For a region which depends on English-speaking tourism and has done for decades, it is amazing that the level of English continues to be so poor. EF (Education First), a global provider of cultural immersion education, has published the 2025 edition of its EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), the world’s most comprehensive ranking of adult English proficiency in 123 countries and regions.
Galicia, La Rioja and the Community of Madrid are the regions with the best level of English in Spain in 2025, while Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura are the autonomous communities with the lowest scores, according to the annual EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) report, compiled from data on 2.2 million adults from 123 countries and regions.
Galicia tops the regional ranking with 563 points, followed by La Rioja with 560 and Madrid with 553, with these three communities achieving the highest scores in the country. The national average stands at 540 points, two more than the previous year. The group of regions that exceed the Spanish average also includes Catalonia (547 points), the Basque Country and Cantabria (550), Asturias (552), Navarre (553), Aragon (540) and Castile and Leon (542).
In contrast, the autonomous communities with the lowest level of English in 2025 are Andalusia and the Region of Murcia, with 526 and 529 points, Extremadura, with 514 points, and Castile-La Mancha with 509, all of which are below the Spanish average. The Valencian Community (537), the Canary Islands (539) and the Balearics (534) are also below average, although within the intermediate range of language proficiency.
Vigo is once again the Spanish city with the highest level of English, with 569 points, consolidating its national leadership. In the case of the Balearics, Palma scores 549 points, placing it above the national average (540) and positioning it within the group of cities with an intermediate-high level of language proficiency. This result reflects the importance of the international tourism sector in the use and learning of English in the region. At the lower end, among the cities with the lowest scores are Tarragona, with 505 points, and Granada, with 483 points. Most Spanish cities are in the middle range of English proficiency.
According to the report, Spain ranks 36th in the world this year with 540 points and remains in the moderate language proficiency category. The level continues to be highest among adults aged 26 to 30, while young people aged 18 to 25 have not yet regained their pre-pandemic level. Likewise, the gender gap continues to narrow for the second consecutive year, with women and men progressively closing the gap in terms of language proficiency.
By skill, the results show better performance in reading (558 points), confirming this skill as the main strength, followed by listening comprehension (525 points). Written expression scores 506 points, placing it at an intermediate level, while speaking scores the lowest (462 points), indicating an area for priority improvement. Overall, these trends reflect a strong profile in receptive skills, with greater challenges in productive skills, especially in oral communication.
The EF EPI 2025 shows a scenario of global stability in English proficiency, with slight advances in Central and Northern Europe and occasional setbacks in Asia and the Middle East. The Netherlands remains the global leader, followed by Croatia and Austria, while Germany rises to fourth place after one of the largest increases in Europe. At the other end of the spectrum, large Asian and Latin American economies continue to record low levels of proficiency, widening the gap between regions.
By continent, Europe maintains the best overall results, albeit with increasingly slow progress; Asia has the most balanced skills gap thanks to the adoption of technology in language learning; Latin America reflects the largest generational difference, with adults more competent than young people; and Africa remains the most diverse region, with contrasts of more than 200 points between countries.
Globally, speaking remains the weakest skill, while reading and listening comprehension are consolidating their position as the pillars of English language learning. Beyond the rankings, the EF EPI analyses how English proficiency correlates with innovation, economic opportunities and international collaboration. As AI transforms the way we work and live, English remains not just a skill, but a foundation for accessing and shaping the future, especially as the most advanced AI tools are developed and launched primarily in English.