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



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@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



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@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



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@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

Angola unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, other 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, other 7

Anguilla unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%, AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1

Antigua and Barbuda bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ALP 4, UPP 13

Argentina bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a four-year term) elections: Senate - last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007); Chamber of Deputies - last held last held 23 October 2005 (next to be held in 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV 45.1%, FJ 17.2%, UCR 7.5%, other 30.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 14, FJ 3, UCR 2, other 5; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - FV 29.9%, UCR 8.9%, ARI 7.2%, PJ 6.7%, PRO 6.2%, FJ 3.9%, other 37.2%; seats by bloc or party - FV 50, UCR 10, ARI 8, PJ 9, PRO 9, FJ 7, other 34

Armenia unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 90 members elected by party list, 41 by direct vote) elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by faction - Republican Party 39, Rule of Law 20, Justice Bloc 14, ARF (Dashnak) 11, National Unity 7, United Labor 6, People's Deputy Group 16, independent (not in faction or group) 18; note - as of 10 March 2006; voting blocs in the legislature are more properly termed factions and can be composed of members of several parties; seats by faction change frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves independent

Aruba unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1

Australia bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and 2 from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential voting to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than 5 representatives) elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28, Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party 60, independents 3

Austria bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members chosen by state parliaments with each state receiving 3 to 12 members according to its population; members serve a five- or six-year term) and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: National Council - last held 1 October 2006 (next scheduled for the fall of 2010) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SPOe 35.3%, OeVP 34.3%, Greens 11.1%, FPOe 11.0%, BZOe 4.1%; seats by party - SPOe 68, OeVP 66, Greens 21, FPOe 21, BZOe 7

Azerbaijan unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Yeni 58, Azadliq coalition 8, CSP 2, YES 2, Motherland 2, other parties with single seats 7, independents 42, undetermined 4

Bahamas, The bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the Parliament and call elections at any time elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%, independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Bahrain bicameral legislature consists of Shura Council (40 members appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly elected to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Deputies - last held November-December 2006 (next election to be held NA) election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Sunni Islamists 18, Al Wifaq (Shia) 17, other groupings and independents 5 note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14 February 2001; first legislative term held from December 2002 to December 2006

Bangladesh unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve five-year terms elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held no later than January 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance partners 41%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 193, AL 58, JI 17, JP (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 2, JP (Manzur) 4, other 12; note - the election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned with three other smaller parties - JI, IOJ, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Barbados bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Belarus bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the president, all for four-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal adult suffrage to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 and 31 October 2004; international observers widely denounced the elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government falsification; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat, after many opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Belgium bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003 (next to be held 10 June 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit 15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH 5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5, VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR 11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit 23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8, Ecolo 4, other 2 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly