Dutch is spoken primarily in the following places:
- The Netherlands: Dutch is the official language and native language of about 17 million people there
- Belgium: In the northern region called Flanders, about 6.5 million people speak Dutch, often referred to as Flemish, which is essentially the same language with different accents
- Suriname: Dutch is the official language and spoken by the majority of the population
- Caribbean islands: Dutch is an official language in Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius
- Small communities and minorities: Dutch is spoken in parts of northern France, Germany, and among immigrant communities in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia
Additionally, Dutch was historically used in Indonesia during colonial times, but it is no longer widely spoken there
. In summary, Dutch is an official language in six countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba, with smaller Dutch- speaking populations in other regions
