English Proficiency Index: Top 10 Countries With the Highest English Fluency
- EF Education First ranked 123 countries and regions by English fluency in its 2025 Proficiency Index, based on 2024 test data from adult learners worldwide
- The Netherlands topped the list for another consecutive year with 624 points, while Croatia and Austria climbed into second and third place respectively
- Slovakia made history as the highest-ranked Central and Eastern European country in the index, placing tenth with a score of 606
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EF Education First has published its 2025 English Proficiency Index, ranking 123 countries and regions based on how well non-native speakers use English in practice.
The results, drawn from millions of adult test-takers in 2024, show that English fluency remains heavily concentrated in Europe, with a handful of countries shifting positions near the top.
Source: Getty Images
Netherlands leads for another year
According to Yahoo, the Netherlands held the top position out of all 123 entries and ranked first among 37 European nations, scoring 624 points in the very high proficiency band. Much of that performance traces back to how Dutch media operates; television and film content is subtitled rather than dubbed, which means children are hearing spoken English from an early age.
Combined with early school instruction and a business environment that treats English as a working standard, fluency has become routine rather than exceptional.
Croatia climbed to second place, a result that reflects a broader shift among younger generations in the Balkans who pick up English through gaming, streaming, and social media. Tourism along the Adriatic coast also gives Croatians in hospitality and retail consistent real-world practice throughout the year.
Austria followed in third with 616 points, supported by Vienna's role as a seat for international organisations and a school system that introduces foreign language instruction early.
Germany makes one of Europe's biggest gains
Germany's move to fourth place was among the more notable shifts in this year's index. Scoring 615 points, the country benefited from growing investment in bilingual education and the increasing use of English in its tech and finance sectors. Berlin's startup community, in particular, often runs entirely in English regardless of where team members were born.
Norway placed fifth with 613 points, Portugal sixth with 612, and Denmark seventh with 611. All three countries share a tradition of subtitled rather than dubbed television content, which research consistently links to stronger listening skills and informal language exposure from childhood.
Sweden came eighth with 609 points, followed by Belgium in ninth with 608. In Belgium, English frequently serves as neutral ground between the country's Dutch, French, and German-speaking communities, especially in Brussels where EU institutions rely heavily on English as a working language.
Slovakia tops Central and Eastern Europe
Slovakia rounded out the top ten with 606 points, making it the best-performing country from Central and Eastern Europe in the 2025 index. Slovak schools have prioritised English instruction as a route to better employment, particularly as multinational firms have expanded into the country.
Younger Slovaks are seen as the primary drivers of the improvement, having grown up with greater access to English-language media and international travel than previous generations.
Source: Getty Images
UK announces 2 ways foreigners can prove English proficiency
Legit.ng earlier reported that the UK government has outlined two ways foreign nationals can prove their knowledge of English for citizenship or visa applications without sitting the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, provided they hold an academic degree taught or researched in English.
The guidance, published on the official UK government website, makes clear that only academic degrees qualify under this route.
Source: Legit.ng
