Why should you learn Spanish?
The world is becoming more and more globalized, and it has never been more important than it is now to speak a foreign language. In order to understand why Spanish is such an important and useful language to learn, have a look at the following facts:
- More than 500 million people worldwide speak Spanish, and it is an official language in 21 countries, with around 350 million native speakers. In the United States alone there are more than 30 million native Spanish speakers, and this number is growing. Spanish is an official language of many international organisations, such as the United Nations, GATT, etc, and it is widely used in the world of art and tourism.
- 29 million people over the age of five who live in the USA speak Spanish at home. This is equivalent to one in ten residents in the USA, which is a very large consumer market.
- According to the United Status Census Bureau, the Hispanic population of the USA will reach 49.3 million in 2015. The 39 million Hispanic citizens who currently live in the country account for 12.5% of the total population, and there is an ever-increasing demand for Spanish availability of the media: radio, television, newspapers, magazines, etc.
- Countries in Latin America are experiencing a high level of economic growth and are becoming important business partners on a global level. It is hoped that the recent formation of MERCOSUR and free trade agreements between Hispanic and North-American countries (LAIA, the Andean Community, CACM, NAFTA, etc.) will provide an even greater boost to Latin American economies.
- Through learning Spanish you will also be able to understand Spanish and Latin American cultures, which have made some of the most important contributions to the world of art and literature: Dali, Goya, Miró and Picasso, and authors such as Isabel Allende, Cervantes and García Márquez.