List of countries and territories where Spanish is an official language

The following is a list of countries where Spanish is an official language, plus several countries where Spanish or any language closely related to it, is an important or significant language.

There are 20 UN member states where Spanish is an official language (de jure and de facto).

Spanish is the official language (either by law or de facto) in 20 sovereign states (including Equatorial Guinea, where it is official but not a native language), one dependent territory, and one partially recognized state, totaling around 442 million people.

In these countries and territories, Spanish serves as the predominant language of communication for the vast majority of the population. Official documents are primarily or exclusively composed in this language, and it is systematically taught in educational institutions, functioning as the principal medium of instruction within the official curriculum.

Spanish is a secondary language, co-official with Arabic as the primary language.

Spanish is a secondary de facto language, alongside English.

Notes:

Though not an official language at the national level, Spanish is regularly spoken by significant populations throughout these countries. Public services, education, and information are widely available in Spanish, as are various forms of printed and broadcast media.