Spanish Geographical Distribution

About the Spanish Language

Spanish (español or castellano, Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken in the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in the Americas and Spain. Spanish is the official language of 20 countries. It is the world’s second-most spoken native language after Mandarin Chinese; the world’s fourth-most spoken language overall after English, Mandarin Chinese, and Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu); and the world’s most widely spoken Romance language. The largest population of native speakers is in Mexico.

Spanish Geographical Distribution

In Europe – Spanish is the official language of Spain, the country after which it is named and from which it originated. Other European territories in which it is also widely spoken include Gibraltar and Andorra. Spanish is also spoken by immigrant communities in other European countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany. Spanish is an official language of the European Union.

In Hispanic America – Today, the majority of the Spanish speakers live in Hispanic America. Nationally, Spanish is the official language—either de facto or de jure—of Argentina, Bolivia (co-official with Quechua, Aymara, Guarani, and 34 other languages), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico (co-official with 63 indigenous languages), Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay (co-official with Guaraní), Peru (co-official with Quechua, Aymara, and “the other indigenous languages”), Puerto Rico (co-official with English), Uruguay, and Venezuela.

In the United States – According to the 2020 census, over 60 million people of the U.S. population were of Hispanic or Hispanic American by origin. In turn, 41.8 million people in the United States aged five or older speak Spanish at home, or about 13% of the population. The Spanish language has a long history of presence in the United States due to early Spanish and, later, Mexican administration over territories now forming the southwestern states, also Louisiana ruled by Spain from 1762 to 1802, as well as Florida, which was Spanish territory until 1821, and Puerto Rico which was Spanish until 1898. Spanish is by far the most common second language in the country, with over 50 million total speakers if non-native or second-language speakers are included.

Why choose Tnfast Spanish Translation Services?

• Fast: Quick turnaround times for certified Spanish translation services
• Specialist Translation Knowledge: Experienced translators are needed for translation catered to specific industries or businesses.
• Full Translation: For certified translation, all documents are fully translated, meaning that every piece of text, including signatures, seals, stamps, or markings, should be translated into English.
• Certification of Translation: Many government departments including USCIS require a certification to accompany the translated document. The translator must sign a certification that confirms the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English. The certification should include the following information:
  • The translator’s signature
  • The date of the certification
  • The translator’s full name and contact information
  • A statement that the translator is competent in both languages
• Accuracy: Translations must be accurate and must match the original document word for word. Many receiving authorities will not accept summaries or partial translations.