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Fascinating Map of the World Reveals Each Country's Second Language

Fascinating Map of the World Reveals Each Country's Second Language

The website MoveHub.com is a resource for people looking to move abroad.

It has released this eye-opening infographic that shows the second language of every region across the globe. Some are rather predictable, like Canada's knowledge of French. 

But others are very telling about the histories of certain regions and how our global story has played out over hundreds of years.

 

Asia, Oceania and the Middle East

According to the map of the Asia-Pacific, the second language of Australia is Mandarin Chinese, reflective of a large Chinese population in the multicultural nation.

China's second language is Cantonese, while tropical nations Malaysia and Singapore have many English speakers - with many natives also fluent in English.

South Korea's second language is also English, while Japan's is Korean - indicative of the controversial history between the two countries.   

 

Image: Movehub
Image: Movehub

Europe

The second language of countries which were ruled under the Soviet Union - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine - remains Russian. 

France and Italy hold English as their second language.

As Romania, Serbia and Slovakia used to be members of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they still hold Hungarian as their second language. 

The second language of countries which were ruled under the Soviet Union - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine - remains Russian. Image: Movehub.com
The second language of countries which were ruled under the Soviet Union - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine - remains Russian. Image: Movehub.com

 

North America

Spanish is the second most popular language in United States.

Canada's official second language is French.

Mexico's second language is indigenous Nahuatl (historically known as Aztec).  

Spanish is the second most popular language in Alaska and United States. Canada's official second language is French. Image: Movehub
Spanish is the second most popular language in Alaska and United States. Canada's official second language is French. Image: Movehub

 

South America

The native Quechua is the second most spoken language in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. 

Brazil inherited Spanish as a second language while Suriname holds English - reflective of British colonisation at the start of the 17th century.

Chile's second language is English, while Argentina's is Italian. 

The native Quechua is the second most spoken language in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Image: Movehub
The native Quechua is the second most spoken language in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Image: Movehub

 

Africa 

The majority of Africans speak English, Italian or French due to colonialism. 

Algeria's second language is French, reflective of France's colonial occupation of the state.

 

The majority of Africans speak English, Italian or French due to colonialism. Image: Movehub
The majority of Africans speak English, Italian or French due to colonialism. Image: Movehub

 

Do you or your nation have a surprising second language?

Source : Daily Mail, Movehub

Indah Gilang Pusparani

Indah is a researcher at Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Penelitian dan Pengembangan Daerah Kota Cirebon (Regional Development Planning and Research Agency of Cirebon Municipality). She covers More international relations, tourism, and startups in Southeast Asia region and beyond. Indah graduated from MSc Development Administration and Planning from University College London, United Kingdom in 2015. She finished bachelor degree from International Relations from University of Indonesia in 2014, with two exchange programs in Political Science at National University of Singapore and New Media in Journalism at Ball State University, USA. She was awarded Diplomacy Award at Harvard World Model United Nations and named as Indonesian Gifted Researcher by Australian National University. She is Researcher at Regional Planning Board in Cirebon, West Java. She previously worked as Editor in Bening Communication, the Commonwealth Parliament Association UK, and diplomacy consulting firm Best Delegate LLC in USA. Less
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