Here's why:
* Dialect vs. Language: Some languages have many dialects, which might be considered distinct languages by some. For example, does Mandarin and Cantonese count as two languages or one?
* Language Families: Some languages within a family are highly mutually intelligible. For example, someone speaking Swedish might understand a good deal of Norwegian. Do we count these as distinct?
* Number of Speakers vs. Number of Languages: A country might have a high number of languages spoken, but with only a few speakers of each.
That being said, some countries often cited as having a high number of spoken languages include:
* Papua New Guinea: With over 800 languages spoken, it's often considered the leader in language diversity.
* India: With over 120 languages recognized and hundreds of dialects, it has an incredibly rich linguistic landscape.
* Indonesia: With over 700 languages spoken, it's another strong contender for language diversity.
Ultimately, the "most spoken languages" is a complex question with no easy answer. It's more accurate to say these countries have incredibly diverse and rich linguistic landscapes.