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Types of electrical outlets around the world. Types of electrical outlets and voltage around the world Mains voltage in England

When traveling abroad, the format of the outlet and the voltage in the network are important, because each of us will need to charge our mobile phone, laptop or tablet. Most power supplies for electronic devices such as laptops, chargers, mobile devices, camcorders and cameras have a universal power supply, so they are able to operate at a supply voltage of 100 to 240 volts, and a frequency of 50 or 60 Hz.

There are two voltage standards in the world: European - 220-240V and American 100-127V. And two AC frequency standards: 50Hz and 60Hz. USA, Japan and most South American countries use 100-127V 60Hz. The rest of the world mainly uses European 220-240V 50Hz. In addition, there are several countries in the world with different voltage and frequency variations, such as the Philippines, where the voltage is 220-240V with a frequency of 60 Hz.

Map-scheme of use in different countries of the world of voltage and frequency of current

Electrical outlet standards have developed independently in most countries, so for the most part, plugs and sockets from different countries are not compatible with each other.

Map-scheme of use in different countries of the world of electrical plugs and sockets by type

Summary table of socket types, voltage and frequency by country

Countries and territories	socket type	Voltage AT	Frequency, Hz	Additionally
Australia	I	230	50
Austria	C, F	230	50
Azerbaijan	C	220	50
Azores	C, F	220	50
Albania	C, F	220	50
Algeria	C, F	230	50
American Samoa	A, B, F, I	120	60
Anguilla	A, B	110	60
Angola	C	220	50
Andorra	C, F	230	50
Antigua	A, B	230	60	at the airport 110 V
Macao (Macao)	D, M, G, rarely F	220	50
Argentina	C,I	220	50
Armenia	C, F	220	50
Aruba	A, B, F	127	60	in Lago 115 V
Afghanistan	C, D, F	240	50	voltage is unstable
Bahamas	A, B	120	60	in some remote regions 50Hz
Balearic Islands	C, F	220	50
Bangladesh	A, C, D, G, K	220	50
Barbados	A, B	115	50
Bahrain	G	230	50	in Avali 110 V, 60 Hz
Belarus	C	220	50
Belize	A, B, G	110, 220	60
Belgium	C, E	230	50
Benin	C, E	220	50
Bermuda	A, B	120	60
Bulgaria	C, F	230	50
Bolivia	A, C	220	50	in La Paz 115 V
Bosnia	C, F	220	50
Botswana	D, G, M	231	50
Brazil	A, B, C, I	127, 220	60
Brunei	G	240	50
Burkina Faso	C, E	220	50
Burundi	C, E	220	50
Butane	D, F, G, M	230	50
Vanuatu	I	230	50
Great Britain (England, Britain, United Kingdom)	G, rarely D and M	230	50	before 240 V; sometimes an additional low-voltage (110-115 V) socket in the bathroom, similar to type C
Venezuela	A, B	120	60	also possible 220V with type G to power air conditioners etc.
Hungary	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
East Timor	C, E, F, I	220	50
Vietnam	A, C	220	50	type A - in South Vietnam, type C - in the North. Luxury hotels also use type G
Gabon	C	220	50
Haiti	A, B	110	60
Guyana	A, B, D, G	240	60
Gambia	G	230	50
Ghana	D,G	230	50
Germany	C, F	230	50	before 220 V; type C has not been installed for a long time
Guadeloupe	C, D, E	230	50
Guatemala	A, B	120	60
Guinea	C, F, K	220	50
Guinea-Bissau	C	220	50
Gibraltar	G, K	240	50	type K only in Europort
Honduras	A, B	110	60
Hong Kong	G, M, D	220	50
Grenada	G	230	50
Greenland	C, K	220	50
Greece	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
Guam	A, B	110	60
Denmark	C, K, E	230	50	type E added from July 2008
Djibouti	C, E	220	50
Dominica	D,G	230	50
Dominican Republic	A, B	110	60
Egypt	C	220	50
Zambia	C, D, G	230	50
Western Samoa	I	230	50
Zimbabwe	D,G	220	50
Israel	C, H, M	230	50	in type H flat pins are replaced by round ones; most new outlets accept both H and C plugs
India	C, D, M	230	50
Indonesia	C, F, rarely G	127, 230	50
Jordan	B, C, D, F, G, J	230	50
Iraq	C, D, G	230	50
Iran	F, rarely C	220	50
Ireland	D, F, G, M	230	50	before 220 V; sometimes additionally 110 V
Iceland	C, F	230	50
Spain	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
Italy	C, F, L	230	50	before 220 V
Yemen	A, D, G	230	50
Cape Verde (Cape Verde Islands)	C, F	220	50
Kazakhstan	C, F	220	50
Cayman Islands	A, B	120	60
Cambodia	A, C, G	230	50
Cameroon	C, E	220	50
Canada	A, B	120	60	sometimes additionally 240 V
Canary Islands	C, E, F, L	220	50
Qatar	D,G	240	50
Kenya	G	240	50
Cyprus	G	240	50
Kyrgyzstan	C	220	50
Kiribati	I	240	50
China (mainland)	A, C, I	220	50
North Korea	C	220	50
Colombia	A, B	120	60	sometimes additionally 240 V
Comoros	C, E	220	50
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)	C, D	220	50
Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)	C, E	230	50
Korea (South)	A, B, C, F	220,110	60	types A and B are used at 110 V (a holdover from the Japanese colony) in old facilities
Costa Rica	A, B	120	60
Ivory Coast (Ivory Coast)	C, E	230	50
Cuba	A, B	110	60
Kuwait	C, G	240	50
Laos	A, B, C, E, F	230	50
Latvia	C, F	220	50
Lesotho	M	220	50
Liberia	A, B, C, E, F	120, 240	50	earlier than 60 Hz, in private electrical networks it is possible to maintain a frequency of 60 Hz, types A and B are used at a voltage of 110-120 V
Lebanon	A, B, C, D, G	110, 200	50
Libya	D, L	127	50	in selected cities 230 V
Lithuania	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
Liechtenstein	C, J	230	50
Luxembourg	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
Mauritius	C, G	230	50
Mauritania	C	220	50
Madagascar	C, D, E, J, K	127, 220	50
Madeira	C, F	220	50
Macedonia	C, F	220	50
Malawi	G	230	50
Malaysia	G, rarely M, C	240	50	type M is used to connect air conditioners, dryers, etc. C - for audio-video equipment
Mali	C, E	220	50
Maldives	A, D, G, J, K, L	230	50
Malta	G	230	50
Morocco	C, E	127, 220	50	transition to 220V continues
Martinique	C, D, E	220	50
Mexico	A, B	120	60
Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae)	A, B	120	60
Mozambique	C, F, M	220	50	type M is used near the border with South Africa, including in the capital, Maputo
Monaco	C, D, E, F	127, 220	50
Moldova	C, F	220-230	50
Mongolia	C, E	230	50
Montserrat	A, B	230	60
Myanmar (Burma)	C, D, F, G	230	50	type G is used only in expensive hotels
Namibia	D, M	220	50
Nauru	I	240	50
Nepal	C, D, M	230	50
Niger	A, B, C, D, E, F	220	50
Nigeria	D,G	240	50
Netherlands Antilles	A, B, F	127, 220	50
Netherlands (Holland)	C, F	230	50	before 220 V
Nicaragua	A, B	120	60
New Zealand	I	230	50
New Caledonia	E	220	50
Norway	C, F	230	50
channel islands	C, G	230	50
UAE	C, D, G	220	50
Okinawa	A, B	100	60	at military facilities 120 V
Oman	C, G	240	50
O. Man	C, G	240	50
Cook Islands	I	240	50
Pakistan	C, D, M, rarely G	230	50	type M is used for connecting air conditioners, etc.
Panama	A, B	110	60
Papua New Guinea	I	240	50
Paraguay	C	220	50
Peru	A, B, C	220	60	in Talara also 110 V, in Arequipa 50 Hz
Poland	C, E	230	50
Portugal	C, F	220	50
Puerto Rico	A, B	120	60
reunion	E	220	50
Russia	C, F	220	50	Throughout the former USSR, as well as in some. Soviet sockets according to GOST are common in Eastern Europe - they are similar to type C, but the diameter of the plug pins is reduced from 4.8 to 4 mm; as a result, the "Euro plug" may not fit into the sockets of the "Soviet" socket, and the contact of the "Soviet" plug with the "Euro socket" can be very unreliable; industry standard power supply - three-phase network 380 V, 50 Hz
Rwanda	C, J	230	50
Romania	C, F	230	50	earlier 220 V, in some places the sockets of the Soviet standard (GOST) were preserved, see note to Russia
Salvador	A, B	115	60
Sao Tome and Principe	C, F	220	50
Santa Lucia	G	240	50
Seychelles	G	240	50
Saudi Arabia	A, B, F, G	127, 220	60
Gaza Strip	C, H, M	230	50
Senegal	C, D, E, K	230	50
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	A, C, E, G, I, K	230	50
Serbia	C, F	220	50
Singapore	G, M, A, C	230	50	types A and C are used to connect audio-video equipment, type M - for air conditioners, dryers, etc.; various adapters are widely used in hotels
Syria	C, E, L	220	50
Slovakia	C, E	230	50
Slovenia	C, F	230	50
Somalia	C	220	50
Sudan	C, D	230	50
Suriname	C, F	127	60
USA	A, B	120	60
Sierra Leone	D,G	230	50
Tajikistan	C,I	220	50
Thailand	A, B, C	220	50
Taiwan	A, B	110, 220	60	220V is used to power air conditioners, etc.
Tanzania	D,G	230	50
Togo	C	220	50	in Lom 127 V
Tonga	I	240	50
Trinidad and Tobago	A, B	115	60
Tunisia	C, E	230	50
Turkmenistan (Turkmenistan)	B, F	220	50
Turkey	C, F	230	50
Uganda	G	240	50
Uzbekistan	C, F	220	50
Ukraine	C, F	220	50
Uruguay	C, F, I, L	230	50	before 220 V
Faroe Islands	C, K	220	50
Fiji	I	240	50
Philippines	A, rarely B	220	60	in some regions, for example, in Baguio 110 V
Finland	C, F	230	50
Falkland Islands	G	240	50
France	C, E	230	50	before 220 V; type C prohibited from installation for more than 10 years
french guiana	C, D, E	220	50
French polynesia(Tahiti)	A, B, E	110, 220	60 , 50
Croatia	C, F	230	50
Central African Republic	C, E	220	50
Chad	D, E, F	220	50
Montenegro	C, F	220	50
Czech	C, E	230	50
Chile	C, L	220	50
Switzerland	C, J	230	50
Sweden	C, F	230	50
Sri Lanka (Ceylon)	D, M, G	230	50	in new houses and expensive hotels more often type G
Ecuador	A, B	120	60
Equatorial Guinea	C, E	220	50
Eritrea	C	230	50
Estonia	C, F	230	50
Ethiopia	C, E, F, L	220	50
South Africa	M	220	50	in some cities 250 V
Jamaica	A, B	110	50
Japan	A, B	100	50 , 60	50 Hz in Eastern Japan (Tokyo, Sapporo, Yokohama, Sendai), 60 Hz in Western Japan (Okinawa, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nagoya, Hiroshima)

There are a great many ways to connect to the electrical network, different types of plugs and sockets, and for a tourist (along with different voltages and frequencies), such a variety turns into a serious problem.

Of the many connections, 13 most commonly used types of sockets are distinguished, denoted by Latin letters from A to M.

Type A

This type is designated as Class II. The plug consists of two parallel pins. In the Japanese version, the contacts are the same size. In the American one, one end is slightly wider than the other. Devices with a Japanese plug can be used in American sockets, but vice versa will not work.

Type B

Used in North and Central America and in Japan.

This type is referred to as Class I. The international designation for American type B is NEMA 5-15, Canadian type B is CS22.2, n°42 (CS = Canadian Standard). The maximum current is 15 A. In America, type B is very popular, in Japan it is much less common. Often, residents of old houses with type A sockets, acquiring new modern electrical appliances with type B plugs, simply “bite off” the third ground contact.

Type C

Used in all European countries except UK, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta.

International designation - CEE 7/16. The plug consists of two contacts with a diameter of 4.0-4.8 mm at a distance of 19 mm from the center. The maximum current is 3.5 A. Type C is an obsolete version of the newer types E, F, J, K and L now used in Europe. All Type C plugs are perfect for new sockets.

Type D

Used in India, Nepal, Namibia and Sri Lanka.

International designation - BS 546 (BS = British Standard). It is an obsolete British style plug that was used in the metropolitan area until 1962. The maximum current is 5 A. Some type D sockets are compatible with type D and M plugs. Type D sockets can still be found in old houses in Great Britain and Ireland.

Type E

Mainly used in France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Tunisia and Morocco.
International designation - CEE 7/7. Maximum current - 16 A. Type E is slightly different from CEE 7/4 (type F), which is common in Germany and other countries of central Europe. All Type C plugs fit perfectly into Type E sockets.

Type F

Mainly used in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Portugal, Spain and Eastern European countries.

International designation CEE 7/4. This type is also known as "Schuko". The maximum current is 16 A. All type C plugs are ideal for type F sockets. The same type is used in Russia (in the USSR it was designated as GOST 7396), the only difference is that the diameter of the contacts adopted in Russia is 4 mm, in while in Europe, 4.8mm contacts are most commonly used. Thus, Russian plugs easily fit into wider European sockets. But the plugs of electronic devices made for Europe do not fit into Russian sockets.

Type G

Used in UK, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Malta.

International designation - BS 1363 (BS = British Standard). The maximum current is 32 A. Tourists from Europe visiting the UK use ordinary adapters.

Type H

Used in Israel.

This connector is marked with the symbols SI 32. The type C plug is easily compatible with the type H socket.

Type I

Used in Australia, China, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Argentina.

International designation - AS 3112. Maximum current - 10 A. Sockets and plugs of types H and I do not match. The sockets and plugs used by the people of Australia and China are well matched.

Type J

Only used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

The international designation is SEC 1011. The maximum current is 10 A. Regarding type C, the type J plug has one more contact, and the socket has one more hole. However, Type C plugs will fit Type J sockets.

Type K

Only used in Denmark and Greenland.

International designation - 107-2-D1. The Danish socket accepts CEE 7/4 and CEE 7/7 plugs as well as Type C sockets.

Type L

Used only in Italy and very rarely in North African countries.
International designation - CEI 23-16 / BII. The maximum current is 10 A or 16 A. All type C plugs fit L type sockets.

Type M

Used in South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho.

Type M is very similar to type D. Most type M sockets are compatible with type D plugs.

When it comes to electricity, globalization can be forgotten. Even in the European Union, where one currency circulates, there are different electrical outlets. Therefore, going abroad, you have to replenish your luggage with an adapter or look for it upon arrival. The reason for this is the historical factor.

In the era of electrification, inventors from different countries offered their own options for optimal sockets; different types of electric generators were built around the world. And the national companies involved in the installation of electrical networks supplied their devices suitable for these networks. Accordingly, different types of plug connectors and sockets were introduced and their own networks were designed. The developments of other countries were completely ignored.
Influenced the development of sockets and the availability of materials. For example, during the Second World War in Great Britain they came up with a three-prong plug with a short copper fuse. This design made it possible to save copper reserves for military needs.
Now, according to one classification, 12 types of sockets are distinguished, according to another - 15. Moreover, sockets of one type sometimes accept plugs of another. However, having learned that in the country where you are going, the same type of outlet as at home - do not rush to rejoice! This solution is only half the problem. In different parts of the world, the voltage and frequency of the current may vary.

Classification of types of sockets and plugs in different countries of the world

Two standards are most common: European - 220-240 V at a frequency of 50 Hz and American - 100-127 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. You should not check what will happen if an electrical appliance operating from 100–127 V is plugged into a socket with 220–240 V.
In some countries, you have to keep your eyes open at all. For example, 127 V is used in most parts of Brazil, but 220 V is found in the north of the country. And in Japan, the voltage is the same everywhere - 110 V, the frequency is different: 50 Hz is used in the east, 60 Hz in the west. The reason is simple: first, German-made generators with a frequency of 50 Hz were purchased for Tokyo, and shortly after that, American generators with a frequency of 60 Hz were supplied to Osaka.
Perhaps someday a single standard will be adopted. A universal socket for all types of plugs has already been developed. But for now, it's up to everyone to install it or not. In addition, you first need to come to a single voltage standard. And this rests on the huge financial costs of re-equipment and re-equipment of transformer substations, replacement of sockets and plugs.
* Voltage 100-127 V at 60 Hz is used by USA, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, parts of Brazil and other countries.
* Voltage 220-240 V at 50 Hz is used in most other countries, but even with the same parameters, the appearance of sockets can vary greatly.

Here is a brief description of some of them: Types A and B - American socket

Type B differs from A by the presence of a third hole - it is intended for the grounding pin. Such sockets, as you might guess from the name, were invented in the USA and distributed in North, Central and partly South America, as well as Japan and some other countries.

Types C and F - European socket

Just like A and B, types C and F differ only in the presence of grounding - F has it. The European socket is used in most EU countries, as well as in Russia and the CIS, Algeria, Egypt and many other countries.

Type G - British socket

In the UK, the socket has three flat holes, and this design appeared for a reason. The fact is that during the Second World War the country experienced a shortage of copper. Therefore, a plug with a short copper fuse and three plugs was developed. In addition to Great Britain, the same socket is used in Cyprus, Malta, Singapore and other countries that have experienced the influence of the British Empire.

Type I - Australian socket

This type of outlet can be found not only in Australia, but also in New Zealand, Fiji, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, New Guinea, Samoa and sometimes in China, where types A and C are also common.

Type H - Israeli socket

Type H is used only in Israel and Palestine, and the pins of the plug can be either round or flat - this depends on when the device was manufactured. The flat shape of the outlet was in the old technique, but the new outlets fit two options.

Type K - Danish socket

This socket can safely claim to be the "friendliest" in the world - its design resembles a smiling face. In addition to Denmark and Greenland, which is part of it, type K is used in Bangladesh and the Maldives - however, several types of sockets are common there at once.

Fortunately, all these differences will not spoil your vacation or business trip - you just need to purchase a suitable adapter in advance.

Universal adapter

A map showing the distribution of different types of sockets in use around the world.

The world map shows the distribution of different types of sockets in use around the world. Countries in red are using Type A and B, dark blue are using types C and E/F (which are 100% compatible with each other), brown are countries using Type D, aqua is British type G, pink is Israeli types C and H , countries using Australian type I in yellow, black countries using type C and J, gray types C and K, orange types C and L, purple in South Africa type M, pale blue countries using type N, and dark green Thailand types C and O. Please note that this simplified overview only shows the most common plug type, and sometimes multiple systems in the same country.

Full review all countries in the world and their respective plugs/sockets and voltages/frequencies used for household appliances. The table shows that in most countries the electricity supply is between 220 and 240 volts (50 or 60 Hz), far exceeding countries operating on 100-127 volts. The list also shows that types A and C are the most commonly used electrical plugs worldwide.
Most countries have a well-defined plug and voltage standard. However, many Latin American, African and Asian countries use a motley collection of often incompatible plugs, and sometimes the voltage differs from region to region. This situation makes it difficult for travelers to assess which adapter or transformer plug is needed for a trip. In this case, when the country's electricity situation requires more information, the name of the country in question is highlighted in red.

When going on vacation, make sure that you will not be left without your smartphone if it runs out of power. Sockets are not the same everywhere, as are the mains voltages. If the supply voltages in this country are suitable, it remains to acquire such an adapter or find out in advance where to buy it on the spot or order charging with such a plug. In this article, we will talk about the types of sockets and how many volts are in the socket in different parts of the world.

Voltage and frequency

All countries in the world use alternating current in their electrical networks. The difference lies. There are two common frequencies:

The voltages are also different - 100, 110, 115, 120, 127, 220, 230 or 240 volts. At the same time, the voltage and frequency may be different in different regions of the same country, such as, for example, in the eastern part of Japan, a network with a frequency of 50 Hz, and in the western part - 60 Hz. This may be due to the fact that electrification took place at different times or part of the country was part of another country. On the map below you can see how many volts are in which country in the world.

Sockets and plugs

Everyone knows that sockets are used to connect electrical appliances to electricity. Their connectors can be of different shapes and differ in location.

Types of sockets are marked with Latin letters from A to M - a total of 13 varieties, we will consider them in more detail.

Plug with two flat vertical pins - used in America (Northern and Central) and in Japan. At the same time, in Japanese plugs, the contacts are the same, and in American one of the pins is wider than the other.

Similar to "A", differs in that there are three pins - one of them is grounding. A type A plug is suitable for such an outlet. Its design allows the passage of current up to 15A. In Japan, it is less common than "A". Please note that in the socket and plug, one of the pins may be wider at the end than the second.

Type C- more familiar than the previous ones, there are two round pins with a diameter of 4.8 mm, earlier - 4 mm. Used in almost all European countries and in Russia. The difference in diameters has become the reason that modern, so-called "Euro plugs" often do not fit into Soviet sockets.

Type F differs from type C in the presence of grounding contacts.

Sockets and plugs of varieties D and E are similar to C and F, they also have grounding contacts, but for type D it is located on the plug in the form of a third pin, and in E it sticks out of the socket, respectively, there is a hole in the plug.

They are used in India, Nepal, Namibia, Sri Lanka, and the maximum current of these products is 5A. The middle pin is thicker and longer than the other two.

Type E- in France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Morocco, Tunisia. They pass current up to 16 A. They perfectly fit “C” plugs (diamond-shaped as in the picture above, round ones will not fit), and some universal F (E) type plugs - with a hole as shown above.

Type D is also very similar to type M and plugs with sockets of these types are often compatible. They can be found in South Africa.

Used in the UK and Ireland, as well as Malaysia and Singapore, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Malta. Maximum current - 32 A.

In Israel they use H type sockets they are three-pin, the pins can be flat (old) or round (new). At the same time, new sockets are used with plugs with round and square pins. In addition, “C” plugs are suitable for such sockets. (And the voltage with the frequency in Israeli networks is almost the same as ours - 230V, 50 Hz).

Also with three pins is used in Australia and New Zealand, as well as in China, Argentina, Papua and New Guinea. Withstand current up to 10 A.

Sockets J with three pins on the plug is used in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. These sockets are compatible with Type C plugs.

Denmark and Greenland use Type K sockets and plugs.

Used in Italy, and found in North Africa. These are three-pin plugs and sockets whose pins are located in one row.

To summarize: in the table below you see a summary of what sockets, voltages and mains frequencies are used in the countries of the world.

What should I do if I'm traveling to another country with my equipment?

Most modern electronics are powered. And for them, the mains voltage often does not matter. To make sure of this, you need to study its characteristics - they are indicated on the sticker on the cases, or cast on it.

So and universal multi-purpose.

For example, most plugs in the world can be inserted into this one, and it will fit into sockets of the form C (not all), D, F, E and others.

To power equipment like a blender or other devices with electric motors, it is often the rated voltage that is needed, and if it decreases, either the power will decrease or the engine speed will decrease. In this case, they will work in countries with the same voltage as at home, regardless of the type of socket.

It is better to buy electric shavers with batteries, because they are also powered by an electric motor, and in the case of using rechargeable devices, you do not have to change the charger.

Write about your experience of traveling abroad, what sockets you saw and how you powered your appliances in the comments!