Where the World Drives on the Left

They drive on the left in the United Kingdom and Ireland; Japan; Australia and New Zealand; India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives; Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and Timor‑Leste; much of Southern and Eastern Africa; and many Caribbean and Pacific islands, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Fiji. Roughly a quarter of the world’s countries and territories follow left-hand traffic, a legacy of British influence and regional alignment, with a few notable exceptions and cross-border quirks.

What “driving on the left” means

Left-hand traffic (LHT) means vehicles keep to the left side of the carriageway and drivers sit on the right side of the vehicle (right-hand drive, RHD) in most cases. This convention affects everything from vehicle design and overtaking rules to road signage and border crossings with right-hand-traffic neighbors.

Where people drive on the left: a regional breakdown

Europe and nearby

Only a handful of European jurisdictions keep left, concentrated in the British Isles and a pair of Mediterranean island states, plus several UK territories.

• United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
• Ireland
• Isle of Man (UK Crown Dependency)
• Channel Islands: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark (UK Crown Dependencies)
• Cyprus
• Malta
• Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus)

Beyond these, continental Europe overwhelmingly drives on the right; note that Gibraltar, despite being a UK territory bordering Spain, drives on the right.

Asia

Left-hand traffic is widespread in South and Southeast Asia, plus Japan and the special administrative regions on China’s southern coast.

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• Brunei
• Hong Kong (China SAR)
• India
• Indonesia
• Japan
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Macau (China SAR)
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Timor‑Leste (East Timor)

Mainland China, South Korea, North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Taiwan, and most of Central and West Asia drive on the right; Myanmar notably switched to right-hand traffic in 1970 despite many right-hand-drive vehicles still in use.

Africa

Southern Africa and parts of East Africa follow left-hand traffic, alongside a few island nations and UK overseas territories.

• Botswana
• Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
• Lesotho
• Namibia
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe
• Zambia
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Tanzania
• Kenya
• Uganda
• Mauritius
• Seychelles
• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (UK Overseas Territory)

Most of the rest of Africa, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and the countries of North and West Africa, drives on the right.

Oceania and the Pacific

Much of Oceania drives on the left, especially Australia, New Zealand, and many Polynesian and Melanesian nations, plus several associated territories.

• Australia (including external territories: Christmas Island, Cocos [Keeling] Islands, Norfolk Island)
• New Zealand (including associated territories: Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau)
• Papua New Guinea
• Fiji
• Solomon Islands
• Samoa
• Tonga
• Kiribati
• Tuvalu
• Nauru
• Pitcairn Islands (UK Overseas Territory)

Several Pacific jurisdictions drive on the right, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna.

Americas and the Caribbean

Left-hand traffic in the Americas is concentrated in the Caribbean and two mainland countries in South America, plus a few Atlantic territories.

• Guyana
• Suriname
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Jamaica
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Anguilla (UK Overseas Territory)
• Bermuda (UK Overseas Territory)
• British Virgin Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
• Cayman Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
• Montserrat (UK Overseas Territory)
• Turks and Caicos Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
• United States Virgin Islands (US Territory)
• Falkland Islands (UK Overseas Territory)

Most of the Americas, including the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Brazil, Argentina, and French Guiana, drives on the right. Notably, the US Virgin Islands drive on the left—the only US jurisdiction to do so—while nearby Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic drive on the right.

Notable exceptions, borders, and recent changes

Some places stand out for border-switching or historical shifts. These can affect travelers who cross frontiers where traffic direction changes.

• Hong Kong and Macau (left) connect to mainland China (right) via engineered lane-switching interchanges, including on the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.
• The UK–France frontier (left to right) uses grade-separated crossovers at the Channel Tunnel and ferry ports.
• Thailand (left) borders Laos and Cambodia (right), with signed crossover junctions at major crossings.
• Samoa switched from right to left in 2009 to align vehicle imports with Australia and New Zealand.
• Myanmar drives on the right despite neighbors largely driving left; many vehicles there are right-hand-drive, creating a visibility mismatch.
• Rwanda continues to drive on the right; while it has explored policies affecting vehicle imports, there has been no change to the side of the road as of 2025.
• Gibraltar, a UK territory, drives on the right to match Spain next door.

These cases illustrate how geography, trade, and legacy policies shape practical solutions at borders and in domestic regulations.

Why some places drive on the left

History is the main reason. Much of the left-driving world was influenced by British road rules exported during the colonial era, which persisted after independence. Japan adopted left-hand traffic in the 19th century through British railway engineering and later codified it nationwide for roads. Regional consistency, vehicle import patterns (RHD vs. LHD), and the cost of re-engineering road networks all reinforce the status quo.

Tips for visitors driving on the left

Travelers can adapt quickly with a few practical habits that emphasize positioning, visibility, and local compliance.

• Choose a vehicle with the steering wheel on the right (RHD) where LHT is standard; it aids lane position and overtaking judgment.
• Start in low-traffic areas to build muscle memory for lane discipline, roundabouts, and turning patterns.
• Use the centerline as your reference; the driver should sit closer to the road’s center on two-way roads.
• Approach roundabouts clockwise, yielding to traffic from the right in most LHT jurisdictions—verify local rules.
• Be careful with right turns across traffic (the LHT equivalent of a left turn across traffic in RHT countries).
• Watch for pedestrian look directions at crossings; habits differ by side.
• Study local signage and speed limits; enforcement methods and units (mph vs. km/h) vary.

With preparation and patience, most drivers adjust within a day or two—especially if renting an RHD vehicle and following local guidance.

Summary

About a quarter of the world’s countries and territories drive on the left, centered in the UK and Ireland, Japan, South Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, Southern and Eastern Africa, and many Caribbean and Pacific islands. The pattern reflects historical ties and regional alignment, with engineered solutions where left- and right-driving regions meet. Travelers should confirm local rules and adapt their driving habits accordingly.