The BBC's international audience has climbed to a record high of 426 million a week, according to new figures released by the corporation.
It put on an extra 50 million viewers and listeners over the past year with the vast majority of them — 47 million — accessing its news service.
The Global Audience Measure found the news service reaches 50 million people in India alone with the next biggest audiences being 41 million in Nigeria and 38 million in the US. India, where it operates in nine languages, has seen an increase of 20 million.
Other countries with large audiences include Kenya, Afghanistan and Iran, with 38 million tuning in between them.
The vast majority use the BBC World Service, which broadcasts in English and 42 other languages.
It is financed by the licence fee, some limited advertising, profits from the BBC’s commercial arm and government funding of £291 million over five years in a deal due to end next year.
