English, worldwide language

English first was spread worldwide through the British Empire, which extended the language throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa. From Hong Kong to Africa, the British Empire was home to nearly a quarter of the world population in the 19th century and this allowed English to become the worldwide language and the emergence of America in the 20th century merely cemented it.
As long as America is the leading military and economic power, then English will still be the dominant language. With the emergence of India as a potential superpower and the rise of Indian information technology challenging the United States, English will continue to be the prevailing language in the 21st century. Bangalore in India is the Silicon Valley of Southern Asia and who knows, India may yet supplement America as the new economic power in this new century.