Facebook, the world’s second-biggest social network, is working on translating its website into non-English languages as it prepares for an ambitious overseas expansion, according to people familiar with the company.

The move comes as Facebook is attempting to capitalise on the explosive growth that has led it to emerge as a leading internet property this year. Although rival MySpace remains bigger in the US, Facebook has overtaken MySpace as the most popular social networking site in other English-speaking countries, including Canada and, by some measures, the UK.