Mirela
Numbers may seem universal, but they are definitely NOT. In fact, the way they’re written and understood can vary drastically from country to country. A simple difference—like using a comma instead of a period—can completely change a number’s meaning. This is why you need number localization, a process that ensures that your users see numbers in the format they expect.
Let’s explore how something as simple as a number can look completely different across the world—and why that matters more than you might think!
Why number localization is important
You may be wondering—why is number localization so important? After all, it’s just numbers; aren’t they written the same everywhere? But the thing is—numbers are formatted differently depending on the country. Localization is essential for providing a seamless user experience across different languages and regions. Incorrect number formatting can cause confusion, misunderstandings, or even financial losses.
The best way to understand just how differently we write numbers is to look at some worldwide examples:
| Country | Number | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| The United States | 1,234.56 | The United States follows the English numbering system, which inherited the comma as a thousands separator from British and European influences. |
| Germany | 1.234,56 | This formatting dates back to the 18th century when European mathematicians, including the Germans and French, preferred the comma as a decimal separator. |
| Switzerland | 1’234.56 | Switzerland’s numbering system is influenced by both French and German traditions, but it uniquely uses an apostrophe (’) as a thousands separator. |
| France | 1 234,56 | France adopted a space as a thousands separator due to typographic conventions designed for better readability in print. |
| India | 1,23,456.78 | In the Indian numbering system, the first three digits form a group. After that, digits are grouped in twos. |
As you can see, these differences are quite significant, which is adapting numerical formats to local conventions is crucial.
But why do these formats differ?
Different number formats evolved due to historical, linguistic, and cultural influences. Mathematical traditions in various regions shaped how numbers were written and read. For example, European scholars in the 17th and 18th centuries preferred the comma as a decimal separator, while English-speaking countries adopted the period. These early choices became standardized and carried into modern conventions.
Colonial and regional influences further reinforced these differences. The British Empire spread the comma-as-thousands-separator convention to many of its former colonies, such as the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Meanwhile, European continental traditions persisted across much of mainland Europe and Latin America. As a result, modern numbering systems reflect historical choices that have been passed down and standardized in different regions of the world.
Key aspects of number localization
There are a few elements to consider when localizing numbers across different regions.
Decimal separators vary widely across the world:
- Dot (.) is used in English-speaking countries like the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia.
- Comma (,) is common in most European countries, Latin America, and Indonesia.
When it comes to grouping digits, writing large numbers varies too:
- Western System (3-digit groups) is used in countries like the U.S., U.K., Germany: 1,000,000 (one million)
- Indian Numbering System (2-2-3 grouping): 10,00,000 (ten lakh, equivalent to one million)
- French & Swiss style uses space as separator: 1 000 000
Numeral scripts are another consideration, because numbers are not always written in Arabic numerals (0-9). Many languages use distinct numeral systems:
- Western Arabic numerals (0-9) are used in most of the world.
- Eastern Arabic numerals (٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩) are used in the Middle East.
- Devanagari numerals (०१२३४५६७८९) are used in Hindi and Marathi.
- Bengali numerals (০১২৩৪৫৬৭৮৯) are used in Bengali.
- Chinese Numerals (一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八, 九, 十) are used in China and Japan, sometimes alongside Arabic numerals.
Apart from formats, currency symbols vary significantly too:
- $1,234.56 (U.S. Dollar, used in the U.S.)
- €1.234,56 (Euro, used in Germany)
- ₹1,23,456.78 (Indian Rupee, with lakh and crore system)
- ¥1,234 (Japanese Yen, often no decimal places)
Alas, we also need to consider elements like percentage, scientific notation, and measurements:
- Percentages: 10.5% (U.S.) vs. 10,5% (Germany) vs. %10,5 (Turkey)
- Scientific notation: 1.23e4 (U.S.) vs. 1,23×10⁴ (Europe)
- Measurement units: Some regions use imperial (miles, pounds) while others use metric (kilometers, kilograms).
Useful resources for localizing numbers
If you’re working with different languages and regions, the Unicode Common Locale Data Repository (CLDR) is a must-have resource. It provides detailed, locale-specific data for things like number formatting, currencies, and date formats, so you can ensure your app or service displays numbers correctly no matter where it’s used.
You’ll also want to check out ISO standards (ISO 31 and ISO 80000). These define global conventions for writing numbers, scientific notation, and measurement units—helping you stay compliant with international standards.
Another great tool is ICU (International Components for Unicode). It’s a powerful library designed for internationalization, including number formatting. With built-in support for locale-aware formatting across many languages, ICU makes handling numbers in different regions much easier.
Other developer tools and libraries worth checking out:
- Babel, a Python library for internationalization and localization that provides locale-aware number formatting based on CLDR data.
- Intl.NumberFormat, a built-in JavaScript API for formatting numbers according to different locales.
- Class NumberFormat, Java’s built-in support for localized number formatting.
Localize with POEditor
Whether you’re working on software, mobile apps, websites, or games, POEditor makes localization faster, smarter, and more efficient. Our translation and localization management platform is designed to streamline your workflow and help you deliver high-quality, localized content with ease.
Sync your localization files with GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, and other repositories to automate updates and eliminate manual work. From JSON, YAML, and XML to PO, XLIFF, and Excel files, POEditor ensures compatibility with your localization needs.
Invite contributors, manage translations, and track progress—all from one centralized platform. You can speed up your workflow by using Google Translate, DeepL, or Azure AI Translator for automatic translations.