How Many People Speak Swedish?

Approximately 10.5 to 11 million people speak Swedish worldwide as of recent estimates in 2023-2025. The vast majority, about 10.45 million people, are in Sweden, where it is the official language and the mother tongue for nearly 90% of the population.

Additionally, around 291,000 people speak Swedish in Finland, where it is one of the two official languages and holds regional importance, especially along the western and southern coasts and in Åland.

There are smaller Swedish-speaking communities in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia, largely due to migration, but these represent relatively few fluent speakers compared to Sweden and Finland. Overall, Swedish ranks among the top 100 languages spoken worldwide, making its total global speaker count roughly between 10.5 and 11 million.