English has become the connective tissue of global business, science, and travel, yet the countries that speak it best as a second language rarely get the recognition they deserve. Every year, EF Education First tests millions of adults worldwide through its EF Standard English Test, producing the most detailed snapshot available of who actually speaks English well and where. The 2025 results, drawn from testing that took place through 2024, reveal a ranking dominated by small, tightly connected European nations rather than the usual suspects.
What makes this list interesting is not just who sits on top, but how much movement happened this year. Some countries that barely cracked the top fifteen a few editions ago have suddenly leapt into the elite tier, while a few long-time favorites either held steady or slipped a notch. Here is how the ten strongest non-native English-speaking nations on the planet stack up right now.
1. Netherlands
The Netherlands holds onto the number one spot with a commanding score, and honestly, it is not much of a surprise anymore. The Netherlands is the most proficient English-speaking country on Earth, topping the EF EPI 2025 with a score of 624, where English is taught from primary school and is near-universal in business, higher education and daily life..Click To Complete>>
