Which places drive on the left
About 75 countries and territories drive on the left, notably the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, much of Southern and East Africa, parts of Southeast Asia, and many Caribbean islands. This article lists left-hand-traffic (LHT) jurisdictions by region, notes important exceptions, and explains a few border and historical quirks.
Global overview
Roughly a third of the world’s population lives in places where vehicles keep left. The pattern largely reflects history: former British territories usually retained LHT, Japan adopted it nationally in the early 20th century (rooted in earlier railway conventions), and a cluster of Pacific and Caribbean islands align with regional neighbors and vehicle import markets.
By region
Europe
Only a handful of European jurisdictions drive on the left; most are either the UK or islands with long British ties. The list below includes independent states and territories.
- United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
- Ireland
- Malta
- Cyprus
- Isle of Man
- Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark)
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus)
Together, these represent the only LHT pockets in Europe; nearby Gibraltar is an exception in the region as it drives on the right.
Asia
Asia’s left-driving map includes South Asia, parts of Southeast Asia, and several city-regions with distinct legal systems. The following places keep to the left.
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Brunei
- East Timor (Timor-Leste)
- Hong Kong (China)
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- Macau (China)
Mainland China, most of continental Southeast Asia, and the Koreas drive on the right; cross-border traffic with Hong Kong and Macau uses special interchange systems.
Africa
Left-hand traffic in Africa forms a largely contiguous block in the south and east, plus a pair of island nations and remote territories.
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Tanzania
- Kenya
- Uganda
- Mauritius
- Seychelles
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (UK Overseas Territory)
Most West and North African countries drive on the right; Mozambique is a notable LHT exception among former Portuguese territories.
Oceania and the Pacific
Australia and New Zealand anchor a wide Pacific group of left-driving nations and associated territories.
- Australia (including external territories such as Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands)
- New Zealand (including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau)
- Fiji
- Papua New Guinea
- Solomon Islands
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Kiribati
- Tuvalu
- Pitcairn Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
Many other Pacific jurisdictions, including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, and Vanuatu, drive on the right.
The Americas and Caribbean
In the Western Hemisphere, left-hand traffic is concentrated in the Caribbean, plus two mainland countries in South America and several Atlantic territories.
- Guyana
- Suriname
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Jamaica
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Dominica
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Grenada
- British Virgin Islands
- US Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Anguilla
- Montserrat
- Bermuda
- Falkland Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK Overseas Territory)
Most of the Americas, including Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and the majority of South America and the French/Dutch Caribbean, drive on the right.
Notable exceptions and border quirks
Several places are exceptions to regional norms or have special cross-border arrangements worth noting.
- US Virgin Islands drive on the left despite being a US territory where the national norm is right-hand traffic.
- Gibraltar drives on the right, unlike the UK; it aligns with neighboring Spain.
- Hong Kong and Macau drive on the left; mainland China drives on the right. Purpose-built “crossover” interchanges handle the switch at borders and bridges.
- Samoa switched from right to left in 2009 to align vehicle supply with Australia and New Zealand.
- Myanmar switched from left to right in 1970; neighboring Thailand remains left.
- Rwanda continues to drive on the right but has periodically discussed shifting to the left to align with some East African neighbors; as of 2025, no change has taken effect.
These exceptions underscore how geography, trade, and history shape which side of the road a jurisdiction chooses.
Summary
Left-hand traffic today spans parts of Europe (UK, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus), much of Southern and East Africa, key Asian nations (India, Japan, Southeast Asian states like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia), numerous Pacific countries (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, PNG), and many Caribbean islands, plus Guyana and Suriname. While most of the world keeps right, left-hand driving remains the rule in a significant number of countries and territories, sustained by regional ties, history, and established vehicle flows.
Where are they driving on the left side?
Some other countries chose the left-hand side of the road. These countries include: Japan, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Mozambique, Suriname, East Timor, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and more. Today, only four European countries drive on the left-hand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus.
Where in the US do people drive on the left?
the US Virgin Islands
Although each state sets its own traffic laws, most laws are the same or similar throughout the country. Traffic is required to keep to the right, known as a right-hand traffic pattern. The exception is the US Virgin Islands, where people drive on the 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.
Do any US territories drive on the left?
Other countries in the Americas
In the West Indies, colonies and territories drive on the same side as their parent countries, except for the United States Virgin Islands.
