Quick answers: the UK, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, India, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and most of the English-speaking Caribbean drive on the left. The United States, Canada, mainland China, continental Europe and Central and South America (except Guyana and Suriname) drive on the right.
Underlined country names open that country's driving rules and what foreign drivers need to carry.
Europe: 8 drive on the left
| Country or territory | Notes |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| Ireland | Distances and speed limits in km and km/h, unlike the UK. |
| Malta | |
| Cyprus | Including Northern Cyprus. |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia (territory) | UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus. |
| Isle of Man (territory) | UK Crown dependency. |
| Jersey (territory) | UK Crown dependency. |
| Guernsey (territory) | UK Crown dependency. |
Africa: 15 drive on the left
| Country or territory | Notes |
|---|---|
| Botswana | |
| Eswatini | |
| Kenya | |
| Lesotho | |
| Malawi | |
| Mauritius | |
| Mozambique | |
| Namibia | |
| Seychelles | |
| South Africa | |
| Tanzania | |
| Uganda | |
| Zambia | |
| Zimbabwe | |
| Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (territory) | British overseas territory. |
Asia: 16 drive on the left
| Country or territory | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bangladesh | |
| Bhutan | |
| Brunei | |
| India | |
| Indonesia | Including Bali. |
| Japan | Including Okinawa, which switched back to the left in 1978. |
| Malaysia | |
| Maldives | |
| Nepal | |
| Pakistan | |
| Singapore | |
| Sri Lanka | |
| Thailand | |
| Timor-Leste | |
| Hong Kong (territory) | Mainland China drives on the right. |
| Macau (territory) | Mainland China drives on the right. |
Caribbean and the Americas: 20 drive on the left
| Country or territory | Notes |
|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | |
| Bahamas | |
| Barbados | |
| Dominica | |
| Grenada | |
| Guyana | One of only two left-driving countries in mainland South America. |
| Jamaica | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
| Saint Lucia | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |
| Suriname | The other left-driving country in mainland South America. |
| Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Anguilla (territory) | British overseas territory. |
| Bermuda (territory) | British overseas territory. |
| British Virgin Islands (territory) | British overseas territory; most cars there are left-hand drive. |
| Cayman Islands (territory) | British overseas territory. |
| Falkland Islands (territory) | British overseas territory. |
| Montserrat (territory) | British overseas territory. |
| Turks and Caicos Islands (territory) | British overseas territory; most cars there are left-hand drive. |
| US Virgin Islands (territory) | The only part of the US that drives on the left; most cars there are left-hand drive. |
Oceania: 16 drive on the left
| Country or territory | Notes |
|---|---|
| Australia | |
| Fiji | |
| Kiribati | |
| Nauru | |
| New Zealand | |
| Papua New Guinea | |
| Samoa | Switched from the right to the left in 2009. |
| Solomon Islands | |
| Tonga | |
| Tuvalu | |
| Christmas Island (territory) | Australian territory. |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands (territory) | Australian territory. |
| Cook Islands (territory) | Self-governing, in free association with New Zealand. |
| Niue (territory) | Self-governing, in free association with New Zealand. |
| Norfolk Island (territory) | Australian territory. |
| Pitcairn Islands (territory) | British overseas territory. |
Countries that drive on the right (the ones people ask about)
About 165 countries and territories drive on the right. These are the ones travellers most often check, including a few that switched sides.
| Drives on the right | Notes |
|---|---|
| United States | Right everywhere except the US Virgin Islands. |
| Canada | |
| Mexico | |
| China (mainland) | Hong Kong and Macau drive on the left. |
| South Korea | |
| Taiwan | |
| Philippines | |
| Vietnam | |
| Cambodia | |
| Myanmar | Switched to the right in 1970, but many cars there are still right-hand drive. |
| United Arab Emirates | |
| Saudi Arabia | |
| Egypt | |
| Brazil | |
| France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the rest of continental Europe | |
| Gibraltar | A British territory that drives on the right, like neighbouring Spain. |
| Sweden | Switched from the left to the right on 3 September 1967 ("Dagen H"). |
| Iceland | Switched to the right in 1968. |
| Nigeria | Switched to the right in 1972. |
| Ghana | Switched to the right in 1974. |
Why do some countries drive on the left?
One common explanation goes back to riding on horseback: most people are right-handed, so keeping to the left put your sword hand towards anyone coming the other way. Right-hand traffic spread across continental Europe from the late 18th century onward, and the first right-hand traffic laws in the United States appeared in Pennsylvania in 1792. Britain kept to the left, and so did most of the countries that adopted British road rules, which is why the list above follows the map of the former British Empire so closely. It is not the whole story: Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Mozambique and Suriname, none of them British colonies, also drive on the left.
Countries do switch. Sweden moved from the left to the right on 3 September 1967 ("Dagen H"), Iceland followed in 1968, Myanmar in 1970, Nigeria in 1972 and Ghana in 1974. Samoa went the other way in 2009, so it could import cheaper right-hand-drive cars from Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
How to drive on the left if you're used to the right
- Keep left, and overtake on the right. The driver sits on the right, next to the centre of the road.
- Roundabouts go clockwise. In most left-driving countries you give way to traffic coming from your right.
- Right turns cross oncoming traffic, the way left turns do at home. Take them slowly.
- Pedestrians: look right first before you cross.
- Consider renting an automatic. In a manual car the gear lever is on your left, which takes getting used to.
- Expect to flick the wipers instead of the indicator for the first few days; the stalks are often swapped.
- Watch the easy moments: pulling out of a car park, an empty road, or the first turn after a stop are when drivers drift back to the right.
Before you go, check what your destination asks of foreign drivers on its country page, and carry your driving licence with you.
How many countries drive on the left?
75 countries and territories drive on the left: 54 countries and 21 territories. Together they are home to about a third of the world's population, mainly because India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Japan all drive on the left.
Which European countries drive on the left?
The United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus, plus the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey. Every other European country drives on the right, and so does Gibraltar, even though it is British.
Does the United States drive on the left?
No. The US drives on the right. The only exception is the US Virgin Islands, where traffic keeps left even though most cars there are left-hand drive.
Does Canada drive on the left?
No. Canada drives on the right, like the United States.
Do Japan and Thailand drive on the left?
Yes. Japan, Thailand, India, Indonesia (including Bali), Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong and Macau all drive on the left. Mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam drive on the right.
Why do some countries drive on the left?
One common explanation is that riders kept to the left so their sword hand faced oncoming traffic. Right-hand traffic spread through continental Europe from the late 18th century onward, while Britain and much of its empire kept to the left. Several countries have since switched, including Sweden in 1967 and Samoa, which moved from right to left in 2009.
Do I need an International Driving Permit in countries that drive on the left?
It depends on the country and on where your licence was issued, not on the side of the road. The UK, for example, lets most visitors drive on their own valid licence, while Japan accepts only a 1949 Geneva Convention permit (or, for licences from a few countries, an approved Japanese translation). Check the country page before you travel.
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