FIELD LISTING :: SUFFRAGE
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.

Country Comparison to the World

Country | SUFFRAGE
--- | ---
Afghanistan | 18 years of age; universal
Albania | 18 years of age; universal
Algeria | 18 years of age; universal
American Samoa | 18 years of age; universal
Andorra | 18 years of age; universal
Angola | 18 years of age; universal
Anguilla | 18 years of age; universal
Antigua and Barbuda | 18 years of age; universal
Argentina | 18-70 years of age; universal and compulsory; 16-17 years of age - optional for national elections
Armenia | 18 years of age; universal
Aruba | 18 years of age; universal
Australia | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria | 16 years of age; universal
Azerbaijan | 18 years of age; universal
Bahamas, The | 18 years of age; universal
Bahrain | 20 years of age; universal; note - Bahraini Cabinet in May 2011 endorsed a draft law lowering eligibility to 18 years
Bangladesh | 18 years of age; universal
Barbados | 18 years of age; universal
Belarus | 18 years of age; universal
Belgium | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize | 18 years of age; universal
Benin | 18 years of age; universal
Bermuda | 18 years of age; universal
Bhutan | 18 years of age; universal
Bolivia | 18 years of age, universal and compulsory
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Botswana | 18 years of age; universal
Brazil | voluntary between 16 to 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory between 18 to 70 years of age; note - military conscripts by law cannot vote
British Virgin Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Brunei | 18 years of age for village elections; universal
Bulgaria | 18 years of age; universal
Burkina Faso | 18 years of age; universal
Burma | 18 years of age; universal
Burundi | 18 years of age; universal
Cabo Verde | 18 years of age; universal
Cambodia | 18 years of age; universal
Cameroon | 20 years of age; universal
Canada | 18 years of age; universal
Cayman Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Central African Republic | 18 years of age; universal
Chad | 18 years of age; universal
Chile | 18 years of age; universal
China | 18 years of age; universal
Christmas Island | 18 years of age
Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 18 years of age
Colombia | 18 years of age; universal
Comoros | 18 years of age; universal
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Congo, Republic of the | 18 years of age; universal
Cook Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Costa Rica | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Cote d'Ivoire | 18 years of age; universal
Croatia | 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Cuba | 16 years of age; universal
Curacao | 18 years of age; universal
Cyprus | 18 years of age; universal
Czech Republic | 18 years of age; universal
Denmark | 18 years of age; universal
Djibouti | 18 years of age; universal
Dominica | 18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic | 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age can vote; note - members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote
Ecuador | 18-65 years of age, universal and compulsory; 16-18, over 65, and other eligible voters, voluntary
Egypt | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
El Salvador | 18 years of age; universal
Equatorial Guinea | 18 years of age; universal
Eritrea | 18 years of age; universal
Estonia | 18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Ethiopia | 18 years of age; universal
European Union | 18 years of age (16 years in Austria); universal; voting for the European Parliament is permitted in each member state
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) | 18 years of age; universal
Faroe Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Fiji | 18 years of age; universal
Finland | 18 years of age; universal
France | 18 years of age; universal
French Polynesia | 18 years of age; universal
Gabon | 18 years of age; universal
Gambia, The | 18 years of age; universal
Georgia | 18 years of age; universal
Germany | 18 years of age; universal
Ghana | 18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar | 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence or more
Greece | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Greenland | 18 years of age; universal
Grenada | 18 years of age; universal
Guam | 18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Guatemala | 18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces and police by law cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Guernsey | 16 years of age; universal
Guinea-Bissau | 18 years of age; universal
Guinea | 18 years of age; universal
Guyana | 18 years of age; universal
Haiti | 18 years of age; universal
Holy See (Vatican City) | election of the pope is limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Honduras | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kong | 18 years of age in direct elections for half the legislature and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials
Hungary | 18 years of age, 16 if married; universal
Iceland | 18 years of age; universal
India | 18 years of age; universal
Indonesia | 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Iran | 18 years of age; universal
Iraq | 18 years of age; universal
Ireland | 18 years of age; universal
Isle of Man | 16 years of age; universal
Israel | 18 years of age; universal
Italy | 18 years of age; universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25
Jamaica | 18 years of age; universal
Japan | 20 years of age; universal
Jersey | 16 years of age; universal
Jordan | 18 years of age; universal
Kazakhstan | 18 years of age; universal
Kenya | 18 years of age; universal
Kiribati | 18 years of age; universal
Korea, North | 17 years of age; universal
Korea, South | 19 years of age; universal
Kosovo | 18 years of age; universal
Kuwait | 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military or police by law cannot vote; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Kyrgyzstan | 18 years of age; universal
Laos | 18 years of age; universal
Latvia | 18 years of age; universal
Lebanon | 21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel
Lesotho | 18 years of age; universal
Liberia | 18 years of age; universal
Libya | 18 years of age, universal
Liechtenstein | 18 years of age; universal
Lithuania | 18 years of age; universal
Luxembourg | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macau | 18 years of age in direct elections for some legislative positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; note - indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (973 were registered in the 2009 legislative elections) and a 400-member Election Committee for the Chief Executive drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials
Macedonia | 18 years of age; universal
Madagascar | 18 years of age; universal
Malawi | 18 years of age; universal
Malaysia | 21 years of age; universal
Maldives | 18 years of age; universal
Mali | 18 years of age; universal
Malta | 18 years of age (16 in Local Council elections); universal
Marshall Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Mauritania | 18 years of age; universal
Mauritius | 18 years of age; universal
Mexico | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Micronesia, Federated States of | 18 years of age; universal
Moldova | 18 years of age; universal
Monaco | 18 years of age; universal
Mongolia | 18 years of age; universal
Montenegro | 18 years of age; universal
Montserrat | 18 years of age; universal
Morocco | 18 years of age; universal
Mozambique | 18 years of age; universal
Namibia | 18 years of age; universal
Nauru | 20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal | 18 years of age; universal
Netherlands | 18 years of age; universal
New Caledonia | 18 years of age; universal
New Zealand | 18 years of age; universal
Nicaragua | 16 years of age; universal
Nigeria | 18 years of age; universal
Niger | 18 years of age; universal
Niue | 18 years of age; universal
Norfolk Island | 18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands | 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Norway | 18 years of age; universal
Oman | 21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote
Pakistan | 18 years of age; universal; note - there are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Palau | 18 years of age; universal
Panama | 18 years of age; universal
Papua New Guinea | 18 years of age; universal
Paraguay | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 75
Peru | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70
Philippines | 18 years of age; universal
Pitcairn Islands | 18 years of age; universal with three years residency
Poland | 18 years of age; universal
Portugal | 18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico | 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar | 18 years of age; universal
Romania | 18 years of age; universal
Russia | 18 years of age; universal
Rwanda | 18 years of age; universal
Saint Barthelemy | 18 years of age, universal
Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha | 18 years of age
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 18 years of age; universal
Saint Lucia | 18 years of age; universal
Saint Martin | 18 years of age, universal
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 18 years of age; universal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 18 years of age; universal
Samoa | 21 years of age; universal
San Marino | 18 years of age; universal
Sao Tome and Principe | 18 years of age; universal
Saudi Arabia | 21 years of age; male
Senegal | 18 years of age; universal
Serbia | 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Seychelles | 18 years of age; universal
Sierra Leone | 18 years of age; universal
Singapore | 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Sint Maarten | 18 years of age; universal
Slovakia | 18 years of age; universal
Slovenia | 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Solomon Islands | 21 years of age; universal
Somalia | 18 years of age; universal
South Africa | 18 years of age; universal
South Sudan | 18 years of age; universal
Spain | 18 years of age; universal
Sri Lanka | 18 years of age; universal
Sudan | 17 years of age; universal
Suriname | 18 years of age; universal
Swaziland | 18 years of age
Sweden | 18 years of age; universal
Switzerland | 18 years of age; universal
Syria | 18 years of age; universal
Taiwan | 20 years of age; universal
Tajikistan | 18 years of age; universal
Tanzania | 18 years of age; universal
Thailand | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Timor-Leste | 17 years of age; universal
Togo | 18 years of age; universal
Tokelau | 21 years of age; universal
Tonga | 21 years of age; universal
Trinidad and Tobago | 18 years of age; universal
Tunisia | 18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months
Turkey | 18 years of age; universal
Turkmenistan | 18 years of age; universal
Turks and Caicos Islands | 18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu | 18 years of age; universal
Uganda | 18 years of age; universal
Ukraine | 18 years of age; universal
United Arab Emirates | limited; note - rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12 percent of Emirati citizens
United Kingdom | 18 years of age; universal
United States | 18 years of age; universal
Uruguay | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Uzbekistan | 18 years of age; universal
Vanuatu | 18 years of age; universal
Venezuela | 18 years of age; universal
Vietnam | 18 years of age; universal
Virgin Islands | 18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Wallis and Futuna | 18 years of age; universal
Western Sahara | none; (residents of Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara participate in Moroccan elections)
Yemen | 18 years of age; universal
Zambia | 18 years of age; universal
Zimbabwe | 18 years of age; universal