List of Countries that Speak Spanish in 2025 (Ranked)

List of Countries that speak Spanish: Spanish, or Castellano, is one of the most spoken languages in the world. The Instituto Cervantes says that there are more than 600 million people who speak Spanish around the world, and more than 498 million of them are native speakers. It is the second most spoken native language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese. The language comes from the Iberian Peninsula and has spread all over the world because of colonialism. People often call the Spanish-speaking world the "Hispanic world." It is made up of people, economies, and cultures from many different places. If you're a student, a traveler, or just curious, knowing which countries speak Spanish is a great place to start learning about this rich linguistic and cultural landscape.

How Many Countries Speak Spanish in 2025?

There are 21 countries on three continents—Europe, Africa, and the Americas—where Spanish is an official or national language. Some sources may say there are 20 independent countries, but Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, also officially recognizes Spanish. This brings the total to 21 when you include this territory. The fact that so many people use it is a sign of Spain's colonial past and the language's lasting effect.

Most of these countries are in the Americas, with Central and South America being the most common. Mexico, with its massive population, holds the top spot for the country with the most Spanish speakers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Spanish is not an official federal language in the U.S., but there are a lot of Spanish speakers there. By 2025, there will be more than 57 million Spanish speakers in the U.S.

US population that speaks Spanish by US State (2019), Courtesy - Wikipedia

List of 21 Countries Speaking Spanish by Population

Here is a complete list of the 21 countries where Spanish is an official language, including their total population and a rough percentage of the Spanish-speaking population, as of 2025.

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Spanish is a powerful language that connects people from different cultures all over the world. Most of the countries that speak Spanish are in the Americas, but it is also spoken in Europe and Africa, which shows how widely it is spoken around the world. The Spanish language still has an effect on the world, from old books to new music and movies. Learning it helps you understand these different countries.