How Many Countries Drive on the Left?

Fifty-four sovereign countries drive on the left side of the road; when you include territories and dependencies, the total rises to roughly 75 jurisdictions worldwide—home to about one-third of the global population. Below is a clear breakdown of who drives on the left, where, and why it varies by region.

What “driving on the left” means

Driving on the left (left-hand traffic, LHT) means vehicles keep left and typically have the steering wheel on the right. Counts can differ depending on whether you tally only internationally recognized sovereign states or also include territories, dependencies, and special administrative regions.

The global tally

As of 2025, 54 sovereign countries use left-hand traffic. Including territories and dependencies—such as Hong Kong, Macau, the Cayman Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—brings the total to about 75 left-driving jurisdictions. Together, they account for roughly 34–35% of the world’s population.

Where countries drive on the left: Regional breakdown

Europe

The European list is short and centered on the British Isles and two Mediterranean nations aligned historically with the UK.

• United Kingdom
• Ireland
• Malta
• Cyprus

These four European countries maintain left-hand traffic, with nearby territories like the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man also driving on the left (though they are not sovereign states).

Asia

Asia hosts many of the world’s most populous left-driving countries, which helps explain the large share of the global population using LHT.

• Japan
• Thailand
• Malaysia
• Singapore
• Indonesia
• Brunei
• Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Bangladesh
• India
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Nepal
• Bhutan
• Maldives

In addition, the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau also drive on the left, though mainland China drives on the right. Myanmar switched from left to right in 1970.

Africa

Left-hand traffic in Africa is concentrated in the south and east, reflecting historical ties to British road rules.

• South Africa
• Namibia
• Botswana
• Lesotho
• Eswatini
• Zimbabwe
• Zambia
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Mauritius
• Seychelles

These countries form a largely contiguous left-driving bloc across Southern and parts of Eastern Africa.

Oceania

Most of Oceania’s Commonwealth-aligned nations drive on the left, anchored by Australia and New Zealand.

• Australia
• New Zealand
• Fiji
• Papua New Guinea
• Solomon Islands
• Samoa
• Tonga
• Kiribati
• Tuvalu
• Nauru

Notably, Samoa switched from right to left in 2009 to align with nearby left-driving neighbors and vehicle import patterns.

Americas

In the Americas, left-hand traffic is concentrated in the Caribbean, plus two countries on the continent’s north coast.

• Guyana
• Suriname
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Jamaica
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

These nations are part of a broader Caribbean pattern in which many islands follow UK-influenced road conventions.

Notable territories and regions that also drive on the left

Beyond sovereign countries, several territories, dependencies, and special regions use left-hand traffic—contributing to the often-quoted “about 75” total LHT jurisdictions.

• Hong Kong and Macau (China)
• U.S. Virgin Islands (United States)
• Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey (UK Crown Dependencies)
• Cayman Islands, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, Montserrat (UK Overseas Territories)
• Falkland Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Pitcairn Islands (UK Overseas Territories)
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus)
• Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island (Australia external territories)
• Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau (in free association or territory of New Zealand)

While not exhaustive, this list illustrates why the broader count of left-driving jurisdictions is higher than the tally of sovereign states alone. Note that Gibraltar, despite being a UK territory, drives on the right due to its land border with Spain.

Why some places keep left

Left-hand traffic often traces back to British influence and colonial-era standards, reinforced by vehicle import markets that favor right-hand-drive cars. Other regions historically shifted sides to harmonize with neighbors or simplify cross-border transport—examples include Sweden (1967), several West African nations in the early 1970s, and Samoa’s switch to left in 2009.

Summary

Answer: 54 sovereign countries drive on the left, and roughly 75 jurisdictions do so when you include territories and dependencies. The pattern clusters in Southern and Eastern Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Oceania, and much of the Caribbean—with Europe represented by the UK, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus. Counts vary slightly by classification, but the global picture is stable: about one in three people lives in places that keep left.

What countries drive on the left?

These include India, Australia, New Zealand and former British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean. Very few countries drive on the left in Europe like we do in the UK. The Channel Islands, Ireland, The Isle of Man, Cyprus, and Malta are the only European countries that also drive on the left.

Why do Japanese drive on the left?

Japan drives on the left due to ancient samurai customs and, later, the influence of the British railway system, which was adopted when Japan began to modernize in the 1870s. Samurai carried their swords on their left hips, and to avoid their scabbards clashing, they would walk on the left. This practice was later codified into law in the Edo period and carried over to the modern era when Japan imported British technology.
 
Historical context:

• Samurai tradition: Opens in new tabSamurai typically wore their swords on their left side, so they walked on the left to prevent their swords from hitting others, which could be a sign of provocation. 
• Horse-drawn carts: Opens in new tabIn feudal Japan, this left-hand custom was widespread, even for horse-drawn carts, and a German doctor noted it as a common practice in the late 17th century. 
• British influence and railways: Opens in new tabWhen Japan began to modernize after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, they imported railway technology from Britain. Because British railways operated on the left, Japan adopted this for its own rail system. 
• Codification into law: Opens in new tabThe practice of left-side traffic was formalized in the 1870s with a “Stage Coach Order” that stipulated horses and wagons should avoid each other by shifting to the left. This eventually became the official traffic law for all vehicles. 

Why do Britain drive on left?

The UK drives on the left due to its origins in the Middle Ages as a safety measure, allowing right-handed individuals to keep their sword arm free when passing oncoming strangers, a practice later formalized in law. As Napoleon spread right-hand traffic across continental Europe, Britain and its former colonies retained the left-hand custom, which became entrenched with the rise of automobiles. 
Historical Origins

• Medieval Safety: The tradition dates back to the era of horses and carriages. Most people were right-handed, so keeping to the left ensured their right arm was free for defense with a sword against potential attackers. 
• Wagon Drivers: In the 18th century, large wagons required the driver to sit to the right of the carriage to keep the whip-hand free. This kept them on the left side of the road, as they would whip the horses to the left to stay in line. 

Formalization and Influence

• Early Laws: In 1773, the General Highways Act in Britain mandated keeping to the left to prevent collisions on congested roads. The Highway Act of 1835 further solidified this into law, making left-hand driving the standard. 
• Napoleon and Continental Europe: The French Revolution and subsequent conquests by Napoleon led to right-hand traffic becoming the norm on the European continent. 
• British Empire: As a powerful colonial nation, Britain exported its traffic laws, leading many of its colonies to adopt left-hand driving. 
• Modern Convention: By the time motor vehicles became common, the convention was already well-established and deeply ingrained in British culture and law, making it easier to maintain than to change. 

Global Context 

• While most countries drive on the right, about 35% of the world’s population still uses left-hand traffic, including the UK, Ireland, India, Australia, and New Zealand.

Which is safer, driving on left or right?

(2020) explained the relationship between driving direction and traffic safety from the perspective of neurophysiology. The study found that based on neuropsychological evidence, left-hand driving is safer than right-hand driving.