total: 6,339 km
border countries: Argentina 5,308 km, Bolivia 860 km, Peru 171 km
China
total: 22,117 km
border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km
Christmas Island
0 km
Clipperton Island
0 km
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
0 km
Colombia
total: 6,309 km
border countries: Brazil 1,644 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
Peru 1,800 km, Venezuela 2,050 km
Comoros
0 km
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 10,730 km
border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km
Congo, Republic of the
total: 5,504 km
border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
1,903 km
Cook Islands
0 km
Coral Sea Islands
0 km
Costa Rica
total: 639 km
border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km
Cote d'Ivoire
total: 3,110 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km
Croatia
total: 2,197 km
border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
Serbia 241 km, Montenegro 25 km, Slovenia 670 km
Cuba
total: 29 km
border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and remains part of
Cuba
Cyprus
total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed
border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA
Czech Republic
total: 2,290.2 km
border countries: Austria 466.3 km, Germany 810.3 km, Poland 761.8
km, Slovakia 251.8 km
Denmark
total: 68 km
border countries: Germany 68 km
Dhekelia
total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed
Djibouti
total: 516 km
border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km
Dominica
0 km
Dominican Republic
total: 360 km
border countries: Haiti 360 km
East Timor
total: 228 km
border countries: Indonesia 228 km
Ecuador
total: 2,010 km
border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km
Egypt
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
Sudan 1,273 km
El Salvador
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Equatorial Guinea
total: 539 km
border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km
Eritrea
total: 1,626 km
border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km
Estonia
total: 633 km
border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km
Ethiopia
total: 5,328 km
border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km
Europa Island
0 km
European Union
total: 12,440.8 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein 34.9 km,
Macedonia 394 km, Moldova 450 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km,
Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia 945 km, Switzerland 1,811
km, Turkey 446 km, Ukraine 1,257 km
note: data for European Continent only
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
0 km
Faroe Islands
0 km
Fiji
0 km
Finland
total: 2,681 km
border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km
France
metropolitan France - total: 2,889 km
border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
Switzerland 573 km
Guadeloupe - total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km
French Guiana - total: 1,183 km
border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km
French Polynesia
0 km
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
0 km
Gabon
total: 2,551 km
border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
Equatorial Guinea 350 km
Gambia, The
total: 740 km
border countries: Senegal 740 km
Gaza Strip
total: 62 km
border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km
Georgia
total: 1,461 km
border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
Turkey 252 km
Germany
total: 3,621 km
border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km
Ghana
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
877 km
Gibraltar
total: 1.2 km
border countries: Spain 1.2 km
Glorioso Islands
0 km
Greece
total: 1,228 km
border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
Macedonia 246 km
Greenland
0 km
Grenada
0 km
Guam
0 km
Guatemala
total: 1,687 km
border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
km, Mexico 962 km
Guernsey
0 km
Guinea
total: 3,399 km
border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km
Guinea-Bissau
total: 724 km
border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km
Guyana
total: 2,949 km
border countries: Brazil 1,606 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km
Haiti
total: 360 km
border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
0 km
Holy See (Vatican City)
total: 3.2 km
border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Honduras
total: 1,520 km
border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
922 km
Hong Kong
total: 30 km
regional border: China 30 km
Howland Island
0 km
Hungary
total: 2,171 km
border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
Serbia 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km, Ukraine 103 km
Iceland
0 km
Iles Eparses
none
India
total: 14,103 km
border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Indonesia
total: 2,830 km
border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
Guinea 820 km
Iran
total: 5,440 km
border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
Iraq
total: 3,650 km
border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km
Ireland
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km
Isle of Man
0 km
Israel
total: 1,017 km
border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Italy
total: 1,932.2 km
border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km
Jamaica
0 km
Jan Mayen
0 km
Japan
0 km
Jarvis Island
0 km
Jersey
0 km
Johnston Atoll
0 km
Jordan
total: 1,635 km
border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Juan de Nova Island
0 km
Kazakhstan
total: 12,012 km
border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km
Kenya
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Kingman Reef
0 km
Kiribati
0 km
Korea, North
total: 1,673 km
border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km
Korea, South
total: 238 km
border countries: North Korea 238 km
Kuwait
total: 462 km
border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km
Kyrgyzstan
total: 3,878 km
border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km
Laos
total: 5,083 km
border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km
Latvia
total: 1,368 km
border countries: Belarus 167 km, Estonia 343 km, Lithuania 576 km,
Russia 282 km
Lebanon
total: 454 km
border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km
Lesotho
total: 909 km
border countries: South Africa 909 km
Liberia
total: 1,585 km
border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
306 km
Libya
total: 4,348 km
border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km
Liechtenstein
total: 76 km
border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km
Lithuania
total: 1,613 km
border countries: Belarus 653.5 km, Latvia 588 km, Poland 103.7 km,
Russia (Kaliningrad) 267.8 km
Luxembourg
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km
Macau
total: 0.34 km
regional border: China 0.34 km
Macedonia
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
Serbia 221 km
Madagascar
0 km
Malawi
total: 2,881 km
border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km
Malaysia
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Maldives
0 km
Mali
total: 7,243 km
border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km
Malta
0 km
Marshall Islands
0 km
Mauritania
total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
Western Sahara 1,561 km
Mauritius
0 km
Mayotte
0 km
Mexico
total: 4,353 km
border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km
Micronesia, Federated States of
0 km
Midway Islands
0 km
Moldova
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km
Monaco
total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km
Mongolia
total: 8,220 km
border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km
Montenegro
total: 625 km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km,
Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km
Montserrat
0 km
Morocco
total: 2,017.9 km
border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
(Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km
Mozambique
total: 4,571 km
border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Namibia
total: 3,936 km
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
967 km, Zambia 233 km
Nauru
0 km
Navassa Island
0 km
Nepal
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Netherlands
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Netherlands Antilles
total: 15 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km
New Caledonia
0 km
New Zealand
0 km
Nicaragua
total: 1,231 km
border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km
Niger
total: 5,697 km
border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Nigeria
total: 4,047 km
border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
1,497 km
Niue
0 km
Norfolk Island
0 km
Northern Mariana Islands
0 km
Norway
total: 2,542 km
border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km
Oman
total: 1,374 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Pakistan
total: 6,774 km
border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
km, Iran 909 km
Palau
0 km
Palmyra Atoll
0 km
Panama
total: 555 km
border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km
Papua New Guinea
total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km
Paracel Islands
0 km
Paraguay
total: 3,995 km
border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,365 km
Peru
total: 7,461 km
border countries: Bolivia 1,075 km, Brazil 2,995 km, Chile 171 km,
Colombia 1,800 km, Ecuador 1,420 km
Philippines
0 km
Pitcairn Islands
0 km
Poland
total: 3,056 km
border countries: Belarus 416 km, Czech Republic 790 km, Germany 467
km, Lithuania 103 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 210 km, Slovakia
541 km, Ukraine 529 km
Portugal
total: 1,214 km
border countries: Spain 1,214 km
Puerto Rico
0 km
Qatar
total: 60 km
border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km
Romania
total: 2,508 km
border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
Serbia 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east) 169 km
Russia
total: 20,096.5 km
border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
(southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 280.5 km, Mongolia
3,485 km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 232 km, Ukraine
1,576 km
Rwanda
total: 893 km
border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km
Saint Helena
0 km
Saint Kitts and Nevis
0 km
Saint Lucia
0 km
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
0 km
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
0 km
Samoa
0 km
San Marino
total: 39 km
border countries: Italy 39 km
Sao Tome and Principe
0 km
Saudi Arabia
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km
Senegal
total: 2,640 km
border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km
Serbia
total: 2,027 km
border countries: Albania 115 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 302 km,
Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia 241 km, Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km,
Montenegro 203 km, Romania 476 km
Seychelles
0 km
Sierra Leone
total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Singapore
0 km
Slovakia
total: 1,524 km
border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km
Slovenia
total: 1,382 km
border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Hungary 102 km,
Italy 280 km
Solomon Islands
0 km
Somalia
total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km
South Africa
total: 4,862 km
border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
0 km
Spain
total: 1,917.8 km
border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km
Spratly Islands
0 km
Sri Lanka
0 km
Sudan
total: 7,687 km
border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km
Suriname
total: 1,703 km
border countries: Brazil 593 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km
Svalbard
0 km
Swaziland
total: 535 km
border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km
Sweden
total: 2,233 km
border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km
Switzerland
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Syria
total: 2,253 km
border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
375 km, Turkey 822 km
Taiwan
0 km
Tajikistan
total: 3,651 km
border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km
Tanzania
total: 3,861 km
border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km
Thailand
total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
Malaysia 506 km
Togo
total: 1,647 km
border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km
Tokelau
0 km
Tonga
0 km
Trinidad and Tobago
0 km
Tromelin Island
0 km
Tunisia
total: 1,424 km
border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km
Turkey
total: 2,648 km
border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km
Turkmenistan
total: 3,736 km
border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km
Turks and Caicos Islands
0 km
Tuvalu
0 km
Uganda
total: 2,698 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Ukraine
total: 4,663 km
border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km
United Arab Emirates
total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km
United Kingdom
total: 360 km
border countries: Ireland 360 km
United States
total: 12,034 km
border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
Mexico 3,141 km
note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28 km
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
none
Uruguay
total: 1,648 km
border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km
Uzbekistan
total: 6,221 km
border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km
Vanuatu
0 km
Venezuela
total: 4,993 km
border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Vietnam
total: 4,639 km
border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km
Virgin Islands
0 km
Wake Island
0 km
Wallis and Futuna
0 km
West Bank
total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km
Western Sahara
total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
World
the land boundaries in the world total 250,708 km (not
counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia,
each border 14 other countries
note: 44 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,
Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia,
Zimbabwe; two of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly
landlocked
Yemen
total: 1,746 km
border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Zambia
total: 5,664 km
border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km
Zimbabwe
total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
225 km, Zambia 797 km
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2097 Land use (%)
Afghanistan
arable land: 12.13%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 87.66% (2005)
Albania
arable land: 20.1%
permanent crops: 4.21%
other: 75.69% (2005)
Algeria
arable land: 3.17%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 96.55% (2005)
American Samoa
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2005)
Andorra
arable land: 2.13%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.87% (2005)
Angola
arable land: 2.65%
permanent crops: 0.23%
other: 97.12% (2005)
Anguilla
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
commercial salt ponds) (2005)
Antarctica
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2005)
Antigua and Barbuda
arable land: 18.18%
permanent crops: 4.55%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Argentina
arable land: 10.03%
permanent crops: 0.36%
other: 89.61% (2005)
Armenia
arable land: 16.78%
permanent crops: 2.01%
other: 81.21% (2005)
Aruba
arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2005)
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2005)
Australia
arable land: 6.15% (includes about 27 million hectares of
cultivated grassland)
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 93.81% (2005)
Austria
arable land: 16.59%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 82.56% (2005)
Azerbaijan
arable land: 20.62%
permanent crops: 2.61%
other: 76.77% (2005)
Bahamas, The
arable land: 0.58%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 99.13% (2005)
Bahrain
arable land: 2.82%
permanent crops: 5.63%
other: 91.55% (2005)
Baker Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Bangladesh
arable land: 55.39%
permanent crops: 3.08%
other: 41.53% (2005)
Barbados
arable land: 37.21%
permanent crops: 2.33%
other: 60.46% (2005)
Bassas da India
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all rock) (2005)
Belarus
arable land: 26.77%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 72.63% (2005)
Belgium
arable land: 27.42%
permanent crops: 0.69%
other: 71.89%
note: includes Luxembourg (2005)
Belize
arable land: 3.05%
permanent crops: 1.39%
other: 95.56% (2005)
Benin
arable land: 23.53%
permanent crops: 2.37%
other: 74.1% (2005)
Bermuda
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2005)
Bhutan
arable land: 2.3%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 97.27% (2005)
Bolivia
arable land: 2.78%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 97.03% (2005)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
arable land: 19.61%
permanent crops: 1.89%
other: 78.5% (2005)
Botswana
arable land: 0.65%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.34% (2005)
Bouvet Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (93% ice) (2005)
Brazil
arable land: 6.93%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.18% (2005)
British Indian Ocean Territory
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
British Virgin Islands
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67%
other: 73.33% (2005)
Brunei
arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)
Bulgaria
arable land: 29.94%
permanent crops: 1.9%
other: 68.16% (2005)
Burkina Faso
arable land: 17.66%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 82.12% (2005)
Burma
arable land: 14.92%
permanent crops: 1.31%
other: 83.77% (2005)
Burundi
arable land: 35.57%
permanent crops: 13.12%
other: 51.31% (2005)
Cambodia
arable land: 20.44%
permanent crops: 0.59%
other: 78.97% (2005)
Cameroon
arable land: 12.54%
permanent crops: 2.52%
other: 84.94% (2005)
Canada
arable land: 4.57%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 94.78% (2005)
Cape Verde
arable land: 11.41%
permanent crops: 0.74%
other: 87.85% (2005)
Cayman Islands
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Central African Republic
arable land: 3.1%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 96.75% (2005)
Chad
arable land: 2.8%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 97.18% (2005)
Chile
arable land: 2.62%
permanent crops: 0.43%
other: 96.95% (2005)
China
arable land: 14.86%
permanent crops: 1.27%
other: 83.87% (2005)
Christmas Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a
national park) (2005)
Clipperton Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all coral) (2005)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Colombia
arable land: 2.01%
permanent crops: 1.37%
other: 96.62% (2005)
Comoros
arable land: 35.87%
permanent crops: 23.32%
other: 40.81% (2005)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
arable land: 2.86%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 96.67% (2005)
Congo, Republic of the
arable land: 1.45%
permanent crops: 0.15%
other: 98.4% (2005)
Cook Islands
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 8.33%
other: 75% (2005)
Coral Sea Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2005)
Costa Rica
arable land: 4.4%
permanent crops: 5.87%
other: 89.73% (2005)
Cote d'Ivoire
arable land: 10.23%
permanent crops: 11.16%
other: 78.61% (2005)
Croatia
arable land: 25.82%
permanent crops: 2.19%
other: 71.99% (2005)
Cuba
arable land: 27.63%
permanent crops: 6.54%
other: 65.83% (2005)
Cyprus
arable land: 10.81%
permanent crops: 4.32%
other: 84.87% (2005)
Czech Republic
arable land: 38.82%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 58.18% (2005)
Denmark
arable land: 52.59%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 47.22% (2005)
Djibouti
arable land: 0.04%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.96% (2005)
Dominica
arable land: 6.67%
permanent crops: 21.33%
other: 72% (2005)
Dominican Republic
arable land: 22.49%
permanent crops: 10.26%
other: 67.25% (2005)
East Timor
arable land: 8.2%
permanent crops: 4.57%
other: 87.23% (2005)
Ecuador
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 4.81%
other: 89.48% (2005)
Egypt
arable land: 2.92%
permanent crops: 0.5%
other: 96.58% (2005)
El Salvador
arable land: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88%
other: 56.75% (2005)
Equatorial Guinea
arable land: 4.63%
permanent crops: 3.57%
other: 91.8% (2005)
Eritrea
arable land: 4.78%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 95.19% (2005)
Estonia
arable land: 12.05%
permanent crops: 0.35%
other: 87.6% (2005)
Ethiopia
arable land: 10.01%
permanent crops: 0.65%
other: 89.34% (2005)
Europa Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2005)
European Union
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2005)
Faroe Islands
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.86% (2005)
Fiji
arable land: 10.95%
permanent crops: 4.65%
other: 84.4% (2005)
Finland
arable land: 6.54%
permanent crops: 0.02%
other: 93.44% (2005)
France
arable land: 33.46%
permanent crops: 2.03%
other: 64.51%
note: French Guiana - arable land 0.13%, permanent crops 0.04%,
other 99.83% (90% forest, 10% other); Guadeloupe - arable land
11.70%, permanent crops 2.92%, other 85.38%; Martinique - arable
land 9.09%, permanent crops 10.0%, other 80.91%; Reunion - arable
land 13.94%, permanent crops 1.59%, other 84.47% (2005)
French Polynesia
arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5%
other: 93.75% (2005)
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Gabon
arable land: 1.21%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 98.15% (2005)
Gambia, The
arable land: 27.88%
permanent crops: 0.44%
other: 71.68% (2005)
Gaza Strip
arable land: 29%
permanent crops: 21%
other: 50% (2002)
Georgia
arable land: 11.51%
permanent crops: 3.79%
other: 84.7% (2005)
Germany
arable land: 33.13%
permanent crops: 0.6%
other: 66.27% (2005)
Ghana
arable land: 17.54%
permanent crops: 9.22%
other: 73.24% (2005)
Gibraltar
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Glorioso Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2005)
Greece
arable land: 20.45%
permanent crops: 8.59%
other: 70.96% (2005)
Greenland
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Grenada
arable land: 5.88%
permanent crops: 29.41%
other: 64.71% (2005)
Guam
arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18%
other: 78.18% (2005)
Guatemala
arable land: 13.22%
permanent crops: 5.6%
other: 81.18% (2005)
Guernsey
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Guinea
arable land: 4.47%
permanent crops: 2.64%
other: 92.89% (2005)
Guinea-Bissau
arable land: 8.31%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 84.77% (2005)
Guyana
arable land: 2.23%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 97.63% (2005)
Haiti
arable land: 28.11%
permanent crops: 11.53%
other: 60.36% (2005)
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Holy See (Vatican City)
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Honduras
arable land: 9.53%
permanent crops: 3.21%
other: 87.26% (2005)
Hong Kong
arable land: 5.05%
permanent crops: 1.01%
other: 93.94% (2001)
Howland Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2001)
Hungary
arable land: 49.58%
permanent crops: 2.06%
other: 48.36% (2005)
Iceland
arable land: 0.07%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.93% (2005)
Iles Eparses
Bassas da India - 100% rock, coral reef, and sand;
Europa Island - 100% mangrove swamp and dry woodlands; Glorioso
Islands - 100% lush vegetation and coconut palms; Juan de Nova
Island - 90% forest, 10% other; Tromelin Island - 100% grasses and
scattered brush
India
arable land: 48.83%
permanent crops: 2.8%
other: 48.37% (2005)
Indonesia
arable land: 11.03%
permanent crops: 7.04%
other: 81.93% (2005)
Iran
arable land: 9.78%
permanent crops: 1.29%
other: 88.93% (2005)
Iraq
arable land: 13.12%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 86.27% (2005)
Ireland
arable land: 16.82%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 83.15% (2005)
Isle of Man
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
(2002)
Israel
arable land: 15.45%
permanent crops: 3.88%
other: 80.67% (2005)
Italy
arable land: 26.41%
permanent crops: 9.09%
other: 64.5% (2005)
Jamaica
arable land: 15.83%
permanent crops: 10.01%
other: 74.16% (2005)
Jan Mayen
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Japan
arable land: 11.64%
permanent crops: 0.9%
other: 87.46% (2005)
Jarvis Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Jersey
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Johnston Atoll
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Jordan
arable land: 3.32%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 95.5% (2005)
Juan de Nova Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (90% forest) (2005)
Kazakhstan
arable land: 8.28%
permanent crops: 0.05%
other: 91.67% (2005)
Kenya
arable land: 8.01%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 91.02% (2005)
Kingman Reef
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Kiribati
arable land: 2.74%
permanent crops: 47.95%
other: 49.31% (2005)
Korea, North
arable land: 22.4%
permanent crops: 1.66%
other: 75.94% (2005)
Korea, South
arable land: 16.58%
permanent crops: 2.01%
other: 81.41% (2005)
Kuwait
arable land: 0.84%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 98.99% (2005)
Kyrgyzstan
arable land: 6.55%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 93.17%
note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
forest (2005)
Laos
arable land: 4.01%
permanent crops: 0.34%
other: 95.65% (2005)
Latvia
arable land: 28.19%
permanent crops: 0.45%
other: 71.36% (2005)
Lebanon
arable land: 16.35%
permanent crops: 13.75%
other: 69.9% (2005)
Lesotho
arable land: 10.87%
permanent crops: 0.13%
other: 89% (2005)
Liberia
arable land: 3.43%
permanent crops: 1.98%
other: 94.59% (2005)
Libya
arable land: 1.03%
permanent crops: 0.19%
other: 98.78% (2005)
Liechtenstein
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 75% (2005)
Lithuania
arable land: 44.81%
permanent crops: 0.9%
other: 54.29% (2005)
Luxembourg
arable land: 23.94%
permanent crops: 0.39%
other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005)
Macau
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Macedonia
arable land: 22.01%
permanent crops: 1.79%
other: 76.2% (2005)
Madagascar
arable land: 5.03%
permanent crops: 1.02%
other: 93.95% (2005)
Malawi
arable land: 20.68%
permanent crops: 1.18%
other: 78.14% (2005)
Malaysia
arable land: 5.46%
permanent crops: 17.54%
other: 77% (2005)
Maldives
arable land: 13.33%
permanent crops: 30%
other: 56.67% (2005)
Mali
arable land: 3.76%
permanent crops: 0.03%
other: 96.21% (2005)
Malta
arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.62% (2005)
Marshall Islands
arable land: 11.11%
permanent crops: 44.44%
other: 44.45% (2005)
Mauritania
arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.79% (2005)
Mauritius
arable land: 49.02%
permanent crops: 2.94%
other: 48.04% (2005)
Mayotte
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Mexico
arable land: 12.66%
permanent crops: 1.28%
other: 86.06% (2005)
Micronesia, Federated States of
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2005)
Midway Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Moldova
arable land: 54.52%
permanent crops: 8.81%
other: 36.67% (2005)
Monaco
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Mongolia
arable land: 0.76%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.24% (2005)
Montenegro
arable land: 13.7%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 85.3%
Montserrat
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 80% (2005)
Morocco
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 2%
other: 79% (2005)
Mozambique
arable land: 5.43%
permanent crops: 0.29%
other: 94.28% (2005)
Namibia
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99% (2005)
Nauru
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Navassa Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Nepal
arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 83.08% (2005)
Netherlands
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Netherlands Antilles
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2005)
New Caledonia
arable land: 0.32%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.46% (2005)
New Zealand
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 87.54% (2005)
Nicaragua
arable land: 14.81%
permanent crops: 1.82%
other: 83.37% (2005)
Niger
arable land: 11.43%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 88.56% (2005)
Nigeria
arable land: 33.02%
permanent crops: 3.14%
other: 63.84% (2005)
Niue
arable land: 11.54%
permanent crops: 15.38%
other: 73.08% (2005)
Norfolk Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Northern Mariana Islands
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 82.61% (2005)
Norway
arable land: 2.7%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.3% (2005)
Oman
arable land: 0.12%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 99.74% (2005)
Pakistan
arable land: 24.44%
permanent crops: 0.84%
other: 74.72% (2005)
Palau
arable land: 8.7%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 86.95% (2005)
Palmyra Atoll
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2005)
Panama
arable land: 7.26%
permanent crops: 1.95%
other: 90.79% (2005)
Papua New Guinea
arable land: 0.49%
permanent crops: 1.4%
other: 98.11% (2005)
Paracel Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Paraguay
arable land: 7.47%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 92.29% (2005)
Peru
arable land: 2.88%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 96.65% (2005)
Philippines
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 64.33% (2005)
Pitcairn Islands
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
other: NA%
Poland
arable land: 40.25%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 58.75% (2005)
Portugal
arable land: 17.29%
permanent crops: 7.84%
other: 74.87% (2005)
Puerto Rico
arable land: 3.69%
permanent crops: 5.59%
other: 90.72% (2005)
Qatar
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 98.09% (2005)
Romania
arable land: 39.49%
permanent crops: 1.92%
other: 58.59% (2005)
Russia
arable land: 7.17%
permanent crops: 0.11%
other: 92.72% (2005)
Rwanda
arable land: 45.56%
permanent crops: 10.25%
other: 44.19% (2005)
Saint Helena
arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.1% (2005)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
arable land: 19.44%
permanent crops: 2.78%
other: 77.78% (2005)
Saint Lucia
arable land: 6.45%
permanent crops: 22.58%
other: 70.97% (2005)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
arable land: 12.5%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 87.5% (2005)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
arable land: 17.95%
permanent crops: 17.95%
other: 64.1% (2005)
Samoa
arable land: 21.13%
permanent crops: 24.3%
other: 54.57% (2005)
San Marino
arable land: 16.67%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 83.33% (2005)
Sao Tome and Principe
arable land: 8.33%
permanent crops: 48.96%
other: 42.71% (2005)
Saudi Arabia
arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09%
other: 98.24% (2005)
Senegal
arable land: 12.51%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 87.25% (2005)
Serbia
arable land: NA
permanent crops: NA
other: NA
Seychelles
arable land: 2.17%
permanent crops: 13.04%
other: 84.79% (2005)
Sierra Leone
arable land: 7.95%
permanent crops: 1.05%
other: 91% (2005)
Singapore
arable land: 1.47%
permanent crops: 1.47%
other: 97.06% (2005)
Slovakia
arable land: 29.23%
permanent crops: 2.67%
other: 68.1% (2005)
Slovenia
arable land: 8.53%
permanent crops: 1.43%
other: 90.04% (2005)
Solomon Islands
arable land: 0.62%
permanent crops: 2.04%
other: 97.34% (2005)
Somalia
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 98.32% (2005)
South Africa
arable land: 12.1%
permanent crops: 0.79%
other: 87.11% (2005)
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2005)
Spain
arable land: 27.18%
permanent crops: 9.85%
other: 62.97% (2005)
Spratly Islands
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Sri Lanka
arable land: 13.96%
permanent crops: 15.24%
other: 70.8% (2005)
Sudan
arable land: 6.78%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 93.05% (2005)
Suriname
arable land: 0.36%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 99.58% (2005)
Svalbard
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
cloudberry) (2005)
Swaziland
arable land: 10.25%
permanent crops: 0.81%
other: 88.94% (2005)
Sweden
arable land: 5.93%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 94.06% (2005)
Switzerland
arable land: 9.91%
permanent crops: 0.58%
other: 89.51% (2005)
Syria
arable land: 24.8%
permanent crops: 4.47%
other: 70.73% (2005)
Taiwan
arable land: 24%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 75% (2001)
Tajikistan
arable land: 6.52%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.59% (2005)
Tanzania
arable land: 4.23%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 94.61% (2005)
Thailand
arable land: 27.54%
permanent crops: 6.93%
other: 65.53% (2005)
Togo
arable land: 44.2%
permanent crops: 2.11%
other: 53.69% (2005)
Tokelau
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Tonga
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 14.67%
other: 65.33% (2005)
Trinidad and Tobago
arable land: 14.62%
permanent crops: 9.16%
other: 76.22% (2005)
Tromelin Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2005)
Tunisia
arable land: 17.05%
permanent crops: 13.08%
other: 69.87% (2005)
Turkey
arable land: 29.81%
permanent crops: 3.39%
other: 66.8% (2005)
Turkmenistan
arable land: 4.51%
permanent crops: 0.14%
other: 95.35% (2005)
Turks and Caicos Islands
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (2005)
Tuvalu
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 66.67%
other: 33.33% (2005)
Uganda
arable land: 21.57%
permanent crops: 8.92%
other: 69.51% (2005)
Ukraine
arable land: 53.8%
permanent crops: 1.5%
other: 44.7% (2005)
United Arab Emirates
arable land: 0.77%
permanent crops: 2.27%
other: 96.96% (2005)
United Kingdom
arable land: 23.23%
permanent crops: 0.2%
other: 76.57% (2005)
United States
arable land: 18.01%
permanent crops: 0.21%
other: 81.78% (2005)
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Uruguay
arable land: 7.77%
permanent crops: 0.24%
other: 91.99% (2005)
Uzbekistan
arable land: 10.51%
permanent crops: 0.76%
other: 88.73% (2005)
Vanuatu
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.97%
other: 91.39% (2005)
Venezuela
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.88%
other: 96.27% (2005)
Vietnam
arable land: 20.14%
permanent crops: 6.93%
other: 72.93% (2005)
Virgin Islands
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 2.86%
other: 91.43% (2005)
Wake Island
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Wallis and Futuna
arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops: 35.71%
other: 57.15% (2005)
West Bank
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97%
other: 64.13% (2001)
Western Sahara
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 99.98% (2005)
World
arable land: 13.31%
permanent crops: 4.71%
other: 81.98% (2005)
Yemen
arable land: 2.91%
permanent crops: 0.25%
other: 96.84% (2005)
Zambia
arable land: 6.99%
permanent crops: 0.04%
other: 92.97% (2005)
Zimbabwe
arable land: 8.24%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 91.43% (2005)
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2098 Languages (%)
Afghanistan
Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official)
35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor
languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Akrotiri
English, Greek
Albania
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek,
Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects
Algeria
Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
American Samoa
Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific
islander 2.1%, other 2%
note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
Andorra
Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Angola
Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Anguilla
English (official)
Antigua and Barbuda
English (official), local dialects
Argentina
Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
Armenia
Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001
census)
Aruba
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Australia
English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%,
unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)
Austria
German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in
Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official
in Burgenland)
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other
6% (1995 est.)
Bahamas, The
English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Bahrain
Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Bangladesh
Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English
Barbados
English
Belarus
Belarusian, Russian, other
Belgium
Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
(official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Belize
English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Benin
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Bermuda
English (official), Portuguese
Bhutan
Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Bolivia
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Botswana
Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English
2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
Brazil
Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
British Virgin Islands
English (official)
Brunei
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Bulgaria
Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and
unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Burkina Faso
French (official), native African languages belonging
to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population
Burma
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Burundi
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Cambodia
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Cameroon
24 major African language groups, English (official),
French (official)
Canada
English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%
Cape Verde
Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West
African words)
Cayman Islands
English
Central African Republic
French (official), Sangho (lingua franca
and national language), tribal languages
Chad
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more
than 120 different languages and dialects
Chile
Spanish
China
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
(Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
(see Ethnic groups entry)
Christmas Island
English (official), Chinese, Malay
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Malay (Cocos dialect), English
Colombia
Spanish
Comoros
Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
Swahili and Arabic)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
French (official), Lingala (a
lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Congo, Republic of the
French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
(lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects
(of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
Cook Islands
English (official), Maori
Costa Rica
Spanish (official), English
Cote d'Ivoire
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the
most widely spoken
Croatia
Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9%
(including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001
census)
Cuba
Spanish
Cyprus
Greek, Turkish, English
Czech Republic
Czech
Denmark
Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
(small minority)
note: English is the predominant second language
Dhekelia
English, Greek
Djibouti
French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar
Dominica
English (official), French patois
Dominican Republic
Spanish
East Timor
Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,
English
note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people
Ecuador
Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)
Egypt
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by
educated classes
El Salvador
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Equatorial Guinea
Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin
English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Eritrea
Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
languages
Estonia
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%,
unknown 0.7% (2000 census)
Ethiopia
Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic,
other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in
schools)
European Union
Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian,
Finnish, French, Gaelic, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian,
Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene,
Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
English
Faroe Islands
Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish
Fiji
English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
Finland
Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4%
(small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)
France
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
Flemish)
overseas departments: French, Creole patois
French Polynesia
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4%
(official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002
census)
Gabon
French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
Bandjabi
Gambia, The
English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
indigenous vernaculars
Gaza Strip
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English
(widely understood)
Georgia
Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
other 7%
note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Germany
German
Ghana
English (official), African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Gibraltar
English (used in schools and for official purposes),
Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Greece
Greek 99% (official), English, French
Greenland
Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English
Grenada
English (official), French patois
Guam
English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%,
other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other
languages 3.5% (2000 census)
Guatemala
Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially
recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Guernsey
English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country
districts
Guinea
French (official); note - each ethnic group has its own
language
Guinea-Bissau
Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages
Guyana
English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
Haiti
French (official), Creole (official)
Holy See (Vatican City)
Italian, Latin, French, various other
languages
Honduras
Spanish, Amerindian dialects
Hong Kong
Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official
Hungary
Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)
Iceland
Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
India
English enjoys associate status but is the most important
language for national, political, and commercial communication;
Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the
people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,
Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi,
Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular
variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is
not an official language
Indonesia
Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is
Javanese
Iran
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects
26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%
Iraq
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
Armenian
Ireland
English (official) is the language generally used, Irish
(official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along
the western seaboard
Isle of Man
English, Manx Gaelic
Israel
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
English most commonly used foreign language
Italy
Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige
region are predominantly German speaking), French (small
French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene
(Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)
Jamaica
English, patois English
Japan
Japanese
Jersey
English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001
census)
Jordan
Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and
middle classes
Kazakhstan
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,
used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
communication") 95% (2001 est.)
Kenya
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
languages
Kiribati
I-Kiribati, English (official)
Korea, North
Korean
Korea, South
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
school
Kuwait
Arabic (official), English widely spoken
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)
Laos
Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages
Latvia
Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other
4.3% (2000 census)
Lebanon
Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Lesotho
Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa
Liberia
English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of
which a few can be written and are used in correspondence
Libya
Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the
major cities
Liechtenstein
German (official), Alemannic dialect
Lithuania
Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other
and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)
Luxembourg
Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
language), French (administrative language)
Macau
Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese
dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)
Macedonia
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%,
Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Madagascar
French (official), Malagasy (official)
Malawi
Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,
Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other
3.6% (1998 census)
Malaysia
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese,
Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most
widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Maldives
Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
Arabic), English spoken by most government officials
Mali
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Malta
Maltese (official), English (official)
Marshall Islands
Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999
census)
note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese
and English are official languages
Mauritania
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya,
Wolof
Mauritius
Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4%, English
(official; spoken by less than 1% of the population), other 3.7%,
unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)
Mayotte
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)
spoken by 35% of the population
Mexico
Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
indigenous languages
Micronesia, Federated States of
English (official and common
language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,
Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Moldova
Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Monaco
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
Mongolia
Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)
Montenegro
Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian,
Albanian, Croatian
Montserrat
English
Morocco
Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the
language of business, government, and diplomacy
Mozambique
Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8%
(official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe
7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%,
other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)
Namibia
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Nauru
Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language),
English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
commercial purposes
Nepal
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu
(Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi
2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
note: many in government and business also speak English
Netherlands
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Netherlands Antilles
Papiamento 65.4% (a
Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely
spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other
1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
New Caledonia
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
New Zealand
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language
(official)
Nicaragua
Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995
census)
note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Niger
French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Nigeria
English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani
Niue
Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
Samoan; English
Norfolk Island
English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
English and ancient Tahitian
Northern Mariana Islands
Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%,
Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%,
other 9.6% (2000 census)
Norway
Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official),
small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami is official
in six municipalities
Oman
Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Pakistan
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Palau
Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral
(Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official),
Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%,
Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)
Panama
Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians
bilingual
Papua New Guinea
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca,
English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's
total)
Paraguay
Spanish (official), Guarani (official)
Peru
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large
number of minor Amazonian languages
Philippines
two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and
English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,
Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Pitcairn Islands
English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th
century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)
Poland
Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)
Portugal
Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally
used)
Puerto Rico
Spanish, English
Qatar
Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language
Romania
Romanian (official), Hungarian, German
Russia
Russian, many minority languages
Rwanda
Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
(official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
commercial centers
Saint Helena
English
Saint Kitts and Nevis
English
Saint Lucia
English (official), French patois
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
French (official)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
English, French patois
Samoa
Samoan (Polynesian), English
San Marino
Italian
Sao Tome and Principe
Portuguese (official)
Saudi Arabia
Arabic
Senegal
French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka
Serbia
Serbian (official nationwide); Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak,
Ukrainian, and Croatian (all official in Vojvodina); Albanian
(official in Kosovo)
Seychelles
Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%,
unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)
Sierra Leone
English (official, regular use limited to literate
minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
(principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
of the population but understood by 95%)
Singapore
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%,
Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects
1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)
Slovakia
Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%,
Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)
Slovenia
Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified
4.4% (2002 census)
Solomon Islands
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the
population
note: 120 indigenous languages
Somalia
Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English
South Africa
IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi
9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%,
other 7.2% (2001 census)
Spain
Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%;
note - Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
languages are official regionally
Sri Lanka
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
(national language) 18%, other 8%
note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
competently by about 10% of the population
Sudan
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of
Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
note: program of "Arabization" in process
Suriname
Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
(Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese
Svalbard
Norwegian, Russian
Swaziland
English (official, government business conducted in
English), siSwati (official)
Sweden
Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Switzerland
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%,
Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%,
Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8%
(2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national
languages, but only the first three are official languages
Syria
Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
widely understood; French, English somewhat understood
Taiwan
Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Tajikistan
Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and
business
Tanzania
Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili
in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
Zanzibar), many local languages
note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
most people is one of the local languages
Thailand
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
regional dialects
Togo
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina
(the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes
spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the
north)
Tokelau
Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English
Tonga
Tongan, English
Trinidad and Tobago
English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish,
Chinese
Tunisia
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
French (commerce)
Turkey
Turkish (official), Kurdish, Dimli (or Zaza), Azeri, Kabardian
note: there is also a substantial Gagauz population in the Europe
part of Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%
Turks and Caicos Islands
English (official)
Tuvalu
Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)
Uganda
English (official national language, taught in grade schools,
used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio
broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo
languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital
and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,
Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic
Ukraine
Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%, small Romanian-,
Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities
United Arab Emirates
Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu
United Kingdom
English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of
Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)
United States
English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European
3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)
note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii
Uruguay
Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on
the Brazilian frontier)
Uzbekistan
Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%
Vanuatu
local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as
Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%,
unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)
Venezuela
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Vietnam
Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a
second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)
Virgin Islands
English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%,
French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
Wallis and Futuna
Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language),
Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)
West Bank
Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
Palestinians), English (widely understood)
Western Sahara
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
World
Mandarin Chinese 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi
2.82%, Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese
1.99%, Standard German 1.49%, Wu Chinese 1.21% (2004 est.)
note: percents are for "first language" speakers only
Yemen
Arabic
Zambia
English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,
Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages
Zimbabwe
English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
dialects
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
======================================================================
@2100 Legal system
Afghanistan
according to the new constitution, no law should be
"contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and
progressive society based on social justice, protection of human
dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and
to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and
tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international
treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Akrotiri
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Albania
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
Criminal Court for its citizens
Algeria
socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review
of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
American Samoa
NA
Andorra
based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review
of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Angola
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased
use of free markets
Anguilla
based on English common law
Antarctica
Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are
carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own
nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national
laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US
nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US
laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic
Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and
criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized
by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the
introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into
specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants;
and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica;
violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up
to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science
Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement
responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation
Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to
Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805,
Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans
to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more
information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,
National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone:
(703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more
generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas
between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of
relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by
the states party to the Antarctic Treaty
Antigua and Barbuda
based on English common law
Argentina
mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Armenia
based on civil law system
Aruba
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
influence
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the laws of the Commonwealth of
Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where
applicable, apply
Australia
based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Austria
civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Azerbaijan
based on civil law system
Bahamas, The
based on English common law
Bahrain
based on Islamic law and English common law
Baker Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Bangladesh
based on English common law
Barbados
English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Bassas da India
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Belarus
based on civil law system
Belgium
civil law system influenced by English constitutional
theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Belize
English law
Benin
based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Bermuda
English law
Bhutan
based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Bolivia
based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Bosnia and Herzegovina
based on civil law system
Botswana
based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Bouvet Island
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Brazil
based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
British Indian Ocean Territory
the laws of the UK, where applicable,
apply
British Virgin Islands
English law
Brunei
based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
supersedes civil law in a number of areas
Bulgaria
civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Burkina Faso
based on French civil law system and customary law
Burma
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Burundi
based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Cambodia
primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences
of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
influence of common law in recent years; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Cameroon
based on French civil law system, with common law
influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Canada
based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil
law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Cape Verde
derived from the legal system of Portugal
Cayman Islands
British common law and local statutes
Central African Republic
based on French law
Chad
based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Chile
based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent
codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of
its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system
China
based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental
civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret
statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Christmas Island
under the authority of the governor general of
Australia and Australian law
Clipperton Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
based upon the laws of Australia and local
laws
Colombia
based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being
implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts
Comoros
French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
a new constitution was adopted by
referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Congo, Republic of the
based on French civil law system and
customary law
Cook Islands
based on New Zealand law and English common law
Coral Sea Islands
the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
Costa Rica
based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Cote d'Ivoire
based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Croatia
based on civil law system
Cuba
based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal
concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Cyprus
based on common law, with civil law modifications; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Czech Republic
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory
Denmark
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Dhekelia
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Djibouti
based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
and Islamic law
Dominica
based on English common law
Dominican Republic
based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures
Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory
system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
East Timor
UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains
in place but are to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on
Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated
Ecuador
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Egypt
based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic
codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State
(oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
El Salvador
based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law;
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Equatorial Guinea
partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
Eritrea
primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with
revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law
Estonia
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Ethiopia
currently transitional mix of national and regional courts
Europa Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
English common law
Faroe Islands
Danish
Fiji
based on British system
Finland
civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may
request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
France
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts
French Polynesia
based on French system
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
the laws of France, where
applicable, apply
Gabon
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Gambia, The
based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Georgia
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Germany
civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review
of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Ghana
based on English common law and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Gibraltar
English law
Glorioso Islands
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Greece
based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Greenland
Danish
Grenada
based on English common law
Guam
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Guatemala
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Guernsey
English law and local statutes; justice is administered by
the Royal Court
Guinea
based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
legal codes currently being revised; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Guinea-Bissau
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Guyana
based on English common law with certain admixtures of
Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Haiti
based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
the laws of Australia, where
applicable, apply
Holy See (Vatican City)
based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to
it
Honduras
rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Hong Kong
based on English common law
Howland Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Hungary
rule of law based on Western model; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Iceland
civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Iles Eparses
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
India
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;
separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
Indonesia
based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election
codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Iran
the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government
Iraq
based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework
outlined in the Iraqi Constitution
Ireland
based on English common law, substantially modified by
indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme
Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Isle of Man
English common law and Manx statute
Israel
mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,
and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal
systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that
it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Italy
based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;
judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Jamaica
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Jan Mayen
the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
Japan
modeled after European civil law system with English-American
influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Jarvis Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Jersey
English law and local statute; justice is administered by the
Royal Court
Johnston Atoll
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Jordan
based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Juan de Nova Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Kazakhstan
based on civil law system
Kenya
based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
1991
Kingman Reef
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Kiribati
NA
Korea, North
based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese
influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Korea, South
combines elements of continental European civil law
systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Kuwait
civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal
matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Kyrgyzstan
based on civil law system
Laos
based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
procedures, and socialist practice
Latvia
based on civil law system
Lebanon
mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and
civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Lesotho
based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial
review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Liberia
dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common
law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten
tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Libya
based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Liechtenstein
local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Lithuania
based on civil law system; legislative acts can be
appealed to the constitutional court
Luxembourg
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Macau
based on Portuguese civil law system
Macedonia
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts
Madagascar
based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy
law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Malawi
based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Malaysia
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the
federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; Islamic
law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion
Maldives
based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Mali
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was
formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Malta
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Marshall Islands
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Mauritania
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil
law
Mauritius
based on French civil law system with elements of English
common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Mayotte
French law
Mexico
mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Micronesia, Federated States of
based on adapted Trust Territory
laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Midway Islands
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Moldova
based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents
Monaco
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Mongolia
blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine
"continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution
ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Montenegro
based on civil law system
Montserrat
English common law and statutory law
Morocco
based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law
system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
Chamber of Supreme Court
Mozambique
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
Namibia
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Nauru
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Navassa Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Nepal
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Netherlands
civil law system incorporating French penal theory;
constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States
General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Netherlands Antilles
based on Dutch civil law system with some
English common law influence
New Caledonia
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy
to the islands; formerly under French law
New Zealand
based on English law, with special land legislation and
land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Nicaragua
civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative
acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Niger
based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Nigeria
based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12
northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Niue
English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with the
power to make its own laws
Norfolk Island
based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
Australian or Norfolk Island law
Northern Mariana Islands
based on US system, except for customs,
wages, immigration laws, and taxation
Norway
mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Oman
based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to
the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Pakistan
based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Palau
based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
municipal, common, and customary laws
Palmyra Atoll
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Panama
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Papua New Guinea
based on English common law
Paraguay
based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Peru
based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Philippines
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Pitcairn Islands
local island by-laws
Poland
mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations
Portugal
civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Puerto Rico
based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal
system of justice
Qatar
discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although
civil codes are being implemented; Shari'a law dominates family and
personal matters
Romania
former mixture of civil law system and communist legal
theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic
Russia
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Rwanda
based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary
law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Saint Helena
British common law and statutes, supplemented by local
statutes
Saint Kitts and Nevis
based on English common law
Saint Lucia
based on English common law
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
French law with special adaptations for
local conditions, such as housing and taxation
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
based on English common law
Samoa
based on English common law and local customs; judicial review
of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the
citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
San Marino
based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Sao Tome and Principe
based on Portuguese legal system and customary
law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Saudi Arabia
based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been
introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Senegal
based on French civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State
audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Serbia
based on civil law system
Seychelles
based on English common law, French civil law, and
customary law
Sierra Leone
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to
local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Singapore
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Slovakia
civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; legal code modified
to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
theory
Slovenia
based on civil law system
Solomon Islands
English common law, which is widely disregarded
Somalia
no national system; Shari'a (Islamic) and secular courts
based on Somali customary law (xeer) are present in some localities;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
South Africa
based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the laws of the UK,
where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland
Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Spain
civil law system, with regional applications; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Sri Lanka
a highly complex mixture of English common law,
Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Sudan
based on English common law and Shari'a law; as of 20 January
1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Shari'a
law in the northern states; Shari'a law applies to all residents of
the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under
the CPA following the civil war; Shari'a law will not apply to the
southern states
Suriname
based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Svalbard
NA
Swaziland
based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts
and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Sweden
civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Switzerland
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
Syria
based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law;
religious law is used in the family court system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Taiwan
based on civil law system
Tajikistan
based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts
Tanzania
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Thailand
based on civil law system, with influences of common law;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Togo
French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
with reservations
Tokelau
New Zealand and local statutes
Tonga
based on English law
Trinidad and Tobago
based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Tromelin Island
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Tunisia
based on French civil law system and Shari'a law; some
judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
session
Turkey
civil law system derived from various European continental
legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights
(ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified
European Convention on Human Rights
Turkmenistan
based on civil law system
Turks and Caicos Islands
based on laws of England and Wales, with a
few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Tuvalu
NA
Uganda
in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one
based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Ukraine
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts
United Arab Emirates
federal court system introduced in 1971;
applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah,
which are not fully integrated into the federal judicial system; all
emirates have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and
commercial matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious
disputes
United Kingdom
common law tradition with early Roman and modern
continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of
Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
United States
federal court system based on English common law; each
state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one
(Louisiana's) is based on English common law; judicial review of
legislative acts
United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
the laws of the US,
where applicable, apply
Uruguay
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Uzbekistan
evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent
judicial system
Vanuatu
unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems
Venezuela
open, adversarial court system
Vietnam
based on communist legal theory and French civil law system
Virgin Islands
based on US laws
Wake Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Wallis and Futuna
French legal system
World
all members of the UN are parties to the statute that
established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
Yemen
based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Zambia
based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Zimbabwe
mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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@2101 Legislative branch
Afghanistan
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi
Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected
for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102
seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year
terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year
terms
note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga
(Grand Council) on issues of independence, national sovereignty, and
territorial integrity; it can amend the provisions of the
constitution and prosecute the president; it is made up of members
of the National Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and
district councils
elections: last held 18 September 2005 (next to be held for the
Wolesi Jirga by September 2009; next to be held for the provincial
councils to the Meshrano Jirga by September 2008)
election results: the single non-transferable vote (SNTV) system
used in the election did not make use of political party slates;
most candidates ran as independents
Albania
unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 are elected
by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year
terms)
elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD
56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
Algeria
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National People's
Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - formerly 380
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and
the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members
appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote;
members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the
council to be renewed every three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
to be held in 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
December 2003 (next to be held in 2006)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 47, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 30; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party NA
American Samoa
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006
(next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next
to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate
Andorra
unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General
de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,
14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of
the seven parishes; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,
CDA-S21 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA-S21 2