Your Ultimate Guide to Global Power Adapters and Plug Types

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Traveling internationally is an exciting experience, but it also comes with its own set of challenges—one of the most overlooked being how to keep your electronic devices charged. Understanding power adapters and the different plug types used across the world is crucial for any traveler. With different countries using varying electrical standards, from voltage to plug shape, having the right adapter and power converter can mean the difference between staying connected and facing inconvenient disruptions.

Power Plug Types: A Detailed List

Power plugs come in many different shapes and configurations, depending on the country and region. Below is a comprehensive list of the most common power plug types you’ll encounter:

Type A: This plug has two flat parallel pins and is commonly used in North and Central America, as well as Japan. It operates on a standard voltage of 100-127 V.
Type B: Similar to Type A but with an additional grounding pin, Type B is also used in North and Central America and Japan. The voltage is the same, at 100-127 V.
Type C: This plug features two round pins and is one of the most widely used plug types globally, found in Europe, South America, and Asia. It typically operates on 220-240 V.
Type D: With three round pins arranged in a triangular pattern, Type D is used in India and parts of Africa. It operates on a voltage of 220-240 V.
Type E: This plug has two round pins with a hole for the socket’s grounding pin, commonly used in France, Belgium, Poland, and other European countries. It also operates on 220-240 V.
Type F: Known as the "Schuko" plug, Type F is similar to Type E but without a grounding pin hole. It’s used in Germany, Austria, and other European countries, operating on 220-240 V.
Type G: Featuring three rectangular prongs, Type G is used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and several other countries. It operates on 220-240 V.
Type H: This plug, with two or three flat pins in a V-shape, is unique to Israel and operates on 220-240 V.
Type I: Used in Australia, New Zealand, and China, Type I has two flat pins in a V-shape and a grounding pin. It operates on 220-240 V.
Type J: This plug, with three round pins, is used in Switzerland and operates on 220-240 V.
Type K: With two round pins and a grounding pin, Type K is used in Denmark and Greenland, operating on 220-240 V.
Type L: Featuring three round pins in a line, Type L is used in Italy and Chile. It also operates on 220-240 V.
Type M: Similar to Type D but larger, Type M is used in South Africa and operates on 220-240 V.
Type N: Used in Brazil and South Africa, Type N has two round pins and a grounding pin and operates on 220-240 V.
Type O: This plug, with three round pins, is used exclusively in Thailand and operates on 220-240 V.

Power Adapters by Continent: A Country-by-Country Breakdown

North America

United States: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Canada: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Mexico: Type A, Type B (127 V, 60 Hz)
Bermuda: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Greenland: Type C, Type K (230 V, 50 Hz)

Central America and the Caribbean

Belize: Type A, Type B, Type G (110/220 V, 60 Hz)
Costa Rica: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
El Salvador: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Guatemala: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Honduras: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Nicaragua: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Panama: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Cuba: Type A, Type B, Type C, Type L (110/220 V, 60 Hz)
Dominican Republic: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Haiti: Type A, Type B (110 V, 60 Hz)
Jamaica: Type A, Type B (110 V, 50 Hz)
Puerto Rico: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Bahamas: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Barbados: Type A, Type B (115 V, 50 Hz)
Trinidad and Tobago: Type A, Type B (115 V, 60 Hz)
Saint Kitts and Nevis: Type D, Type G (230 V, 60 Hz)
Saint Lucia: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Type A, Type B, Type G (110/230 V, 50/60 Hz)
Grenada: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Antigua and Barbuda: Type A, Type B (230 V, 60 Hz)
Dominica: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)

South America

Argentina: Type C, Type I (220 V, 50 Hz)
Bolivia: Type A, Type C (115/230 V, 50 Hz)
Brazil: Type C, Type N (127/220 V, 60 Hz)
Chile: Type C, Type L (220 V, 50 Hz)
Colombia: Type A, Type B (110 V, 60 Hz)
Ecuador: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Guyana: Type A, Type B, Type D, Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Paraguay: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
Peru: Type A, Type B, Type C (220 V, 60 Hz)
Suriname: Type C, Type F (127/220 V, 60 Hz)
Uruguay: Type C, Type F, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Venezuela: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)

Europe

Albania: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Andorra: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Armenia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Austria: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Azerbaijan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Belarus: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Belgium: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Bulgaria: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Croatia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Cyprus: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Czech Republic: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Denmark: Type C, Type E, Type F, Type K (230 V, 50 Hz)
Estonia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Finland: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
France: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Georgia: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Germany: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Greece: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Hungary: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Iceland: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Ireland: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Italy: Type C, Type F, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Kosovo: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Latvia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Liechtenstein: Type C, Type J (230 V, 50 Hz)
Lithuania: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Luxembourg: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Malta: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Moldova: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Monaco: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Montenegro: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Netherlands: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
North Macedonia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Norway: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Poland: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Portugal: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Romania: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Russia: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
San Marino: Type C, Type F, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Serbia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Slovakia: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Slovenia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Spain: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Sweden: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Switzerland: Type C, Type J (230 V, 50 Hz)
Ukraine: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
United Kingdom: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Vatican City: Type C, Type F, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)

Asia

Afghanistan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Armenia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Azerbaijan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Bahrain: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Bangladesh: Type C, Type D, Type G, Type K (230 V, 50 Hz)
Bhutan: Type C, Type D, Type G, Type M (230 V, 50 Hz)
Brunei: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Cambodia: Type A, Type C, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
China: Type A, Type C, Type I (220 V, 50 Hz)
Cyprus: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Georgia: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Hong Kong: Type G (220 V, 50 Hz)
India: Type C, Type D, Type M (230 V, 50 Hz)
Indonesia: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Iran: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Iraq: Type C, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Israel: Type C, Type H (230 V, 50 Hz)
Japan: Type A, Type B (100 V, 50/60 Hz)
Jordan: Type C, Type D, Type F, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Kazakhstan: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Kuwait: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Kyrgyzstan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Laos: Type A, Type B, Type C, Type E, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Lebanon: Type C, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Malaysia: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Maldives: Type C, Type D, Type G, Type J, Type K, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Mongolia: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Myanmar (Burma): Type C, Type D, Type F, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Nepal: Type C, Type D, Type M (230 V, 50 Hz)
North Korea: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Oman: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Pakistan: Type C, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Palestine: Type C, Type H (230 V, 50 Hz)
Philippines: Type A, Type B, Type C (220 V, 60 Hz)
Qatar: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Saudi Arabia: Type A, Type B, Type G (127/220 V, 60 Hz)
Singapore: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
South Korea: Type C, Type F (220 V, 60 Hz)
Sri Lanka: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Syria: Type C, Type E, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Taiwan: Type A, Type B (110 V, 60 Hz)
Tajikistan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Thailand: Type A, Type B, Type C, Type F, Type O (220 V, 50 Hz)
Turkey: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Turkmenistan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
United Arab Emirates: Type C, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Uzbekistan: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Vietnam: Type A, Type C, Type G (220 V, 50 Hz)
Yemen: Type A, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)

Africa

Algeria: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Angola: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
Benin: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Botswana: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Burkina Faso: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Burundi: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Cameroon: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Cape Verde: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Central African Republic: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Chad: Type C, Type D, Type E, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Comoros: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the: Type C, Type D, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Congo, Republic of the: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Djibouti: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Egypt: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Equatorial Guinea: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Eritrea: Type C, Type L (230 V, 50 Hz)
Eswatini (Swaziland): Type M (230 V, 50 Hz)
Ethiopia: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Gabon: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
Gambia: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Ghana: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Guinea: Type C, Type F (220 V, 50 Hz)
Guinea-Bissau: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire): Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Kenya: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Lesotho: Type M (230 V, 50 Hz)
Liberia: Type A, Type B, Type C, Type F (120/240 V, 50 Hz)
Libya: Type C, Type L (127/230 V, 50 Hz)
Madagascar: Type C, Type E, Type J, Type K (220 V, 50 Hz)
Malawi: Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Mali: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Mauritania: Type C, Type L (220 V, 50 Hz)
Mauritius: Type C, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Morocco: Type C, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Mozambique: Type C, Type F, Type M (220 V, 50 Hz)
Namibia: Type D, Type M (220 V, 50 Hz)
Niger: Type C, Type D, Type E (220 V, 50 Hz)
Nigeria: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Rwanda: Type C, Type J (230 V, 50 Hz)
São Tomé and Príncipe: Type C, Type F (230 V, 50 Hz)
Senegal: Type C, Type D, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Seychelles: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Sierra Leone: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Somalia: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
South Africa: Type C, Type D, Type M, Type N (230 V, 50 Hz)
South Sudan: Type C, Type D (230 V, 50 Hz)
Sudan: Type C, Type D (230 V, 50 Hz)
Tanzania: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Togo: Type C (220 V, 50 Hz)
Tunisia: Type C, Type E (230 V, 50 Hz)
Uganda: Type G (240 V, 50 Hz)
Zambia: Type C, Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)
Zimbabwe: Type D, Type G (230 V, 50 Hz)

Oceania

Australia: Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)
Fiji: Type I (240 V, 50 Hz)
Kiribati: Type I (240 V, 50 Hz)
Marshall Islands: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Micronesia: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Nauru: Type I (240 V, 50 Hz)
New Zealand: Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)
Palau: Type A, Type B (120 V, 60 Hz)
Papua New Guinea: Type I (240 V, 50 Hz)
Samoa: Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)
Solomon Islands: Type G, Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)
Tonga: Type I (240 V, 50 Hz)
Tuvalu: Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)
Vanuatu: Type I (230 V, 50 Hz)

Final Thoughts

Understanding global power adapters and plug types is essential for any international traveler. Being equipped with the right adapter and knowing the electrical standards of your destination country ensures that your trip is smooth and free from the frustration of uncharged devices. By preparing ahead, you can focus on enjoying your travels, knowing that your electronics will remain fully functional no matter where your journey takes you.