English is a West Germanic language that originated in Anglo-Saxon England. It is the most widely spoken language in the world, with an estimated 1.5 billion speakers. English is spoken as a first language by about 400 million people and as a second language by about 1.1 billion people. It is the official language of 67 countries and 27 non-sovereign entities. It is also an official language of the European Union, the United Nations, and many other international organizations.