How many people speak flemish?

It's a bit tricky to give an exact number for how many people speak Flemish, as it's not a language with a clear, defined boundary. Here's why:

* Flemish vs. Dutch: "Flemish" is often used to describe the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium, especially in the Flanders region. It's not a distinct language, but rather a dialectal variation of Dutch.

* Regional Differences: There's a spectrum of dialects within Dutch, and some within the Flemish region might be quite different from others.

* Language vs. Native Speaker: While many people in Flanders speak Flemish, some might also be fluent in other languages like French or English.

Here's what we can say:

* Around 6 million people in Flanders speak Dutch as their native language.

* It's estimated that over 23 million people worldwide speak Dutch, including Flemish speakers.

So, while it's difficult to give a precise count for "Flemish" speakers, it's clear that Dutch, including its Flemish variations, is spoken by a significant number of people, primarily in Belgium and the Netherlands.