Although there is evidence that the pace of globalization is slowing, international trade is a significant portion of the world economy, with exports making up around 20% of the world’s economic output. We consistently find a correlation between ease of doing business and a country’s English proficiency, as well as speaking English and a range of logistics-related indicators.
Human capital development
The latest edition of the EF EPI, English Proficiency Index, found that for economies around the world, higher English proficiency correlates with higher gross domestic product, higher net income, and higher productivity. To be clear, there’s no evidence that English proficiency drives this economic success. But the complex relationship between language skills and economic growth – with greater wealth facilitating more English training, and English skills helping economies stay competitive – highlights the role that English can play in broader schemes for economic growth.