EF English proficiency Index - wikipedia EF English proficiency Index The EF English Proficiency Index ( EF EPI ) attempts to rank countries by the average level of English language skills amongst those adults who took the EF test. The index is based on data from a survey, not on a representative sampling model. It is `` not a statistically controlled study '', as The Economist states ; `` the subjects took a free test online and of their own accord. They were by definition connected to the internet and interested in testing their English ; they will also be younger and more urban than the population at large. '' It is the product of EF Education First, an international education company, and draws its conclusions from data collected via English tests available for free over the internet. The index is an online survey first published in 2012 based on test data from 1.7 million test takers. The most recent, sixth edition was released in November 2016. Contents 1 Methodology 2 Findings 2.1 Primary conclusions 3 2016 Rankings 3.1 Score calculation 3.2 Ranking of countries 4 Criticism 5 References 6 External links Methodology The EF EPI sixth edition was calculated using test data from 950,000 test takers in 2015. The test takers were self - selected and no demographic information was collected on them. The tests are used by the company for marketing and placement purposes. 69 countries and 3 territories appear in the sixth edition of the index. In order to be included, a country was required to have at least 400 test takers. Findings The report is composed of a country ranking table, several pages of analysis with graphs correlating other economic and social factors with English proficiency, and analysis of each region or continent. The 2016 report and accompanying country fact sheets include English proficiency levels by gender, age group, and region, within countries, and some English proficiency scores by city. The website displays portions of the report and has analysis of English skills in many countries and territories. Primary conclusions Exports per capita, Gross National Income per capita and innovation all correlate positively with English proficiency. English proficiency levels are evolving at different rates in different countries around the world, including a few countries with declining English skills. Europe as a whole speaks the best English, the Middle East the worst. Women speak English better than men. 2016 rankings Map of the results of the 2016 EF English Proficiency Index. Below are the latest country scores, proficiency bands, and rankings as published in 2016 ( data from 2015 ). Score calculation On the web page of the company EF, the score calculation is explained : `` In order to calculate a country 's EF EPI score, each test score was normalized to obtain the percentage of correct answers for that test. All the scores for a country were then averaged across the three tests, giving equal weight to each test. '' There is thus no differentiation of the three tests for the calculation of the score. Ranking of countries Country 2016 Rank 2016 Score 2016 Band Netherlands 72.16 Very High Proficiency Denmark 71.15 Very High Proficiency Sweden 70.81 Very High Proficiency Norway 68.54 Very High Proficiency Finland 5 66.61 Very High Proficiency Singapore 6 63.52 Very High Proficiency Luxembourg 7 63.20 Very High Proficiency Austria 8 62.13 High Proficiency Germany 9 61.58 High Proficiency Poland 10 61.49 High Proficiency Belgium 11 60.90 High Proficiency Malaysia 12 60.70 High Proficiency Philippines 13 60.33 High Proficiency Switzerland 14 60.17 High Proficiency Portugal 15 59.68 High Proficiency Czech Republic 16 59.09 High Proficiency Serbia 17 59.07 High Proficiency Hungary 18 58.72 High Proficiency Argentina 19 58.40 High Proficiency Romania 20 58.14 High Proficiency Slovakia 21 57.34 Moderate Proficiency India 22 57.30 Moderate Proficiency Dominican Republic 23 57.24 Moderate Proficiency Bulgaria 24 56.79 Moderate Proficiency Spain 25 56.66 Moderate Proficiency Bosnia and Herzegovina 26 56.17 Moderate Proficiency South Korea 27 54.87 Moderate Proficiency Italy 28 54.63 Moderate Proficiency France 29 54.33 Moderate Proficiency Hong Kong 30 54.29 Moderate Proficiency Vietnam 31 54.06 Moderate Proficiency Indonesia 32 52.94 Moderate Proficiency Taiwan 33 52.82 Moderate Proficiency Russia 34 52.32 Low Proficiency Japan 35 51.69 Low Proficiency Uruguay 36 51.63 Low Proficiency Macau 37 51.36 Low Proficiency Costa Rica 38 51.35 Low Proficiency China 39 50.94 Low Proficiency Brazil 40 50.66 Low Proficiency Ukraine 41 50.62 Low Proficiency Chile 42 50.10 Low Proficiency Mexico 43 49.88 Low Proficiency Morocco 44 49.86 Low Proficiency Peru 45 49.83 Low Proficiency United Arab Emirates 46 49.81 Low Proficiency Ecuador 47 49.13 Low Proficiency Pakistan 48 48.78 Low Proficiency Colombia 49 48.41 Very Low Proficiency Panama 50 48.08 Very Low Proficiency Turkey 51 47.89 Very Low Proficiency Tunisia 52 47.70 Very Low Proficiency Guatemala 53 47.64 Very Low Proficiency Kazakhstan 54 47.42 Very Low Proficiency Egypt 55 47.32 Very Low Proficiency Thailand 56 47.21 Very Low Proficiency Azerbaijan 57 46.90 Very Low Proficiency Sri Lanka 58 46.58 Very Low Proficiency Qatar 59 46.57 Very Low Proficiency Venezuela 60 46.53 Very Low Proficiency Iran 61 46.38 Very Low Proficiency Jordan 62 45.85 Very Low Proficiency El Salvador 63 43.83 Very Low Proficiency Oman 64 43.44 Very Low Proficiency Kuwait 65 42.98 Very Low Proficiency Mongolia 66 42.77 Very Low Proficiency Algeria 67 41.60 Very Low Proficiency Saudi Arabia 68 40.91 Very Low Proficiency Cambodia 69 39.48 Very Low Proficiency Laos 71 38.45 Very Low Proficiency Libya 71 37.82 Very Low Proficiency Iraq 72 37.65 Very Low Proficiency Criticism The EF English Proficiency Index has been criticized for its lack of representative sampling in each country. The report states that participants in the tests are self - selected and must have access to the internet. It is an online survey rather than a statistically valid sampling of the population. However, there are few alternative comparisons available of countries by their English skills. The European Commission performed a language survey, SurveyLang, which tests a representative sample of 15 - year - old European students on their foreign language skills. The first report and data sets were released for 13 European countries in June 2012. References Jump up ^ English : Who speaks English ?. The Economist. Retrieved on 2011 - 05 - 29. Jump up ^ Study Offers Snapshot of Global English - Language - Learner Trends. Education Week. Retrieved on 2017 - 01 - 17. Jump up ^ Low English Levels Can Hurt Countries ' Progress. New York Times. Retrieved on 2017 - 01 - 17. Jump up ^ Singapore 's English skills continue to improve, as Shanghai beats Hong Kong. CNBC. Retrieved on 2016 - 11 - 16 ^ Jump up to : EF English Proficiency Index -- Comparing English skills between countries -- EF EPI. Ef.com. Retrieved on 2016 - 11 - 16. Jump up ^ Minh Tran : Countries with High English Proficiency Are More Innovative. Harvard Business Review. `` Minh Tran is Director of Research and Partnerships for EF Education First and a member of the team that launched the EF Standard English Test. '' Retrieved on 2017 - 01 - 17. Jump up ^ How Well Does Your Country Speak English ?. Voice of America. Retrieved on 2017 - 1 - 17. Jump up ^ Which countries are best at English as a second language ?. World Economic Forum. Retrieved on 2017 - 1 - 17. Jump up ^ Women are better than men at learning English. That 's not necessarily a good sign... Washington Post. Retrieved on 2017 - 1 - 17. Jump up ^ See Score caluculation / calculation Jump up ^ The English Blog : EF English Proficiency Ranking. Jeffreyhill.typepad.com ( 2011 - 03 - 30 ). Retrieved on 2011 - 05 - 29. Jump up ^ Jakub Marian. Why the EF EPI rankings are not what you think. Retrieved on 2017 - 01 - 22. Jump up ^ SurveyLang project. European Commission. Retrieved on 2012 - 09 - 20. 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Question: best country with english as a second language
Answer: Europe