* No official census exists: There is no global organization that tracks native language speakers.
* Language is fluid: People move, learn new languages, and sometimes shift their primary language.
* Definitions vary: What constitutes a "native speaker" can be debated. Does someone who grew up speaking English but also speaks another language fluently still count?
However, we can look at estimates:
* The British Council: They estimate around 379 million native English speakers in the world.
* Ethnologue: This resource lists 375 million native English speakers in their 2022 data.
It's important to note that these numbers are approximations and could change over time.