Linguistic neighbours

How much of one country's people can talk to another's, in any language they share.

Data as of 1 Nov 2026 · 242 countries with pair figures · CLDR 49, Glottolog 5.3, States sheet · USITC DICL v2

Country

Most connected countries

Each country's average shared-language index against the rest of the world, weighted by population.

How this is measured

The shared-language index is the sum over languages of the share of people in one country who speak it times the share in the other. Each country here is scored against every other country, weighted by that country's population, so a country whose languages are spoken widely abroad ranks high. Pick a country above to see its closest and most distant counterparts.

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Luxembourg

Nearest: Cameroon, Germany, France

0.194

691K residents

Singapore

Nearest: Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland

0.185

6.1M residents

US Virgin Islands

Nearest: Australia, Ireland, United States

0.183

87K residents

Hong Kong

Nearest: Singapore, Australia, Ireland

0.179

7.5M residents

Dominica

Nearest: Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom

0.178

66K residents

Ireland

Nearest: Australia, United Kingdom, United States

0.178

5.5M residents

Australia

Nearest: Ireland, United States, United Kingdom

0.172

27.8M residents

Northern Mariana Islands

Nearest: Australia, Ireland, United States

0.172

47K residents

American Samoa

Nearest: Australia, Ireland, United States

0.171

50K residents

Palau

Nearest: Australia, Ireland, United States

0.171

17K residents

United Kingdom

Nearest: Ireland, Australia, United States

0.171

69.3M residents

Cameroon

Nearest: France, Switzerland, Gabon

0.170

29.4M residents

#				Nearest
1	Luxembourg	0.194	691K	Cameroon, Germany, France
2	Singapore	0.185	6.1M	Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland
3	US Virgin Islands	0.183	87K	Australia, Ireland, United States
4	Hong Kong	0.179	7.5M	Singapore, Australia, Ireland
5	Dominica	0.178	66K	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
6	Ireland	0.178	5.5M	Australia, United Kingdom, United States
7	Australia	0.172	27.8M	Ireland, United States, United Kingdom
8	Northern Mariana Islands	0.172	47K	Australia, Ireland, United States
9	American Samoa	0.171	50K	Australia, Ireland, United States
10	Palau	0.171	17K	Australia, Ireland, United States
11	United Kingdom	0.171	69.3M	Ireland, Australia, United States
12	Cameroon	0.170	29.4M	France, Switzerland, Gabon
13	Cook Islands	0.170	15K	Australia, Ireland, United States
14	Isle of Man	0.170	85K	Australia, Ireland, United States
15	Marshall Islands	0.170	42K	Australia, Ireland, United States
16	Anguilla	0.167	16K	Australia, Ireland, United States
17	Guam	0.163	154K	Australia, Ireland, United States
18	Puerto Rico	0.163	3.2M	Chile, Mexico, Colombia
19	Denmark	0.160	6.0M	Sweden, Netherlands, Germany
20	Canada	0.153	41.4M	Cameroon, Ireland, United Kingdom
21	New Zealand	0.153	5.4M	Australia, Ireland, United States
22	Sweden	0.153	10.6M	Finland, Denmark, Ireland
23	Aruba	0.152	111K	Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico
24	Malta	0.150	574K	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
25	Nauru	0.146	12K	Australia, Ireland, United States
26	Netherlands	0.146	18.2M	Germany, Denmark, Belgium
27	United States	0.140	341.8M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
28	Norway	0.135	5.6M	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
29	Gibraltar	0.134	38K	Puerto Rico, United States, Australia
30	Andorra	0.133	89K	Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, France
31	Taiwan	0.132	23.2M	China, Singapore, Hong Kong
32	Vanuatu	0.131	321K	Cameroon, United Kingdom, Ireland
33	Papua New Guinea	0.128	10.2M	Australia, Ireland, United States
34	Austria	0.127	9.2M	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
35	Switzerland	0.126	9.1M	Cameroon, France, United Kingdom
36	Croatia	0.124	3.9M	Kazakhstan, Latvia, Slovenia
37	Finland	0.124	5.7M	Sweden, Denmark, Ireland
38	Sierra Leone	0.119	9.1M	Australia, Ireland, United States
39	France	0.110	69.1M	Cameroon, Gabon, Switzerland
40	Slovenia	0.108	2.1M	Croatia, Denmark, Germany
41	Cyprus	0.105	983K	Greece, Australia, Ireland
42	Germany	0.104	83.5M	Netherlands, Denmark, Slovenia
43	Belize	0.102	418K	Puerto Rico, United States, Australia
44	Samoa	0.101	206K	Australia, Ireland, United States
45	Seychelles	0.100	123K	Cameroon, France, Gabon
46	Bahamas	0.099	398K	Australia, Ireland, United States
47	Liberia	0.099	5.2M	Australia, Ireland, United States
48	Antigua & Barbuda	0.098	104K	Australia, Ireland, United States
49	Estonia	0.098	1.4M	Croatia, Latvia, Kazakhstan
50	Spain	0.098	49.7M	Puerto Rico, Chile, Equatorial Guinea
51	Latvia	0.097	1.8M	Croatia, Kazakhstan, Russia
52	Belgium	0.096	11.9M	Cameroon, Netherlands, France
53	Lebanon	0.096	5.9M	Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Algeria
54	Portugal	0.096	11.4M	Brazil, Angola, Cameroon
55	Federated States of Micronesia	0.094	76K	Australia, Ireland, United States
56	Niue	0.094	2K	Australia, Ireland, United States
57	Philippines	0.093	114.8M	Australia, Ireland, United States
58	Jordan	0.092	11.9M	Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon
59	Barbados	0.090	262K	Australia, Ireland, United States
60	Guyana	0.088	956K	Australia, Ireland, United States
61	Chile	0.086	20.2M	Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela
62	Greece	0.086	10.4M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
63	Trinidad & Tobago	0.086	1.4M	Australia, Ireland, United States
64	Equatorial Guinea	0.081	1.7M	Bolivia, Chile, Cuba
65	Iraq	0.080	46.1M	Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon
66	Lithuania	0.080	2.9M	Croatia, Kazakhstan, Latvia
67	Zimbabwe	0.079	17.1M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
68	Solomon Islands	0.078	750K	Australia, Ireland, United States
69	Argentina	0.073	46.5M	Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico
70	Colombia	0.071	53.4M	Puerto Rico, Chile, Mexico
71	Bolivia	0.070	11.4M	Venezuela, Chile, Cuba
72	Costa Rica	0.070	5.2M	Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico
73	Cuba	0.070	9.7M	Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico
74	Dominican Republic	0.070	10.8M	Equatorial Guinea, Venezuela, Bolivia
75	El Salvador	0.070	6.0M	Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico
76	Honduras	0.070	10.2M	Chile, Venezuela, Bolivia
77	Nicaragua	0.070	6.9M	Venezuela, Bolivia, Mexico
78	Poland	0.070	37.3M	Lithuania, Croatia, Denmark
79	Egypt	0.069	108.6M	Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq
80	Mauritius	0.069	1.2M	Cameroon, Gabon, France
81	Uruguay	0.069	3.5M	Venezuela, Cuba, El Salvador
82	Malaysia	0.068	34.4M	Australia, Ireland, Singapore
83	Tunisia	0.068	12.0M	Lebanon, Algeria, Saudi Arabia
84	Venezuela	0.068	28.5M	Chile, Cuba, Mexico
85	Ecuador	0.066	18.1M	Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile
86	Panama	0.065	4.1M	Venezuela, Bolivia, Equatorial Guinea
87	Mexico	0.064	131.2M	Puerto Rico, Chile, Venezuela
88	Nigeria	0.061	223.8M	Australia, Ireland, United States
89	Algeria	0.060	47.4M	Tunisia, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia
90	Ghana	0.060	34.4M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
91	Romania	0.060	19.0M	Moldova, Ireland, United Kingdom
92	Brunei	0.059	459K	Australia, Ireland, United States
93	Peru	0.059	34.2M	Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico
94	Slovakia	0.057	5.4M	Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany
95	Czech Republic	0.055	10.9M	Slovakia, Croatia, Denmark
96	Monaco	0.055	39K	Cameroon, Gabon, France
97	Botswana	0.054	2.4M	Australia, Ireland, South Africa
98	South Africa	0.054	63.1M	Australia, Ireland, Lesotho
99	São Tomé and Príncipe	0.054	210K	Portugal, Brazil, Angola
100	French Guiana	0.053	292K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
101	Gabon	0.053	2.5M	Cameroon, France, Congo DR
102	Italy	0.053	58.9M	Cameroon, Ireland, United Kingdom
103	Kazakhstan	0.053	20.6M	Croatia, Russia, Ukraine
104	New Caledonia	0.053	265K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
105	Réunion	0.053	896K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
106	Tahiti	0.053	280K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
107	Nepal	0.052	30.0M	Australia, Ireland, United States
108	Bulgaria	0.051	6.4M	Croatia, Latvia, Estonia
109	Guatemala	0.050	18.3M	Venezuela, Mexico, Bolivia
110	Paraguay	0.050	6.1M	Chile, Cuba, Nicaragua
111	Tonga	0.050	100K	Australia, Ireland, United States
112	Montenegro	0.049	623K	Serbia, Croatia, Latvia
113	Morocco	0.049	36.8M	Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria
114	Suriname	0.048	617K	Netherlands, Belgium, Australia
115	Guadeloupe	0.046	380K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
116	Saint Lucia	0.045	184K	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
117	Wallis and Futuna	0.044	12K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
118	Cambodia	0.043	17.6M	Ireland, Australia, United Kingdom
119	Kiribati	0.041	121K	Australia, Ireland, United States
120	Lesotho	0.040	2.1M	South Africa, Australia, Ireland
121	Martinique	0.040	356K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
122	Congo	0.039	6.1M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
123	Hungary	0.039	9.5M	Germany, Denmark, Netherlands
124	Fiji	0.036	903K	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
125	Yemen	0.036	32.7M	Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq
126	India	0.034	1429.4M	Australia, Ireland, United States
127	Mayotte	0.034	321K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
128	Congo DR	0.033	116.5M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
129	Haiti	0.033	11.9M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
130	Saudi Arabia	0.032	35.3M	Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan
131	Togo	0.032	8.1M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
132	Côte d'Ivoire	0.031	32.5M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
133	Djibouti	0.031	1.1M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
134	Ukraine	0.030	28.7M	Kazakhstan, Russia, Croatia
135	Zambia	0.028	19.7M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
136	Mauritania	0.027	4.9M	Algeria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia
137	Qatar	0.027	3.4M	Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan
138	Rwanda	0.027	14.4M	Cameroon, Ireland, United Kingdom
139	Belarus	0.026	9.1M	Croatia, Kazakhstan, Russia
140	Moldova	0.025	2.4M	Romania, Ukraine, Croatia
141	Russia	0.025	146.0M	Croatia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine
142	Uganda	0.024	45.9M	Tanzania, Kenya, Australia
143	Namibia	0.023	3.0M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
144	South Sudan	0.023	15.8M	Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq
145	Armenia	0.022	3.1M	Russia, Croatia, Kazakhstan
146	Macau	0.022	688K	Hong Kong, China, Singapore
147	Tanzania	0.022	70.0M	Uganda, Kenya, Australia
148	Western Sahara	0.022	601K	Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia
149	Angola	0.021	38.8M	Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique
150	Benin	0.021	13.2M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
151	Central African Republic	0.021	6.5M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
152	Sri Lanka	0.021	21.8M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
153	Pakistan	0.020	241.5M	Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom
154	Georgia	0.019	3.9M	Kazakhstan, Croatia, Russia
155	Kenya	0.019	53.3M	Uganda, Tanzania, Australia
156	South Korea	0.019	51.1M	Australia, Ireland, United States
157	Azerbaijan	0.018	10.3M	Kazakhstan, Russia, Croatia
158	Burkina Faso	0.018	24.1M	Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Cameroon
159	Guinea-Bissau	0.017	1.9M	Cameroon, Gabon, France
160	Israel	0.017	10.3M	Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia
161	Kyrgyzstan	0.017	7.4M	Kazakhstan, Croatia, Russia
162	Mongolia	0.016	3.6M	Kazakhstan, Croatia, Russia
163	Niger	0.016	27.5M	Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon
164	Senegal	0.016	19.1M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
165	Bangladesh	0.014	169.8M	India, United Kingdom, Australia
166	Comoros	0.014	944K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
167	Guinea	0.014	17.5M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
168	Madagascar	0.014	32.7M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
169	Mozambique	0.014	35.0M	Portugal, Brazil, Angola
170	Chad	0.013	20.0M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
171	Tuvalu	0.013	11K	Australia, Ireland, United States
172	Uzbekistan	0.013	39.0M	Kazakhstan, Croatia, Russia
173	Mali	0.012	22.4M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
174	Brazil	0.010	213.4M	Portugal, Angola, Mozambique
175	Eswatini	0.010	1.2M	South Africa, Australia, Ireland
176	Curaçao	0.009	156K	Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Belgium
177	Serbia	0.009	6.5M	Croatia, Kazakhstan, Russia
178	Malawi	0.008	20.7M	Zambia, Australia, Ireland
179	Albania	0.006	2.3M	North Macedonia, Gabon, Cameroon
180	Cape Verde	0.006	491K	Gabon, Cameroon, France
181	Gambia	0.006	2.4M	Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Australia
182	North Macedonia	0.006	1.8M	Albania, Gabon, Cameroon
183	Turkmenistan	0.006	7.1M	Kazakhstan, Croatia, Russia
184	Burundi	0.005	12.3M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
185	China	0.005	1404.9M	Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore
186	Jamaica	0.003	2.8M	Panama, Australia, Ireland
187	Bhutan	0.002	784K	Nepal, India, Myanmar
188	Laos	0.002	7.7M	Gabon, Cameroon, France
189	Indonesia	0.001	288.3M	Hong Kong, Malaysia, Netherlands
190	Iran	0.001	87.1M	Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia
191	Myanmar	0.001	51.4M	Thailand, Taiwan, China
192	Thailand	0.001	65.7M	Myanmar, Taiwan, Australia
193	Turkey	0.001	86.1M	Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Lebanon
194	East Timor	0.000	1.4M	Portugal, Brazil, Angola
195	Ethiopia	0.000	111.7M	Djibouti, Kenya, Sweden
196	Japan	0.000	122.9M	Hong Kong, South Korea, New Zealand
197	Afghanistan	—	43.8M
198	Bahrain	—	1.6M
199	Bermuda	—	64K
200	Bosnia-Herzegovina	—	3.4M
201	British Indian Ocean Territory	—	—
202	British Virgin Islands	—	39K
203	Cayman Islands	—	89K
204	Christmas Island	—	—
205	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	—	—
206	Eritrea	—	3.6M
207	Falkland Islands	—	4K
208	Faroe Islands	—	55K
209	Greenland	—	57K
210	Grenada	—	109K
211	Guernsey	—	65K
212	Iceland	—	395K
213	Jersey	—	103K
214	Kuwait	—	4.9M
215	Libya	—	7.5M
216	Liechtenstein	—	41K
217	Maldives	—	515K
218	Montserrat	—	4K
219	Netherlands Antilles	—	—
220	Norfolk Island	—	—
221	North Korea	—	25.9M
222	Oman	—	5.3M
223	Palestine	—	5.6M
224	Pitcairn Islands	—	—
225	Saint Barthélemy	—	11K
226	Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha	—	6K
227	Saint Martin	—	31K
228	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	—	6K
229	San Marino	—	34K
230	Sint Maarten	—	41K
231	Somalia	—	19.7M
232	St. Kitts & Nevis	—	51K
233	St. Vincent & the Grenadines	—	109K
234	Sudan	—	53.3M
235	Syria	—	26.5M
236	Tajikistan	—	10.7M
237	Tokelau	—	3K
238	Turks & Caicos Islands	—	51K
239	United Arab Emirates	—	11.3M
240	Vatican City	—	882
241	Vietnam	—	102.3M
242	Åland Islands	—	—

Where these numbers come from

Pair figures come from the USITC Dynamic International Country Linguistics database, version 2 (CC BY 4.0), which scores every pair of countries on shared spoken languages. See Method.

Unicode CLDR territoryInfo (release 49) (Unicode License v3). Country-level language shares, official status and Tier 3 reach (populationPercent is total speakers, first plus second language).
Glottolog 5.3 (CC BY 4.0). Language names, ISO 639-3 codes, families.
Database of International and Intranational Linguistic distances (DICL v2), USITC (CC BY 4.0). Country-pair common spoken language and linguistic proximity (neighbours, linked-world score, pairs pages).
States (ISO 3166-2) sheet, MetroAreas workbook (Citizen of Nowhere, own compilation). States, populations and the four language labels per state.
Natural Earth 1:110m Admin 0 Countries (nvkelso/natural-earth-vector) (Public domain). World outline for the language maps (world-110m.geojson, properties reduced to iso3 and name).
Country layer of this site (countries.json workbook population, World Bank iso2 and iso3, OWID country-population) (Citizen of Nowhere, own compilation; World Bank CC BY 4.0; OWID CC BY). Country population, iso2 and /countries slug joined onto languages, countries and families (speakers = share x population).