* Different Definitions of "Speak English": What constitutes "speaking English"? Fluent speakers? People who understand it but can't speak it? Those who can speak a basic level? This varies greatly.
* Constantly Changing Numbers: Language use evolves. New speakers emerge, while others may lose fluency.
* Lack of Accurate Data: It's difficult to gather precise data on language use across the globe, especially in countries with diverse populations and languages.
However, we can give you some estimations:
* Native speakers: Roughly 375-400 million people worldwide are native English speakers.
* Total speakers: Estimates range from 1.5 billion to 2 billion people who speak English as a first or second language.
These numbers represent a significant portion of the world's population. English is considered the global lingua franca, used in many fields like business, science, and diplomacy.