Spanish is official language in several international institutions, such as the Organization of American States, the United Nations and the Union of South American Nations.

Nearly all of the world's Spanish native speakers live in the Americas, due to the fact that only Spain is located outside the Americas. As far as the native Spanish speakers in each country are concerned, Mexico stands on the top of the list. In Americas, Spanish is official language in the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay and Venezuela.  

The US Census Bureau reports that currently there are 39 million Hispanics living in the United States, which means that they represent about 12% of the american population. As many southern states used to be part of Mexico, the Spanish language has a long history in the United States. Due to strong immigration in recent years, the hispanic population in the USA has grown by 60% and it is estimated that immigration will contiune within the next years. That's why Spanish is the most widely taught foreign language in the United States.