English has become the first foreign language to be taught in many countries; this has been compulsory in Germany since 1955. In addition, in many countries so-called varieties have been developed that use English as a base, but are mixed with the characteristics of the national languages. The best known example of this phenomenon is the variation of British and American English. Although most words sound identical, the word garbage in American English sounds completely different in British English, 'rubish'. For this and other information about English-speaking countries, you can visit the link above.