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Voltages & Frequencies (Hz) Around the World

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        Country Voltage, Frequency, and Plug Type Chart

        This chart includes information on voltages and frequencies found across the globe. Each country is listed with the volts and frequency (also referred as Hertz or Hz and is referring to cycles per second) commonly found in each geographic area.

        Country Single-Phase Voltage Three-Phase Voltage Frequency (Hertz) # of Wires Plug Type
        Abu Dhabi230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4G
        Afghanistan220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Albania230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Algeria230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        American Samoa120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/F/I
        Andorra230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Angola220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Anguilla110 V120/208 V / 127/220 V / 240/415 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Antigua and Barbuda230 V400 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Argentina220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/I
        Armenia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Aruba120 V220 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/F/I
        Australia230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Austria230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Azerbaijan220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Azores230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4B/C/F
        Bahamas120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Bahrain230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4G
        Balearic Islands230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Bangladesh220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4A/C/D/G/K
        Barbados115 V200 V50 Hz3, 4A/B
        Belarus220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Belgium230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Belize110 V / 220 V190 V / 380 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/G
        Benin220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Bhutan230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/G
        Bolivia230 V400 V50 Hz4A/C
        Bonaire127 V220 V50 Hz3, 4A/C
        Bosnia & Herzegovina230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Botswana230 V400 V50 Hz4D/G
        Brazil127 V / 220 V220 V / 380 V60 Hz3, 4C/N
        British Virgin Islands110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Brunei240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Bulgaria230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Burkina Faso220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Burma (officially Myanmar)230 V400 V50 Hz4A/C/D/G/I
        Burundi220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Cambodia230 V400 V50 Hz4A/C/G
        Cameroon220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Canada120 V120/208 V / 240 V / 480 V / 347/600 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Canary Islands230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E/F
        Cape Verde230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Cayman Islands120 V240 V60 Hz3A/B
        Central African Republic220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Chad220 V380 V50 Hz4C/D/E/F
        Channel Islands (Guernsey & Jersey)230 V415 V50 Hz4C/G
        Chile220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/L
        China, People’s Republic of220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4A/C/I
        Colombia110 V220 V / 440 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Comoros220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Congo, Democratic Republic of220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/E
        Congo, People’s Republic of230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Cook Islands240 V415 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Costa Rica120 V240 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Croatia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Cuba110 V / 220 V190 V60 Hz3A/B/C/L
        Curaçao127 V220 V / 380 V50 Hz3, 4A/B
        Cyprus230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Czech Republic230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Denmark230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E/F/K
        Djibouti220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Dominica230 V400 V50 Hz4D/G
        Dominican Republic120 V120/208 V / 277/480 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Dubai230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4G
        East Timor (Timor-Leste)220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E/F/I
        Ecuador120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Egypt220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        El Salvador120 V200 V60 Hz3A/B
        England230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Equatorial Guinea220 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]C/E
        Eritrea230 V400 V50 Hz4C/L
        Estonia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Ethiopia220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Faeroe Islands230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E/F/K
        Falkland Islands240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Fiji240 V415 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Finland230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        France230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        French Guiana220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/E
        Gabon220 V380 V50 Hz4C
        Gambia230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Gaza230 V400 V50 Hz4C/H
        Georgia220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Germany230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Ghana230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4D/G
        Gibraltar230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Great Britain (GB)230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Greece230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Greenland230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E/F/K
        Grenada230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Guadeloupe230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Guam110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Guatemala120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Guinea220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/F/K
        Guinea-Bissau220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C
        Guyana120 V / 240 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/D/G
        Haiti110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Holland (officially the Netherlands)230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Honduras120 V208 V / 230 V / 240 V / 460 V / 480 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Hong Kong220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4G
        Hungary230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Iceland230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        India230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/M
        Indonesia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Iran230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Iraq230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/G
        Ireland (Eire)230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Ireland, Northern230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Isle of Man230 V415 V50 Hz4C/G
        Israel230 V400 V50 Hz4C/H
        Italy230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F/L
        Jamaica110 V190 V50 Hz3, 4A/B
        Japan100 V200 V50 / 60 Hz3A/B
        Jordan230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/F/G/J
        Kazakhstan220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Kenya240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Kiribati240 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]I
        Korea, North220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C
        Korea, South220 V380 V60 Hz4C/F
        Kosovo230 V230 V / 400 V50 Hz3C/F
        Kuwait240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Kyrgyzstan220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Laos230 V400 V50 Hz4A/B/C/E/F
        Latvia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Lebanon230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/G
        Lesotho220 V380 V50 Hz4M
        Liberia120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Libya230 V400 V50 Hz4C/L
        Liechtenstein230 V400 V50 Hz4C/J
        Lithuania230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Luxembourg230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Macau220 V380 V50 Hz3G
        Macedonia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Madagascar220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Madeira230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Malawi230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4G
        Malaysia240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Maldives230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/G/J/K/L
        Mali220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/E
        Malta230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Marshall Islands120 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]A/B
        Martinique220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/E
        Mauritania220 V220 V50 Hz3, 4C
        Mauritius230 V400 V50 Hz4C/G
        Mayotte230 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]C/E
        Mexico127 V220 V / 480 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Micronesia, Federated States of120 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]A/B
        Moldova230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Monaco230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E/F
        Mongolia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Montenegro230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Montserrat230 V400 V60 Hz4A/B
        Morocco220 V380 V50 Hz4C/E
        Mozambique220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F/M
        Myanmar (formerly Burma)230 V400 V50 Hz4A/C/D/G/I
        Namibia220 V380 V50 Hz4D/M
        Nauru240 V415 V50 Hz4I
        Nepal230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/M
        Netherlands230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        New Caledonia220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        New Zealand230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Nicaragua120 V208 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Niger220 V380 V50 Hz4C/D/E/F
        Nigeria230 V415 V50 Hz4D/G
        Northern Ireland230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        North Korea220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C
        Norway230 V230 V / 400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Oman240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Pakistan230 V400 V50 Hz3C/D
        Palau120 V208 V60 Hz3A/B
        Panama120 V240 V60 Hz3A/B
        Papua New Guinea240 V415 V50 Hz4I
        Paraguay220 V380 V50 Hz4C
        Peru220 V220 V60 Hz3A/C
        Philippines220 V380 V60 Hz3A/B/C
        Pitcairn Islands230 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]I
        Poland230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Portugal230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Puerto Rico120 V480 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Qatar240 V415 V50 Hz3, 4G
        Réunion230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Romania230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        Russia (officially the Russian Federation)220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Rwanda230 V400 V50 Hz4C/J
        Saba110 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]A/B
        Saint Barthélemy230 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]C/E
        Saint Kitts and Nevis230 V400 V60 Hz4D/G
        Saint Lucia230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Saint Martin220 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]C/E
        Saint Helena230 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]G
        Sint Eustatius110 V / 220 V220 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/C/F
        Sint Maarten110 V220 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Saint Vincent and the Grenadines110 V / 230 V400 V50 Hz4A/B/G
        Samoa230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4I
        San Marino230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F/L
        São Tomé and Príncipe230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Saudi Arabia230 V400 V60 Hz4G
        Scotland230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Senegal230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/E/K
        Serbia230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Seychelles240 V240 V50 Hz3G
        Sierra Leone230 V400 V50 Hz4D/G
        Singapore230 V400 V50 Hz4G
        Slovakia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Slovenia230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Solomon Islands230 V[unavailable][unavailable][unavailable]G/I
        Somalia220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C
        Somaliland220 V380 V50 Hz3, 4C
        South Africa230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/D/M/N
        South Korea220 V380 V60 Hz4C/F
        South Sudan230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D
        Spain230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Sri Lanka230 V400 V50 Hz4D/G
        Sudan230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D
        Suriname127 V / 230 V220 V / 400 V60 Hz3, 4A/B/C/F
        Swaziland230 V400 V50 Hz4M
        Sweden230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Switzerland230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/J
        Syria220 V380 V50 Hz3C/E/L
        Tahiti220 V380 V50 / 60 Hz3, 4C/E
        Taiwan110 V220 V60 Hz4A/B
        Tajikistan220 V380 V50 Hz3C/F
        Tanzania230 V415 V50 Hz3, 4D/G
        Thailand230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4A/B/C/O
        Togo220 V380 V50 Hz4C
        Tonga240 V415 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Trinidad & Tobago115 V115/230 V / 230/400 V60 Hz4A/B
        Tunisia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/E
        Turkey230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4C/F
        Turkmenistan220 V380 V50 Hz3C/F
        Turks and Caicos Islands120 V240 V60 Hz4A/B
        Uganda240 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Ukraine230 V400 V50 Hz4C/F
        United Arab Emirates (UAE)230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4G
        United Kingdom (UK)230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        United States of America (USA)120 V120/208 V / 277/480 V / 120/240 V / 240 V / 480 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        United States Virgin Islands110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Uruguay220 V380 V50 Hz3C/F/L
        Uzbekistan220 V380 V50 Hz4C/F
        Vanuatu230 V400 V50 Hz3, 4I
        Venezuela120 V120 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Vietnam220 V380 V50 Hz4A/C/D
        Virgin Islands (British)110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Virgin Islands (USA)110 V190 V60 Hz3, 4A/B
        Wales230 V415 V50 Hz4G
        Yemen230 V400 V50 Hz4A/D/G
        Zambia230 V400 V50 Hz4C/D/G
        Zimbabwe240 V415 V50 Hz3, 4D/G

        There are approximately 40 countries that use 60 Hz while the rest typically run on 50 Hz current. Single-phase power is primarily for residential use (such as homeowners and what you would find in a hotel) while 3-phase electric power provides more stable, heavy-duty power for most industrial applications like manufacturing plants, commercial facilities, data centers, telecom towers, hospitals, food processing, and utility power plants.

        Some applications use specialized higher voltages (such as 4160 V or 13,400 V) but these are on a more unique basis and typically involve transformers so those are not included. When considering a backup power generator, keep in mind that the frequency can often be changed by an accomplished power generation technician or electrical contractor but you do typically see a performance loss on most generator sets when you convert from 60 hertz to 50 hertz. This is mainly because you have to slow the engine RPM down and make adjustments so the overall kW or kVA output will be lower. The opposite is also true – you can sometimes gain kW when you convert from 50 Hz to 60 Hz because you speed the engine RPM up. The number of wires and plugs used varies greatly by region since each country is evolving their electrical grids at a different rate and over time so these are only provided as a good starting point and general guide.

        Why Do Some Countries Use 50 Hz and Others 60 Hz?

        The split between 50 Hz and 60 Hz power systems across the globe is a quirky relic of early electrical engineering, rooted in competing industrial ambitions and practical choices made over a century ago. It’s not just a technical detail—it’s a story of innovation, rivalry, and legacy.

        Back in the late 1800s, electricity was the new frontier. Europe, led by German engineers at companies like AEG, leaned toward 50 Hz. Why? It was a practical sweet spot. Early generators, tied to steam engines or water turbines, operated at speeds that naturally aligned with 50 cycles per second. This frequency worked well for bulky transformers and motors of the era, balancing efficiency with the limits of iron-core technology. Plus, 50 Hz flickered less noticeably in early arc lamps, a big deal for lighting up factories and streets.

        Across the Atlantic, American engineers, notably at Westinghouse, championed 60 Hz. The choice wasn’t random—60 Hz allowed slightly smaller, lighter transformers, which cut costs for sprawling U.S. power grids. It also synced nicely with the 60-second clock, simplifying some electrical calculations. Westinghouse’s team, backed by Nikola Tesla’s AC system, locked in 60 Hz as the U.S. standard by the 1890s, especially after high-profile projects like the Niagara Falls power plant.

        So why the global divide? Colonial and industrial influence. European countries spread 50 Hz to their colonies—think India, Australia, and much of Africa. Meanwhile, the U.S. and its allies, like Japan and parts of South America, adopted 60 Hz. Some nations, like Japan, even ended up with both due to regional utility differences! Over time, these standards calcified. Switching frequencies now would mean rewiring entire grids—a costly, chaotic endeavor.

        This 50/60 Hz split fascinates because it shows how early tech decisions, driven by practical needs and corporate battles, still shape our world. Next time you plug in a generator, you’re tapping into a century-old tug-of-war between engineering giants.

        Still have questions or looking for more information?

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