EF EPI

EF English Proficiency Index

A Ranking of 112 Countries and Regions by English Skills

www.ef.com/epi

EF SET
EF Standard English Test
Take the free test at
www.efset.org

2021
2 www.ef.com/epi
 Participate in the EF EPI: take the free EF SET at efset.org

Table of Contents

04 Executive Summary
06 EF EPI 2021 Ranking of Countries and Regions
08 EF EPI 2021 City Scores
10 EF EPI Facts and Figures
12 English and the Economy
13 English and Innovation
14 English and Work
16 English and Society
17 English and the Future
18 Europe
20 Asia
22 Latin America
24 Africa
26 Middle East
28 Conclusions
30 Recommendations
32 Appendix A: About the Index
34 Appendix B: EF EPI Proficiency Bands
35 Appendix C: CEFR Levels and Can-Do Statements
36 Appendix D: EF EPI Country and Region Rankings
38 Appendix E: Selected References

3
Executive Summary

Speaking English gives people access to a wider range of information,

a more diverse network and more job opportunities than ever before.

In a globalized world, the adoption Our key findings are: English increases economic
of a common language is inevitable. competitiveness
Communication enables connection, Adult English proficiency continues English is by far the most common
accelerates innovation and facilitates to improve slowly language of information exchange across
understanding. In short, we need a shared The worldwide average has not changed borders, making it a key component for
language to work together. English is not significantly since last year. However, 16 accessing knowledge and expertise. We find
the only option. At the risk of stating the countries moved up a proficiency band, strong and consistent correlations between
obvious, cross-border trade in Latin America while only one moved down, and none English and various measures of innovation
is largely conducted in Spanish and the experienced a significant decline in score and competitiveness. This finding resonates
Middle East trades mostly in Arabic, but a (more than -20 points on an 800-point with research showing that companies with
worldwide lingua franca is still necessary. scale). The addition of 12 countries which an international management team earn
This explains the estimated 2.5 billion were not in last year's index, as well as the more revenue from innovation than their
English speakers, of which only about 400 high score density in the middle of less diverse competitors. English-speaking
million were born into the language. People the index, caused a larger-than-usual workplaces are able to attract more diverse
are learning English because it is useful reshuffling in the rankings. Although rank talent and draw on ideas and information
to them. changes tend to be highly-reported, these from a larger pool. They are also more likely
are relative rather than absolute measures to collaborate internationally with partners
For adults, English skills can be a driver of English proficiency. and within their own organizations.
for inclusion, enabling participation in
professional development and leveling Men have embraced English In the workplace, English follows
the playing field for those who come from Worldwide, men’s English proficiency has job function
different circumstances and backgrounds. It outpaced women’s for the first time since There is strong evidence that English
allows for international talent management we began measuring it in 2014. This closing is increasingly a job requirement in all
and progression at an advanced level. of the global gender gap has been driven by industries and at all seniority levels. The
rising proficiency among men. Every region English skill gap between the highest and
This report investigates how and where except Asia has the same trend: women’s lowest proficiency industries has narrowed
English proficiency is developing around the English remains stable as men’s English by 20% since 2012, and there is no longer
world. To create the 2021 edition of the EF improves. Africa is the only place where any real proficiency difference between
English Proficiency Index, we have analyzed women are still ahead, but the gap is closing executives, managers, and staff. However,
the results of two million adults who took there too. Of all the indicators pointing to the gap in English skills between those in
our English tests in 2020. the rising status of English in the world, this clerical and maintenance roles and those
is perhaps the most telling. in marketing, strategy, and legal ones is as
large as ever. Of course, not all jobs require
Adults over 30 are improving fastest
the same level of English, but people do not
Since 2015, adults in their 30’s have
usually want to stay in the same job forever.
improved their English three times as
And when things change, professional
much as those aged 21-25. This year, the
mobility is a key determinant of resilience for
worldwide average for adults over 40 places
individuals, companies and economies.
them in the Moderate Proficiency band for
the first time. These trends run contrary to
the perceived wisdom that there is a golden
(youthful) age to learn languages after which
progress becomes impossible. When adults
are motivated by social and economic gains,
and are regularly exposed to English in a
variety of practical situations, they too can
improve their skills.

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People in cities have better English English proficiency is high and In Africa, English proficiency runs
English proficiency is higher in almost rising in Europe the gamut
every large city than in its surrounding English proficiency in Europe remains For the first time this year, we have a
region and capitals outperform their country higher than in any other region and has more complete map of English proficiency
as a whole. The economy is the most likely risen significantly since 2011. However, in Africa. The picture that emerges is of a
driver of this urban/rural divide. More the gap between the average level in highly diverse range of English skills, the
jobs and better salaries draw ambitious France, Spain and Italy, three of Europe’s most diverse of any region, in fact, when
individuals from the countryside. Once in largest economies, and the EU average, measuring the gap between high and low
the city, office jobs and a more international is remarkably stable. Despite a significant scorers. North Africa stands out for its pace
environment expose them to English more improvement in the past decade in these of change. Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia all
frequently. Although closing this gap is three countries, none is improving fast moved up a proficiency band this year, and
unlikely, countries can avoid deepening it by enough to catch up to their neighbors. Algeria’s score rose year-on-year by more
ensuring English instruction in rural schools than any other country in the world.
is at least as good as in urban ones. Contradictory trends in Asia
The regional average in Asia has not Progress is slow in the Middle East
Places with higher English proficiency changed since last year, but in such a vast Adult English proficiency remains far lower
are fairer and more open zone, a regional average may not be the in the Middle East than in other regions.
There is an increasingly clear relationship best indicator. Central Asia has made the Although there has been a small amount of
between a society’s connectedness to the clearest progress, gaining an average of progress in the past decade, adults under 25
world, its level of equality and freedom, and eight points a year since it entered the have not improved at all, which is worrisome
its level of English. The simplest relationship index in 2018. East Asia is also trending up given the region’s youthful population. In
to explain is between a country’s level (and over a longer period) despite Japan’s addition, women’s English proficiency is not
of outward focus and its English. It is a steady decline in English proficiency. South keeping pace with men’s. The workplace
virtuous cycle. Places that engage heavily Asia and the ASEAN countries have mixed is key in building adult English proficiency
with the world (economically, scientifically, trends, with declining population-weighted both through direct training and through
diplomatically, etc.) need English, so English averages despite several member countries exposure. When women are left out of the
becomes a priority. And through their improving their English. workforce, their skills do not develop.
engagement with the world, adults have
more exposure to English, which in turn Latin America continues to Languages connect people. They are
raises proficiency. improve, mostly the way we share ideas, preserve
Almost all countries in Latin America have knowledge, and create culture. And
The more complex relationship is between improved their adult English proficiency over languages with many speakers have an
English and fairness, and yet we find strong the past decade, and although progress inherent magnetism: learning them open
and consistent correlations between English has not always been dramatic, it has been doors. English has the potential to be a
and gender equality, social mobility, and regular. In order to consolidate these powerful driver of diversity and inclusion
freedom. Inequality appears to dampen gains, women’s English proficiency must over the coming decade, if only everyone
English proficiency, perhaps by leaving a be raised to the same level as men’s. The gets an equal shot at learning it.
portion of the population behind when it ever-widening skill gap between genders
comes to English learning opportunities. in the region is not sustainable. Mexico’s
consistently-declining English proficiency, a
drop of 69 points since 2011, is also worthy
of attention and investment.

5
EF EPI 2021
Ranking of Countries and Regions

Proficiency Bands

Very High

High

Moderate

Low

Very Low

Very High Proficiency High Proficiency Moderate Proficiency

01 Netherlands 663 14 Serbia 599 32 Hong Kong, China 545 44 Paraguay 520
02 Austria 641 15 Romania 598 33 Spain 540 47 Chile 516
03 Denmark 636 16 Poland 597 34 Lebanon 536 48 India 515
04 Singapore 635 17 Hungary 593 35 Italy 535 49 China 513
05 Norway 632 18 Philippines 592 36 Moldova 532 50 Georgia 512
06 Belgium 629 19 Greece 591 37 South Korea 529 51 Russia 511
07 Portugal 625 20 Slovakia 590 38 Belarus 528 52 Tunisia 510
08 Sweden 623 21 Kenya 587 39 Albania 527 53 Uruguay 509
09 Finland 618 22 Estonia 581 40 Ukraine 525 54 El Salvador 508
10 Croatia 617 23 Bulgaria 580 41 Bolivia 524 55 Honduras 506
11 Germany 616 24 Lithuania 579 42 Ghana 523 56 Peru 505
12 South Africa 606 25 Switzerland 575 43 Cuba 521 57 Macau, China 504
13 Luxembourg 604 26 Latvia 569 44 Costa Rica 520 58 Iran 501
27 Czech Republic 563 44 Dominican Republic 520
28 Malaysia 562
29 Nigeria 560
30 Argentina 556
31 France 551

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Low Proficiency Very Low Proficiency
59 Armenia 499 73 Panama 475 87 Afghanistan 448 100 Thailand 419
60 Brazil 497 73 Venezuela 475 88 Uzbekistan 447 101 Kyrgyzstan 418
61 Guatemala 493 75 Algeria 474 89 Syria 445 102 Oman 417
62 Nepal 492 76 Nicaragua 470 90 Ecuador 440 103 Tajikistan 405
63 Ethiopia 491 77 Madagascar 469 90 Jordan 440 104 Saudi Arabia 404
63 Pakistan 491 78 Japan 468 92 Mexico 436 105 Haiti 403
65 Bangladesh 490 79 Qatar 467 93 Myanmar 429 106 Somalia 401
66 Vietnam 486 80 Indonesia 466 94 Angola 428 107 Iraq 399
67 Tanzania 485 81 Colombia 465 94 Cameroon 428 108 Libya 390
68 Mozambique 482 82 Sri Lanka 464 96 Kazakhstan 426 109 Rwanda 389
69 United Arab Emirates 480 83 Mongolia 461 97 Cambodia 423 110 Democratic 386
Republic of
70 Turkey 478 84 Kuwait 458 98 Sudan 421
the Congo
71 Morocco 477 85 Egypt 455 99 Ivory Coast 420
111 South Sudan 363
72 Bahrain 476 86 Azerbaijan 451
112 Yemen 360

7
EF EPI 2021 City Scores

Proficiency Bands

Very High

High

Moderate

Low

Very Low

Very High Proficiency High Proficiency Moderate Proficiency

Amsterdam 682 Bruxelles 598 Ha Noi 548 Tirana 520
Copenhagen 668 Davao City 597 Hyderabad 548 Brasília 517
Helsinki 659 Kuala Lumpur 596 São Paulo 546 Tokyo 516
Vienna 658 Manila 595 Hong Kong 545 Montevideo 515
Stockholm 646 Paris 595 Shanghai 543 Shenzhen 515
Porto 643 Bratislava 594 Minsk 538 Tunis 515
Johannesburg 641 Sofia 591 Saint Petersburg 537 Tehran 514
Lisbon 638 Prague 590 Moscow 535 Rio de Janeiro 513
Zagreb 635 Chennai 586 Santo Domingo 535 Bandung 512
Oslo 633 Mumbai 586 Accra 534 Dhaka 512
Budapest 628 Lyon 580 Lima 532 Monterrey 512
Berlin 622 Bangalore 579 Kiev 531 Dubai 511
Hamburg 622 Lagos 576 Guadalajara 528 Karachi 511
Warsaw 621 Milan 571 Havana 527 Kazan 511
Athens 616 Seoul 571 Delhi 524 San Salvador 510
Zurich 616 Barcelona 569 Beijing 523 Jakarta 506
Bucharest 612 Madrid 569 Tblisi 523 Chengdu 505
Belgrade 604 Buenos Aires 567 Dar Es Salaam 522 Panama City 505
Nairobi 601 Córdoba 561 Surabaya 522 Caracas 504
San José 553 Addis Ababa 521 Macau 504
Rome 552 Taipei 521
Santiago 552

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Low Proficiency Very Low Proficiency English proficiency scores for
over 400 regions and cities,
Guangzhou 498 Managua 475 Tashkent 446 as well as country and regional
Wuhan 498 Mexico City 475 Khartoum 441 gender, age, and industry data,
Guatemala City 497 Doha 472 Yangon 441 are available for download at
www.ef.com/epi.
Maputo 493 Bangkok 471 Kabul 440
Algiers 492 Nur-Sultan 470 Bishkek 437
Ankara 489 Almaty 466 Luanda 436
Medellín 489 Tijuana 464 Riyadh 432
Bogotá 486 Amman 460 Baghdad 431
Casablanca 482 Baku 459 Jeddah 424
Istanbul 482 Cali 458 Mogadishu 423
Cairo 480 Ulaanbaatar 454 Abidjan 421
Ho Chi Minh City 480 Damascus 451 Tripoli 421
Quito 480 Yaoundé 420
Dushanbe 412
Kigali 405
Kinshasa 403
Juba 375

9
EF EPI Facts and Figures

Who are the test takers?

2.0M 96%
Total Test Takers
53%
Female
Under 60
years old

Africa Middle East

26
21 12

Latin
America 112 Europe
Years
old
47%
20 Countries 35
and Regions Median Age
Asia
24 Male

How do gender and age affect English proficiency?

Global Gender Gap Global Generation Gap

EF EPI Score EF EPI Score

700 700

600 600

529 529
517
508 500
498
500 500
475

400 400

300 300
Female Male 18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+ Age Groups

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

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EF EPI 2021 regional trends

Europe Asia Africa Latin America Middle East

Highest Score Netherlands Singapore South Africa Argentina Lebanon

663 635 606 556 536

Lowest Score Azerbaijan Tajikistan South Sudan Haiti Yemen

451 405 363 403 360

Improved Band
(countries or regions) 2 3 4 6 1

Declined Band
(countries or regions) 0 0 0 0 1

EF EPI 2021 regional scores

EF EPI Regional Averages

EF EPI Score

700

600

552

504 World Average Score: 503

500 489 485

445

400

300
Europe Asia Africa Latin America Middle East

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

11
English and the Economy

Over the past decade we have GRAPH A

found consistent correlations
between English proficiency and
English and Productivity
GDP, income per capita, and a range Productivity Capacities Index
of other economic indicators. English
has become a fundamental skill 60
in forming a modern workforce. It
enables service exports, improves
competitiveness, facilitates 50
international trade, and broadens
individual horizons. English has
become such an essential skill that 40
from 2025, the OECD will add it
to its Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA) alongside 30
reading, math, and science.

20

R=0.70
10
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: United Nations Conference of Trade and Development, 2020

Proficiency Bands GRAPH B

Very High English and Human Capital

High Human Capital Index

Moderate 1.0

Low
0.9
Very Low
0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4
R=0.66
0.3
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: World Bank, 2020

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English and Innovation

Innovation depends on the flow GRAPH C

of technology and ideas from labs,
companies, and universities to public
English and Talent Competitiveness
forums where they can mingle and Global Talent Competitiveness Index
evolve. English is the most common
90
medium for this exchange. There is
nothing inherently more innovative or
80
scientific about the English language,
but the fact that so many people
70
speak it has created a network effect:
the more people use English, the
60
more useful it becomes.
50

40

30

20
R=0.65
10
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: Lanvin & Monteiro, 2020

Proficiency Bands GRAPH D

Very High English and Global Innovation

High Global Innovation Index
70
Moderate

Low
60
Very Low

50

40

30

20

R=0.68
10
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700
EF EPI Score
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization, 2020

13
English and Work

On average, the majority of EF EPI by Industry

industries have levels of English
lower than they would need to work
EF EPI Score 350 450 550
optimally (Moderate Proficiency or
higher). Of course, this is not the
case in every company. However, Consulting
very few companies work in a
bubble. Day to day, this means Information Technology
time lost to miscommunication,
Engineering
inefficient knowledge sharing,
imprecise specifications, more Fast-moving Consumer Goods
laborious negotiations, and
Food & Beverage
numerous other sources of drag
on corporate momentum. Logistics

Hospitality

Aviation

Retail

Construction

Pharmaceuticals

Telecommunications

Automotive

Mining & Energy

Banking & Finance

Electronics

Chemicals

Manufacturing

Insurance

Education

Government

Healthcare

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

On average, English proficiency in EF EPI 2012 to 2021 Industry Trends

the workplace has remained stable
since 2012, but the gap between
industries has narrowed by almost
20%. This supports the theory that
English is increasingly a universal
job requirement. Equalizing English
skills across the economy is a
positive trend, as it allows for more
Information Technology

flexibility on both an individual

Telecommunications

and a structural level. The fact that

Banking & Finance

Food & Beverage

Mining & Energy

English levels are not rising in the

Manufacturing

Construction
Government
Engineering
Automotive

workplace, however, indicates there

Healthcare

Consulting

Education
Aviation

are still plenty of opportunities to

Retail

boost organizational efficiency.

Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

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Modern businesses are increasingly EF EPI by Job Function

non-hierarchical with borderless teams
and an emphasis on agility and innovation.
EF EPI Score 350 450 550
When professionals lack the English skills
they need to evolve into new roles, their
career development is curtailed. For Marketing
their employers, the result is structural
inefficiency. With ever more rapidly Legal
evolving business needs, a company’s
Strategy & Planning
ability to reskill and upskill becomes key
to its competitiveness. English should be Human Resources
a driver of inclusion rather than a barrier
Information & Technology
for career progression.
Customer Service

R&D

Purchasing & Procurement

Accounting & Finance

Sales

Operations

Admin & Clerical

Technicans & Maintenance

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

Although managers continue to have EF EPI by Seniority

slightly better English proficiency
worldwide, they are not the best English
EF EPI Score 350 450 550
speakers in three of the five regions
studied, and the gaps are unusually
narrow. This democratization of English World
proficiency across seniority levels is in
line with the steadily improving English
of adults over 30. Wider seniority gaps Europe
in Asia and the Middle East are likely to
close as proficiency improves.
Asia

Latin America

Africa

Middle East

Executive Manager Staff

15
English and Society

Modern societies are plagued by GRAPH E

rising levels of inequality which
erode trust in political institutions
English and Social Mobility
and fuel a growing sense of injustice. Global Social Mobility Index
English proficiency is highest in those
countries giving everyone a fairer 100
chance. Because English opens up
international opportunities, it can 90
expand socioeconomic mobility
beyond that which a country can 80
provide on its own. However,
if English skills are distributed

UPDATE GRAPHIC
70
unequally, they will only compound
the problem.
60

50

40
R=0.69
30
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: World Economic Forum, 2020

Proficiency Bands GRAPH F

Very High English and Gender Equality

High Gender Inequality Index (Inverse)

Moderate 1.0

Low 0.9
Very Low
0.8

0.7

0.6

0.5

0.4
R=0.66
0.3
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: United Nations Development Program, 2019

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English and the Future

A globalized planet needs a way to GRAPH G

communicate and English is firmly
established in that role. Speaking
English and the Environment
English allows people to engage Environmental Performance Index
internationally in the broadest
possible sense: meeting colleagues 90
and watching Neflix, but also
understanding humanity’s common 80
challenges and collaborating on
solutions. From addressing the 70
climate crisis to maintaining peace
between nations, open access
60
to information and frictionless
international communication are
the most basic prerequisites. 50

40

30
R=0.69
20
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: Yale University, 2020

Proficiency Bands GRAPH H

Very High English and Freedom

High Global Freedom Scores

Moderate 100

Low

Very Low 80

60

40

20

R=0.74
0
350 400 450 500 550 600 650 700

EF EPI Score
Source: Freedom House, 2020

17
 Finland
Norway

Sweden
Estonia

Latvia
Denmark Russia
Lithuania

Belarus

Netherlands Germany
Poland
Belgium
Ukraine
Czech Republic
Luxembourg
Slovakia
France
Austria Moldova
Hungary
Switzerland
Croatia Romania
Serbia

Italy Bulgaria
Albania Georgia

Spain Armenia
Turkey
Azerbaijan
Portugal
Greece

EUROPE
EF EPI Rankings

01 Netherlands 663 15 Romania 598 33 Spain 540

02 Austria 641 16 Poland 597 35 Italy 535
03 Denmark 636 17 Hungary 593 36 Moldova 532
05 Norway 632 19 Greece 591 38 Belarus 528
06 Belgium 629 20 Slovakia 590 39 Albania 527
07 Portugal 625 22 Estonia 581 40 Ukraine 525
08 Sweden 623 23 Bulgaria 580 50 Georgia 512
09 Finland 618 24 Lithuania 579 51 Russia 511
10 Croatia 617 25 Switzerland 575 59 Armenia 499
11 Germany 616 26 Latvia 569 70 Turkey 478
13 Luxembourg 604 27 Czech Republic 563 86 Azerbaijan 451
14 Serbia 599 31 France 551

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

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EF EPI Trends EF EPI Score Change from Last Year

The average level of English within

the EU has risen by an average of six
points per year since 2011, making it
the area of the world with the largest
gains over the past decade. Portugal
has improved its English by 116
points, more than any other country
in the index.
Czech Republic

Luxembourg

Netherlands
Switzerland

Azerbaijan
Germany

Denmark

Lithuania
Romania
Hungary

Armenia
Portugal

Slovakia
Sweden

Belgium
Bulgaria

Georgia
Norway

Ukraine
Albania
Greece

Croatia
Belarus
Estonia
Finland

Austria
France

Poland

Turkey
Serbia
Russia

Latvia
Spain
Italy

Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

Gender Gap EF EPI Score

Last year, men’s English proficiency in 700

Europe outpaced women’s for the first
time by a very small margin. This year
that gap has doubled. Men in Albania,
600
the Czech Republic, Denmark, and
Spain significantly outscored women 547 557
on average. 508
498
500

400

300
Europe World

Generation Gap EF EPI Score

Gains in English proficiency in Europe 700

appear to be driven by older adults.
Since we began collecting age data
in 2015, Europeans over 40 have
600 586 587
improved their English by almost 574
twice as much as those aged 20-25, 550 544
529 529
while the level in the 18-20 age group 517
500
has remained stable. 500
475

400

300
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+
Age Groups

19
 Kazakhstan

Mongolia

Kyrgyzstan
Uzbekistan
China
Tajikistan

South Korea
Japan
Afghanistan

Pakistan

India
Nepal

Bangladesh
Macau, China
Vietnam
Hong Kong, China
Myanmar

Thailand Philippines
Cambodia

Sri Lanka

Malaysia

Singapore

Indonesia

ASIA
EF EPI Rankings

04 Singapore 635 63 Pakistan 491 93 Myanmar 429

18 Philippines 592 65 Bangladesh 490 96 Kazakhstan 426
28 Malaysia 562 66 Vietnam 486 97 Cambodia 423
32 Hong Kong, China 545 78 Japan 468 100 Thailand 419
37 South Korea 529 80 Indonesia 466 101 Kyrgyzstan 418
48 India 515 82 Sri Lanka 464 103 Tajikistan 405
49 China 513 83 Mongolia 461
57 Macau, China 504 87 Afghanistan 448
62 Nepal 492 88 Uzbekistan 447

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

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EF EPI Trends EF EPI Score Change from Last Year

Over the past decade, English

proficiency in Asia has been more
stable than in any other region, but
that is not the case for individual
countries. Central Asia only entered
the index in 2018, but it is currently
the fastest-improving area in the
world, with an average score
change of eight points per year.

Hong Kong, China

Macau, China
South Korea

Afghanistan

Bangladesh
Kazakhstan

Uzbekistan
Kyrgyzstan

Philippines
Cambodia

Singapore
Indonesia

Myanmar
Mongolia

Tajikistan
Sri Lanka

Malaysia
Thailand

Vietnam
Pakistan
Japan

Nepal
China

India
Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

Gender Gap EF EPI Score

Men’s English proficiency has 700

outpaced women’s for the first time
this year in Asia, driven by India and
Thailand with gender gaps of 21 and
600
32 points respectively. Meanwhile,
China has moved in the opposite
direction. Its gender gap, in favor of 511 508
497 498
women by 36 points, has doubled 500
since last year, and is now the world’s
third largest.

400

300
Asia World

Generation Gap EF EPI Score

Adults in their 20’s and 30’s 700

remain the best English speakers in
Asia. The skill distribution between
age groups has not changed much
600
since 2015, with a slight skill loss
among those 18-20.
529 529
510 517 516
504 500
500 482 475
463

400

300
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+
Age Groups

21
 Cuba
Mexico

Dominican Republic
Haiti
Guatemala
Honduras

El Salvador Nicaragua

Costa Rica Venezuela

Panama

Colombia

Ecuador

Peru

Bolivia

Brazil
Paraguay

Uruguay
Chile
Argentina

LATIN
AMERICA
EF EPI Rankings

30 Argentina 556 56 Peru 505

41 Bolivia 524 60 Brazil 497
43 Cuba 521 61 Guatemala 493
44 Costa Rica 520 73 Panama 475
44 Dominican Republic 520 73 Venezuela 475
44 Paraguay 520 76 Nicaragua 470
47 Chile 516 81 Colombia 465
53 Uruguay 509 90 Ecuador 440
54 El Salvador 508 92 Mexico 436
55 Honduras 506 105 Haiti 403

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

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EF EPI Trends EF EPI Score Change from Last Year

English proficiency in both Central

and South America continued to
rise overall in the past year with
more countries now in the Moderate
Proficiency band than ever before.
However, Mexico’s score, which has
declined every year since 2017, held
the Latin American average stable.

Dominican Republic

El Salvador
Guatemala
Costa Rica

Venezuela

Nicaragua
Argentina

Colombia
Honduras
Paraguay

Uruguay

Ecuador
Panama

Mexico

Bolivia
Cuba
Brazil
Chile

Peru
Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

Gender Gap EF EPI Score

Since 2014, women’s English 700

proficiency in Latin America has
declined slightly while men’s has
improved significantly, leaving
600
the second largest gender gap of
any region of the world. Of the
eight countries where men have 508
497 498
the greatest advantage in English 500
473
proficiency, five are in Latin America.

400

300
Latin America World

Generation Gap EF EPI Score

The largest gains in English 700

proficiency in Latin America since
2015 have been among adults in their
30’s. Although school systems are
600
often credited (or blamed) for the
level of English, economic incentives,
529 529
workplace exposure, and access to 517 511
493 501 500
English-language media are clearly 500
475
461 474
contributing to adult proficiency.

400

300
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+
Age Groups

23
 Algeria Tunisia

Morocco
Libya

Egypt

Sudan

Nigeria
Ethiopia
Ivory Coast
Ghana
South Sudan
Cameroon
Somalia

Kenya
Rwanda
Democratic Republic Tanzania
of the Congo

Angola

Madagascar

Mozambique

AFRICA South Africa

EF EPI Rankings

12 South Africa 606 85 Egypt 455

21 Kenya 587 94 Angola 428
29 Nigeria 560 94 Cameroon 428
42 Ghana 523 98 Sudan 421
52 Tunisia 510 99 Ivory Coast 420
63 Ethiopia 491 106 Somalia 401
67 Tanzania 485 108 Libya 390
68 Mozambique 482 109 Rwanda 389
71 Morocco 477 110 Democratic 386
Republic of
75 Algeria 474
the Congo
77 Madagascar 469
111 South Sudan 363

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

24 www.ef.com/epi
 Participate in the EF EPI: take the free EF SET at efset.org

EF EPI Trends EF EPI Score Change from Last Year

We do not yet have enough historic

data on adult English proficiency
in Africa to be able to speak of
continent-wide trends, but a third
of the countries which improved
significantly since last year are in
Africa. North Africa in particular
stands out for its steady gains.

South Africa
Ivory Coast
Cameroon

Morocco
Ethiopia
Rwanda

Nigeria
Angola

Algeria
Tunisia
Sudan

Kenya

Egypt
Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

Gender Gap EF EPI Score

Africa is the only region in this 700

year’s index where women’s English
proficiency is higher than men’s. Of
the seven countries with a significant
600
proficiency gap in favor of women,
five are African (Ethiopia, Kenya,
Morocco, South Africa and Sudan). 508
494 498
500 483

400

300
Africa World

Generation Gap EF EPI Score

In Africa on average, age is not 700

a determining factor in English
proficiency. However, this trend
is driven exclusively by countries
600
where English is an official language.
In other African countries, the gap
529 529
between the highest and lowest 517
492 495 500
proficiency age groups is far wider. 500 490 487
475 473

400

300
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+
Age Groups

25
 Iran

Lebanon
Syria
Iraq

Jordan

Kuwait

Bahrain

Saudi Arabia Qatar

United Arab Emirates

Oman

Yemen

MIDDLE
EAST
EF EPI Rankings

34 Lebanon 536 89 Syria 445

58 Iran 501 90 Jordan 440
69 United Arab Emirates 480 102 Oman 417
72 Bahrain 476 104 Saudi Arabia 404
79 Qatar 467 107 Iraq 399
84 Kuwait 458 112 Yemen 360

Proficiency Bands Very High High Moderate Low Very Low

26 www.ef.com/epi
 Participate in the EF EPI: take the free EF SET at efset.org

EF EPI Trends EF EPI Score Change from Last Year

Although the Middle East has made

progress over the past decade, other
regions have improved more quickly,
causing the majority of countries to
slip down the rankings. While Asia,
Europe, Latin America and North
Africa have gained an average of five
or more points per year, the Middle
East has only gained three.

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Arabia

Bahrain
Jordan
Kuwait

Oman
Qatar
Syria
Iraq
Iran
Trending Down Slight Decrease Slight Increase Trending Up

Gender Gap EF EPI Score

The English proficiency gap 700

between genders has widened this
year in the Middle East, driven mainly
by Saudi Arabia and Iraq. However,
600
like elsewhere, the situation is
heterogeneous. In the U.A.E., women
have higher proficiency than men, 508
498
and in six other countries in the 500
region, there is no real difference 461
in proficiency by gender. 430
400

300
Middle East World

Generation Gap EF EPI Score

In the Middle East, English 700

proficiency in under-25s as compared
to other adults is strikingly low. This
age-related gap opened up last
600
year and has widened slightly after
simultaneous proficiency gains in
529 529
people over 30 and losses in younger 517
500
groups. For a youthful region, this 500
475
trend is worrisome. 451 448 440
416
405
400

300
18-20 21-25 26-30 31-40 41+
Age Groups

27
Conclusions

In 2021, English is a powerful tool for information exchange. All fields, from science to
culture, diplomacy to business, use it to share their work and keep abreast of innovation.

If the adoption of English is rooted in Pandemic geography What stays online

history, the need for a lingua franca The COVID pandemic loosened our ties to It is impossible to say at this point which
springs from globalization. The more our geography while simultaneously reinforcing pandemic habits we will carry into the
economies, technologies and populations them. The loosening occurred as activities future, but a few seem obvious. Working
have intertwined, the more we have needed moved online. School, work, volunteerism, from home has been well and truly tried.
a way to communicate across borders. As culture: everything went virtual. Where you Many companies will not go back to the
a consequence, English usage has spread lived hardly seemed to matter anymore. old way, at least not completely. While
around the world over the past decades, Parents left the city; emigrants went home; employment law will continue to stand in
unevenly but persistently. both kept their jobs. Companies gave the way of open, cross-border working
up leases on large offices. Conferences, arrangements, companies already say they
As companies internationalize, they hire concerts, and other cultural events became are hiring further afield and are no longer
more English speakers and invest in training accessible to people everywhere. averse to flexible working arrangements.
their employees. Education systems realize English will be a key skill for those who want
that graduates need better English and Office culture opened up too. Where to access these location-neutral positions.
improve their teaching methods. Adults once colleagues interacted most frequently
who want to improve their competitiveness with their office mates, from home, they The pandemic also put online learning
get their children tutors and sign up for developed new borderless routines. With through its paces. We now know children
night classes. In country after country, all meetings already online, why not invite need to be in classrooms, but we have also
the patterns are the same. the colleague from Japan, the partner seen how well online learning can work for
from Argentina? Time zones were the only adults when all the prerequisites are met:
There are also other patterns, older ones remaining barrier, and a low one at that. teachers who understand the platform,
of colonialism alongside newer ones of a good internet connection, functional
mass tourism and streaming media. When At the same time, borders snapped shut software and hardware. Those who spent
people ask, “Why don’t people in x country and international travel dropped by over all or part of the pandemic studying online
speak English better?” the answer is never 70%. As governments rolled out restrictions, may return eagerly to school, but they will
straightforward, but what is straightforward we found out how much power they not lose the skills to take charge of their
are the elements that must come together actually have. More stationary than at any own education and learn more
for an adult to learn a language: motivation, time in living memory, our lives became autonomously in the future.
instruction, exposure and practice. profoundly local. How bad things got, how
much freedom you had, how quickly you Education systems themselves,
got vaccinated: all depended on where you from teachers to deans and network
were physically located. administrators, have learned a lot from
their forced period of virtual instruction.
While primary and secondary schools will
likely go back to a purely face-to-face
model, universities may have crossed a
threshold. Will online and blended degrees
become options within the mainstream
university experience? Only time will tell.

28 www.ef.com/epi
Finally, to learn a language, people need As higher education internationalizes, If English proficiency is not to become
huge amounts of exposure and practice pressure to attract students from abroad one more source of frustration in unequal
(roughly 1,200 hours to go from beginner has grown, which often means universities societies, more must be done to define it as
to upper intermediate). Moving abroad for in non-English speaking countries offering a core skill. Children and young adults need
full immersion is the quickest option, but degree programs in English. Although this to be taught English to a professional level
for professionals, a high-quality online practice is fine on a small scale, when during the course of their basic education.
school is probably the next best choice, expanded across a university system, it Adults need access to continuing education
especially when combined with a job where denies non-English-speaking students a programs that work. Public servants and
they can put their new skills to immediate tertiary education, and over time, reduces private sector employees need English
use. Online English schools have competed the number of students who have received training aligned to the needs of not just
with brick-and-mortar schools for years, a university-level education in the language their current position, but their careers.
but the pandemic may prove a tipping they were born into. This risk is easy to
point in their adoption. mitigate—ensure a steady supply of higher Speaking English opens up enormous
education degree programs in national opportunities. More people deserve access
Not too far languages. International students can to them.
Fundamentally, the more interconnected also learn their host country’s language
the world is, the more people need to (and become excellent ambassadors) if
communicate across borders. However, encouraged and supported in that direction.
the pursuit of English proficiency, if taken
too far, causes collateral damage. Equalizing access to English
Speaking English has become a requirement
When English is used as the sole to access skilled work in many countries,
language of instruction before children and yet more must be done to ensure equal
have been educated in their native language, access to English education. In too many
educational outcomes suffer. In order for places, only urban schools have English
children to develop to their full intellectual teachers, and even when teacher supply is
potential, they must be taught in a language not an issue, the level of instruction is too
they understand. English can be introduced low. Parents send their children to private
from a young age, but it cannot replace schools or abroad to learn English. Adults
mother tongue instruction until children use their evenings and vacations to improve
are fully proficient. Likewise, ministries that their proficiency. Those who do not have
rush headlong into introducing English- these resources get left behind. English skills
language instruction without first training allow access to international training and
teachers waste time and money trying to career progression, as well as providing a
recover from that mistake. vehicle for better mutual understanding and
belonging in the workplace.
Countries that were colonized have an
understandably complex relationship to
their colonial language. Deciding which
roles different languages should play in the
educational system merits careful reflection
and a national dialog.

29
Recommendations

Most organizations and individuals are convinced of the advantages of

English proficiency. However, not everyone knows how to get there.
Here are a few recommendations for different stakeholders.

For companies For governments and education • Assess the English skills of all public
authorities servants and provide training as
• Set realistic goals that take into necessary, not only for their current
account the hours needed to close • Consider the hours available in jobs, but also for their careers.
the gap between current and target the curriculum and the proficiency
proficiency levels for each individual. level achievable for each major • Provide English language instruction
educational milestone. in job centers and unemployment
• Build a culture of internationalism and reduction programs.
mobility, including in branch offices. • Use large-scale assessment of
both teachers and students to • Give adults access to lifelong
• Use platforms that facilitate benchmark a starting point and learning programs.
frequent contact between teams track progress over time.
in different countries. • Ensure that government-funded
• Adjust entrance and exit exams so adult language courses are long
• Build diverse, multinational teams in that they evaluate communicative enough and intensive enough for
all functions, including the back office. English skills. learners to meet their goals.
• Test the entire workforce to identify • Include English in the training • Develop standardized micro-
strategic weaknesses in English. regimens for all new teachers. credentials that certify course
quality and improve skill portability.
• Train employees using a role-specific • Re-train English teachers in
English curriculum. communicative teaching methods • Allow TV shows and movies to be
if they were initially trained using shown in their original language,
• Leverage technology to bring
other methods. with subtitles rather than dubbing.
flexible learning at scale.
• Ensure that English is taught only by
• Set minimum standards of English
people who speak the language well
proficiency for different roles, and test
enough to instruct in it.
that those standards are being met.
• Set a minimum level required to
• Reward employees who invest time
teach English, test instructors regularly,
in improving their English.
and train those who miss the mark.
• Encourage executives and managers
• Teach children to read and write in
to lead by example and share their
their own native language.
experiences as English learners.

• Prioritize access to English learning for

all employees.

30 www.ef.com/epi
For teachers, schools, and universities For individuals

• Teach English using a communication- • Play the long game: plan for the
based methodology. hundreds of hours it takes to move
from one proficiency level to the next.
• Give students frequent opportunities
to speak English through activities • Be aware of growing competence
like English clubs, theme days, at different stages and celebrate
classroom twinning, school trips, your successes.
and guest speakers.
• Study English every day, even if only
• Provide a forum for teachers to share for a few minutes.
best practices and get advice about
teaching English effectively. • Study in sessions of 20-30 minutes
rather than for hours at a time.
• Give teachers a straightforward path
to improve their own English. • Set specific, achievable goals and
write them down.
• Include English language requirements
for all university majors. • Memorize vocabulary relevant to
your job or field of study and begin
• Allow subject classes to be taught in using it immediately.
English if both the students and the
professor meet the requisite English level. • Practice speaking, even if it’s just
reading a book aloud.

• Watch TV, read, or listen to the

radio in English.

• When traveling to an English-speaking

country, speak as much as possible.

• Use social media in English and set

computers and apps to English to get
more built-in exposure to the language.

31
APPENDIX A

About the Index

Methodology Test Takers Sampling Biases

This edition of the EF EPI is based Although the sample of test takers for The test-taking population represented
on test data from more than 2,000,000 the EF EPI is biased toward respondents in this Index is self-selected and not
test takers around the world who took the who are interested in pursuing language guaranteed to be representative. Only
EF Standard English Test (EF SET) or one study and younger adults, the sample is those who want to learn English or are
of our English placement tests in 2020. roughly balanced between male and female curious about their English skills will
respondents and represents adult language participate in one of these tests. This
The EF Standard English Test (EF SET) learners from a broad range of ages. could skew scores lower or higher than
The EF SET is an online, adaptive English those of the general population. However,
test of reading and listening skills. It is • Female respondents comprised 53% of there is no incentive for test takers to
a standardized, objectively scored test the overall sample. inflate their scores artificially on these
designed to classify test takers’ language low-stakes tests by cheating, as the
abilities into one of the six levels established • The median age of adult respondents
results are purely for personal use.
by the Common European Framework was 26.
of Reference (CEFR). The EF SET is The EF SET is free and online, so anyone
• 83% of all respondents were under
available to any Internet user for free. with an Internet connection can participate.
the age of 35, and 96% were under
For more information about the research Almost all of our test takers are working
the age of 60.
and development of the EF SET, visit adults or young adults finishing their studies.
www.efset.org/about/. • The median age of male respondents was People without Internet access would be
27, slightly higher than the median age of automatically excluded. The EF SET site
EF EPI 2021 scores have been found to is fully adaptive and 30% of test takers
female respondents, which was 26.
correlate strongly with TOEFL iBT 2019 complete the exam from a mobile device.
scores (r=0.81) and IELTS Academic Test Only cities, regions, and countries with
2019 scores (r=0.73). These correlations a minimum of 400 test takers were In parts of the world where Internet usage
show that, while these tests have different included in the Index, but in most cases is low, we would expect the impact of an
designs and test taker profiles, they reveal the number of test takers was far greater. online format to be strong. This sampling
similar trends in national English proficiency. bias would tend to pull scores upward by
excluding poorer and less educated people.
Nevertheless, open access online tests
have proven effective in gathering very
large amounts of data about a range of
indicators, and we believe they provide
valuable information about global English
proficiency levels.

32 www.ef.com/epi
Score Calculation Other Data Sources Another source of data about English
To calculate an EF EPI score, we used The EF EPI does not aim to compete with proficiency comes from national education
weighted components which include or contradict national test results, language systems. Many schools test the English skills
English tests and the EF EPI from 2020. polling data, or any other data set. Instead, of every high school student or university
Inclusion of the previous year’s Index these data sets complement each other. applicant using a standardized national
helps to stabilize scores year over year, Some are granular but limited in scope to assessment. The results may or may not be
but test takers from the previous year are a single age group, country, region, or test made public, but educators and government
not counted in the total test taker count taker profile. The EF EPI is broad, examining officials use the data to assess the efficacy
for the current year. Regional averages are working-aged adults around the world using of education reform and pinpoint areas for
weighted by population. a common assessment method. There is improvement. Unfortunately, those national
no other data set of comparable size and assessments are not comparable to
Based on score thresholds, we assign scope, and, despite its limitations, we, each other, and they are not administered
countries, regions, and cities to proficiency along with many policymakers, scholars, to adults, so while they give a good
bands. This allows recognition of clusters and analysts, believe it to be a valuable indication of English proficiency among
with similar English skill levels and reference point in the global conversation high school students in one part of the
comparisons within and between regions. about English language education. world, they cannot be used for international
comparison, nor can they tell us much
CEFR EF EPI Score The EF EPI is created through a different about adult English proficiency levels.
process from the one used by public
C2 700-800 opinion research organizations such as EF Education First
C1 600-699 Euromonitor and Gallup, or by the OECD EF Education First (EF), founded in Sweden
in skills surveys such as PISA and PIAAC. in 1965, provides culturally immersive
B2 500-599
Those studies select survey participants education through language, travel, cultural
B1 400-499 using age, gender, level of education, exchange, and academic programs in
income, and other factors. Their survey over 100 countries. Learn more by visiting
A2 300-399
panels tend to be small, with at most a few www.ef.com. The EF English Proficiency
A1 200-299 thousand participants. Because they have Index is published by Signum International AG.
Pre-A1 1-199 been composed using complex sampling
methods, they are considered representative
of the entire population. Unfortunately, no
such survey of English skills has ever been
• The Very High Proficiency band
performed at an international level.
corresponds to CEFR level C1.

• The High and Moderate Proficiency

bands correspond to CEFR level B2,
with each EF EPI band corresponding
to half of the CEFR level.

• The Low Proficiency band corresponds

to the upper half of CEFR level B1.

• The Very Low Proficiency band

corresponds to the lower half of CEFR
level B1 and A2.

33
APPENDIX B

EF EPI
Proficiency Bands

About EF EPI Proficiency Bands Proficiency Sample Tasks

The EF English Proficiency Index
Very High Use nuanced and appropriate language
places the surveyed countries and
Netherlands in social situations
territories into five proficiency bands,
Singapore Read advanced texts with ease
from Very High to Very Low. The bands Sweden Negotiate a contract with a native
make it easier to identify countries and
English speaker
regions with similar skill levels and to draw
comparisons between and within regions.

In the chart on the right, we give examples

of tasks that an individual could accomplish
at each proficiency band. The selection of High Make a presentation at work
tasks is not meant to be exhaustive, but it is Hungary Understand TV shows
a useful reference for understanding how Philippines Read a newspaper
skills advance across the bands. Kenya

It is important to keep in mind that

a proficiency band merely indicates the
level of the “average” person. The EF EPI
seeks to compare countries and territories, Moderate Participate in meetings in one’s area
which necessitates overlooking individual Italy of expertise
strengths and weaknesses. Costa Rica Understand song lyrics
China Write professional emails on
familiar subjects

Low Navigate an English-speaking country

Guatemala as a tourist
Pakistan Engage in small talk with colleagues
Turkey Understand simple emails from colleagues

Very Low Introduce oneself simply

Mexico ( name, age, country of origin)
Tajikistan Understand simple signs
Rwanda Give basic directions to a foreign visitor

34 www.ef.com/epi
APPENDIX C

CEFR Levels
and Can-Do Statements

Proficient User
C2 • Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.
• Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources,
reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.

• Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely,

differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.

C1 • Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts,

and recognize implicit meaning.

• Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much

obvious searching for expressions.

• Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic,

and professional purposes.

• Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects,

showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors, and
cohesive devices.

Independent User
B2 • Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and
abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.

• Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

• Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain
a viewpoint on a topical issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of
various options.

B1 • Can understand the main points of clear standard input on

familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.

• Can deal with most situations likely to arise while traveling in

an area where the language is spoken.

• Can produce simple connected text on topics that are

familiar or of personal interest.

• Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes, and ambitions

and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

Basic User
A2 • Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions
related to most relevant areas (e.g. very basic personal and family
information, shopping, local geography, employment).

• Can communicate during routine tasks requiring a simple and

direct exchange of information on familiar matters.

• Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background,

immediate environment, and matters in areas of immediate need.

A1 • Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very

basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

• Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer
questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people
he/she knows, and things he/she has.

• Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks

slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
Quoted From the Council of Europe
All countries and regions in the EF EPI fall into bands corresponding to levels A2-C1.

35
 EF EPI 2020 EF EPI 2021
APPENDIX D Score Change
Edition Edition
EF EPI Netherlands 652 663 +11

Country and Austria 623 641 +18

Region Rankings Denmark

Singapore
632
611
636
635
+4
+24
Norway 624 632 +8

A look at changes Belgium 612 629 +17

Portugal 618 625 +7
in English skills over
Sweden 625 623 -2
the past year:
Finland 631 618 -13
Croatia 599 617 +18
Germany 616 616 +0
South Africa 607 606 -1
Luxembourg 610 604 -6
Serbia 597 599 +2
Romania 589 598 +9
Poland 596 597 +1
Hungary 598 593 -5
Philippines 562 592 +30
Greece 578 591 +13
Slovakia 577 590 +13
Kenya 577 587 +10
Estonia 566 581 +15
Bulgaria 579 580 +1
Lithuania 570 579 +9
Switzerland 588 575 -13
Latvia 555 569 +14
Czech Republic 580 563 -17
Malaysia 547 562 +15
Nigeria 537 560 +23
Argentina 566 556 -10
France 559 551 -8
Hong Kong, China 542 545 +3
Spain 537 540 +3
Lebanon — 536 Re-entry
Italy 547 535 -12
Moldova — 532 New
South Korea 545 529 -16
Belarus 513 528 +15
Albania 511 527 +16
Ukraine 506 525 +19
Bolivia 504 524 +20
Ghana — 523 New
Cuba 512 521 +9
Costa Rica 530 520 -10
Dominican Republic 499 520 +21
Paraguay 517 520 +3
Chile 523 516 -7
India 496 515 +19
China 520 513 -7
Georgia 503 512 +9
Russia 512 511 -1
Tunisia 489 510 +21
Uruguay 494 509 +15
El Salvador 483 508 +25
Honduras 498 506 +8
Peru 482 505 +23

36 www.ef.com/epi
 EF EPI 2020 EF EPI 2021
Score Change
Edition Edition
Macau, China 505 504 -1
Iran 483 501 +18
Armenia 494 499 +5
Brazil 490 497 +7
Guatemala 476 493 +17
Nepal 480 492 +12
Ethiopia 477 491 +14
Pakistan 478 491 +13
Bangladesh 476 490 +14
Vietnam 473 486 +13
Tanzania — 485 New
Mozambique — 482 New
United Arab Emirates 472 480 +8
Turkey 465 478 +13
Morocco 453 477 +24
Bahrain 453 476 +23
Panama 483 475 -8
Venezuela 471 475 +4
Algeria 442 474 +32
Nicaragua 455 470 +15
Madagascar — 469 New
Japan 487 468 -19
Qatar 459 467 +8
Indonesia 453 466 +13
Colombia 448 465 +17
Sri Lanka 466 464 -2
Mongolia 446 461 +15
Kuwait 461 458 -3
Egypt 437 455 +18
Azerbaijan 432 451 +19
Afghanistan 445 448 +3
Uzbekistan 430 447 +17
Syria 431 445 +14
Ecuador 411 440 +29
Jordan 456 440 -16
Mexico 440 436 -4
Myanmar 411 429 +18
Angola 444 428 -16
Cameroon 419 428 +9
Kazakhstan 412 426 +14
Cambodia 435 423 -12
Sudan 434 421 -13
Ivory Coast 414 420 +6
Thailand 419 419 +0
Kyrgyzstan 405 418 +13
Oman 398 417 +19
Tajikistan 381 405 +24
Saudi Arabia 399 404 +5
Haiti — 403 New
Somalia — 401 New
Iraq 383 399 +16
Libya — 390 Re-entry
Rwanda 408 389 -19
Democratic Republic of the Congo — 386 New
South Sudan — 363 New
Yemen — 360 Re-entry

37
APPENDIX E

Selected
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