Spanish is the native language of more than 470 million people worldwide. It is the official language of Spain, Mexico, and many South American nations. It also is spoken widely in Canada, Andorra, Morocco, the Caribbean, and the United States. Although Spain lost possession and control of its colonies in the Americas in the nineteenth century, the language remained ingrained in those countries. In the twenty-first century, Spanish remains the official language across much of Latin America.

Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2023. 3p.