What is the average number of languages spoken by the EU population?

Czech linguist Jakub Marian set about answering this question by visualising linguistic ability on a map of Europe.

Based on the European Commission’s 2012 Eurobarometer 386 survey, Marian combined the percentages of people who speak a certain number of second languages to calculate the average number of languages spoken per country. He then created a map showing average number of languages spoken in EU nations.

According to Marian’s research, people in the Netherlands have a talent for languages! However, judging by the heated debate on Marian’s website, not everyone agrees with his findings!