Global Speakers:
* Mandarin: Over 1 billion speakers worldwide
* Cantonese: Approximately 60 million speakers worldwide
Official Language:
* Mandarin is the official language of mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia.
* Cantonese is an official language in Hong Kong and Macau.
Regional Prevalence:
* Mandarin: Predominant in northern and central China.
* Cantonese: Primarily spoken in southern China, particularly in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.
Media and Education:
* Mandarin is the language of most national media, including television, radio, and print.
* Cantonese is more prevalent in local media and education in certain regions.
Overall, Mandarin is more widely spoken and has a greater official and cultural influence than Cantonese. However, Cantonese remains an important language with a strong regional presence.