Asia’s Top English Speakers: Where Does Your Country Rank? English may not be the native tongue of Asia, but it’s increasingly becoming the region’s second language of choice. According to EF English Proficiency scores, Singapore leads the pack with a whopping score of 609, reflecting the city-state’s bilingual education policy and English-first administration. The Philippines (570) and Malaysia (566) follow closely behind, both benefiting from long-standing historical ties to the English language through education, media, and governance. Hong Kong takes the fourth spot with 549, showing the legacy of British colonial education still holds weight. South Korea (523) and Nepal (512) land solidly in the middle, while Bangladesh (500), Vietnam (498), and Pakistan (493) hover around the regional average. It’s perhaps surprising for some to see India, often seen as an English powerhouse due to its global tech and outsourcing sectors, scoring 490, slightly below Pakistan. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka (486) and Indonesia (468) sit further down, though both nations have growing initiatives to enhance English education in schools. At the bottom are Mongolia (464), Kyrgyzstan (457), and China (455)—countries where English is not widely used in daily life and where local languages dominate in education and media. As globalization and digital fluency continue to grow, proficiency in English isn’t just a bonus—it’s becoming a strategic asset. Whether for tourism, international business, or diplomacy, these rankings hint at where the next generation of Asia’s global communicators may emerge. Source: English proficiency data adapted from the EF English Proficiency Index, shared by Seasia Stats.