Which is the most popular spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere?

The story behind the answer

Portuguese is the most spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere largely because of Brazil, whose population (over 200 million) overwhelmingly lives south of the Equator and speaks Portuguese. Lusophone countries like Angola, Mozambique, and East Timor add millions more, reinforcing Portuguese’s dominance below the Equator.

Remember it this way: “Brazil tips the scales.” While Spanish has huge global numbers, most Spanish speakers live in the Northern Hemisphere (Mexico, Spain, much of Central America, and northern South America). English and French have significant southern presences (Australia, South Africa, New Zealand; parts of Africa), but their speaker counts there are far smaller. So when thinking Southern Hemisphere languages, think Brazil—and thus, Portuguese.