* Official vs. Unofficial Speakers: Afrikaans is an official language in South Africa and Namibia, but it's also spoken in other countries like Botswana, Zimbabwe, and even some parts of the Netherlands (where it originated).
* Variable Proficiency: Some people may speak Afrikaans as a first language, while others may be more fluent in English or another language.
* Lack of Comprehensive Census Data: Not all countries have reliable census data that accurately reflects language usage.
Estimates:
* South Africa: The most recent census (2011) estimated around 6.8 million people in South Africa speak Afrikaans as their first language, and a total of 13.5 million people speak it as a home language (including those who speak other languages as well).
* Namibia: Around 1 million people speak Afrikaans as a first language.
* Globally: Some estimates put the total number of Afrikaans speakers worldwide around 20 million.
It's important to note that these are just estimates, and the actual number of Afrikaans speakers could be higher or lower.