With 9.4 million people learning German, Europe still ranks highest in the world. Poland is the leading country in Europe with 2.3 million learners of German, followed by Russia and Great Britain (each 1.5 million), as well as France (1 million).

The study shows that pupils still account for the huge majority of German learners (87 percent). Currently there are 1.3 million students in universities worldwide who learn the German language. About 600,000 people acquire German language skills in the field of adult education.

The study also stresses that knowledge of the German language is on a global level regarded as an important qualification for the professional career. German language skills are an essential requirement for a future life in Germany.

“German as a Foreign Language Worldwide” is the most comprehensive statistics with regard to German as a foreign language in the world. It is produced every five years by the Federal Foreign Ministry in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut, the German Academic Exchange Service and the Central Agency for Schools Abroad.

Source: Make it in Germany