* Native vs. Non-Native Speakers: The number varies depending on whether you're counting only native speakers (those who grew up speaking Italian) or include those who learned it as a second language.
* Data Collection Challenges: Collecting accurate language data is difficult, especially in countries where there are large migrant populations or where language use is not well documented.
However, here are some estimates:
* Native Speakers:
* Italy: Around 60 million
* Other countries: Around 3 million in Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, and some other countries.
* Total Native Speakers: Approximately 63 million
* Total Speakers: Estimates range from 85 million to 100 million including those who speak Italian as a second language, especially in countries with large Italian diaspora populations like Argentina, the United States, Canada, and Brazil.
Therefore, it's safe to say that around 63 million people speak Italian as their native language, and over 85 million people speak it worldwide.