very low
Flag of Angola.svg Luanda 428Very low
Flag of Haiti.svg Port-au-Prince 427Very low
Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Abidjan 425Very low
Flag of Iraq.svg Baghdad 425Very low
Flag of Cambodia.svg Phnom Penh 422Very low
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg Kinshasa 421Very low
Flag of Libya.svg Tripoli 410Very low
Flag of Rwanda.svg Kigali 409Very low
Flag of Yemen.svg Sanaa 408Very low
Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg Riyadh 400Very low
Flag of Tajikistan.svg Dushanbe 392Very low

Similar reports

The European Commission performed a language survey, SurveyLang, which tested a representative sample of 15-year-old European students on their foreign language skills. The report and data sets were released for 13 European countries in June 2012. [13]

Criticisms

The EF English Proficiency Index has been the subject of criticism in literature. From the point of view of methodology, it suffers from self-selection bias. Instead of testing the level of English proficiency in the population, it tests the level of English of those who self-select. [14] On a political level, the EF English Proficiency Index can promote linguistic imperialism. EF does not create a ranking of countries on the basis of ability to speak a second language, but only on English proficiency, which is implicitly singled out as the only language that counts to know. English-speaking countries are therefore excluded from the ranking and implicitly designated as the 'gold standard' to be achieved. The EF English Proficiency Index thus gives a worldwide quantitative representation of the 'deficit model', whereby a country's level of progress is measured on the benchmark of a subset of countries. Moreover, the countries at the top of the rankings are often those whose official languages are gradually subject to 'domain loss' in favour of English, because they are being used less and less in scientific research, academic teaching and multinational corporations. [15]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "EF EPI 2024 - EF English Proficiency Index". 2024. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
  2. English: Who speaks English? Archived 2 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine . The Economist. Retrieved on 2011-05-29.
  3. Study Offers Snapshot of Global English-Language-Learner Trends Archived 16 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine . Education Week. Retrieved on 2017-01-17.
  4. The EF SET powers the EF EPI Archived 24 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine . EF SET. Retrieved on 2017-10-05.
  5. The EF EPI Archived 30 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine . ef.com. Retrieved on 2017-10-05.
  6. Low English Levels Can Hurt Countries' Progress Archived 17 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine . New York Times. Retrieved on 2017-01-17.
  7. "EF English Proficiency Index" (PDF). ef.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 May 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  8. Women and managers are better at speaking English, study on proficiency finds Archived 16 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine . Business Insider. Retrieved on 2018-11-09
  9. 1 2 EF English Proficiency Index – Comparing English skills between countries – EF EPI Archived 18 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine . Ef.com. Retrieved on 2018-11-09.
  10. Minh Tran: Countries with High English Proficiency Are More Innovative Archived 2 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine . Harvard Business Review. "Minh Tran is Director of Research and Partnerships for EF Education First and a member of the team that launched the EF Standard English Test." Retrieved on 2017-01-17.
  11. How Well Does Your Country Speak English? Archived 30 January 2017 at the Wayback Machine . Voice of America. Retrieved on 2017-1-17.
  12. Which countries are best at English as a second language? Archived 8 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine . World Economic Forum. Retrieved on 2017-1-17.
  13. SurveyLang project Archived 23 November 2015 at the Wayback Machine . European Commission. Retrieved on 2012-09-20.
  14. Archived 28 April 2023 at the Wayback Machine . Michele Gazzola & Daniele Mazzacani, "Il valore economico del plurilinguismo". Retrieved on 2023-01-17.
  15. Archived 8 March 2023 at the Wayback Machine . "English takes over at Dutch universities, just 40% of courses still in Dutch", DutchNews.nl. Retrieved on 2016-08-26.