* Cantonese is the most spoken variety of Chinese. It's the native language of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces in mainland China, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.
* It's also spoken by significant communities in Southeast Asia, North America, and other parts of the world.
* Estimates range from 60 million to 100 million speakers. These estimates often combine native speakers with those who are fluent but not native speakers.
Factors making it difficult to determine exact numbers:
* Lack of official censuses: Many regions with Cantonese speakers lack reliable data on language use.
* Defining "Cantonese": There are variations within the language itself, making it difficult to determine who counts as a speaker.
* Shifting language patterns: Language use is constantly evolving, making any figure difficult to maintain.
Overall, it's safe to say that Cantonese is spoken by a large and significant population worldwide, but the exact number is uncertain.