Spanish language

Spanish is a Romance language originally from the northern regions of what is now Spain. Like all modern descendants of Latin, it is chiefly a derivative of Vulgar Latin, the dialect of Latin spoken by the soldiers and provincial officials of the Roman Empire, with some influence from regional languages of its original area. Spanish also draws heavy influence from Arabic, due to the Moorish occupation of Spain lasting from 711 to 1492. Today, the majority of its speakers live outside of Spain, with large numbers in Central and South America. It is one of the most-spoken languages in the world. It is spoken as a first language by about 350,000,000 people, or by 417,000,000 if non-nativespeakers are included. The Spanish language is the second-most common language in the United States.

Distribution

• Spain
• Mexico
• The Dominican Republic
• Puerto Rico
• Latin America (with the exceptions of Portuguese-speaking Brazil, French-speaking French Guiana, English-speaking Suriname, and Dutch-speaking Guyana)
• Spanish facilities in Antarctica
• Hispanic populations in the United States
• former Spanish colonies in Africa
• a distinct dialect is spoken in the Philippines