Ranking countries by English fluency sounds simple until you ask who is doing the measuring. The most widely cited source is the EF English Proficiency Index, which ranks 123 countries and regions by their English skills[1]. The latest edition was released in November 2025[2], and it is still the most recent full edition available.
A few caveats help put the numbers in context. The 2025 edition used test data from 2.2 million test takers in 2024, and those test takers were self selected[2]. The index also does not measure the percentage of people who speak English or rank every country in the world[3]. What follows is the top five from that ranking.
1. The Netherlands
The Netherlands sits at the top of the 2025 table. It remains the number one ranked country with an average score of 624, out of a maximum possible 800[4]. That also makes it first among the 37 European countries in the index, and EF classes its proficiency as very high.
EF’s own summary of the findings notes that the Netherlands remains #1[5]. Holding the top spot across editions suggests the result isn’t a one year blip. The gap over second place is modest, though, at only a handful of points.
2. Croatia
Croatia takes second place with a score of 617. It’s the biggest mover among the leaders, since it jumped from fifth in the previous year’s rankings[4]. For a country of its size, that’s a notable climb.
EF’s key findings highlight that Croatia and Austria both improved their rankings[5]. Croatia is also one of several southeastern European countries doing well in the index. North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Greece all sit within the top twenty.
3. Austria
Austria comes third with 616 points, only a single point behind Croatia. It moved up from ninth[4] the year before, which is a sizable jump in a table where scores are so tightly bunched. Its score places it in the very high proficiency band.
Austria’s rise is part of a wider pattern. In total, 15 countries were ranked in the very high proficiency bracket, up from nine in the previous year[4]. The top of the table is getting more crowded, so small score changes can shift rankings quickly.
4. Germany
Germany ranks fourth with a score of 615. Its position reflects a strong recovery, as it had one of the largest gains, up 17 points[4]. EF describes a climb to #4 with one of the biggest gains in Europe[5].
The jump matters because Germany is among Europe’s largest economies. Few countries of its size reach this tier of the index. Even so, a score of 615 puts it only a few points ahead of the fifth place country.
5. Norway
Norway rounds out the top five with a score of 613. Its ranking fell, but its score didn’t. It slipped from second to fifth, despite an improved score[4], because other countries improved faster.
That detail is a useful reminder of how the index works. A country’s position depends partly on how everyone else performed that year. Norway’s score is still firmly in the very high proficiency range, alongside the four countries ahead of it.
