The British Empire was the most extensive empires in world history. Before World War I, at the peak of its power, the British Empire looked over a population of about 458 million people, or approximately 1/4 of both the world’s population and total land area. As a result, British influence remains strong throughout the world to this day. Everything from legal and governmental systems, militarily structure, sports (cricket, rugby, and football), and the English language itself are core elements of societies around the world.
But one thing that ultimately failed to catch on was the English’s preferred driving orientation, the left side of the road. Here’s why left hand drive driving orientation is the biggest failure of the British Empire.
Left Hand Drive vs Right Hand Drive Countries
This map shows both left hand drive countries and right hand drive countries (click on the image to zoom in). By the numbers, 165 countries and territories drive on the right-hand side of the road compared to only 75 countries and territories preferring the left. Furthermore, a massive majority of the world population, including China, Europe (except the UK) and the United States all drive on the right.
So what side of the road do most people drive on? Here’s a list of each country and its driving orientation:
| Afghanistan | right side |
| Albania | right side |
| Algeria | right side |
| American Samoa | right side |
| Andorra | right side |
| Angola | right side |
| Anguilla | left side |
| Antigua and Barbuda | left side |
| Argentina | right side |
| Armenia | right side |
| Aruba | right side |
| Australia | left side |
| Austria | right side |
| Azerbaijan | right side |
| Bahamas, The | left side |
| Bahrain | right side |
| Bangladesh | left side |
| Barbados | left side |
| Belarus | right side |
| Belgium | right side |
| Belize | right side |
| Benin | right side |
| Bermuda | left side |
| Bhutan | left side |
| Bolivia | right side |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | right side |
| Botswana | left side |
| Brazil | right side |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | right side |
| Brunei | left side |
| Bulgaria | right side |
| Burkina Faso | right side |
| Burundi | right side |
| Cambodia | right side |
| Cameroon | right side |
| Canada | right side |
| Cape Verde | right side |
| Cayman Islands | left side |
| Central African Republic | right side |
| Chad | right side |
| Chile | right side |
| China | right side |
| Christmas Island | left side |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | left side |
| Colombia | right side |
| Comoros | right side |
| Congo, Republic of the | right side |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the | right side |
| Cook Islands | left side |
| Costa Rica | right side |
| Côte d’Ivoire | right side |
| Croatia | right side |
| Cuba | right side |
| Cyprus | left side |
| Czech Republic | right side |
| Denmark | right side |
| Djibouti | right side |
| Dominica | left side |
| Dominican Republic | right side |
| Ecuador | right side |
| Egypt | right side |
| El Salvador | right side |
| Equatorial Guinea | right side |
| Eritrea | right side |
| Estonia | right side |
| Ethiopia | right side |
| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) | left side |
| Faroe Islands | right side |
| Fiji | left side |
| Finland | right side |
| France | right side |
| French Guiana | right side |
| French Polynesia | right side |
| Gabon | right side |
| Gambia, The | right side |
| Georgia | right side |
| Germany | right side |
| Ghana | right side |
| Gibraltar | right side |
| Greece | right side |
| Greenland | right side |
| Grenada | left side |
| Guadeloupe | right side |
| Guam | right side |
| Guatemala | right side |
| Guernsey | left side |
| Guinea | right side |
| Guinea-Bissau | right side |
| Guyana | left side |
| Haiti | right side |
| Holy See (Vatican City) | right side |
| Honduras | right side |
| Hong Kong | left side |
| Hungary | right side |
| Iceland | right side |
| India | left side |
| Indonesia | left side |
| Iran | right side |
| Iraq | right side |
| Ireland | left side |
| Isle of Man | left side |
| Israel | right side |
| Italy | right side |
| Jamaica | left side |
| Japan | left side |
| Jersey | left side |
| Jordan | right side |
| Kazakhstan | right side |
| Kenya | left side |
| Kiribati | left side |
| Korea, North | right side |
| Korea, South | right side |
| Kuwait | right side |
| Kyrgyzstan | right side |
| Laos | right side |
| Latvia | right side |
| Lebanon | right side |
| Lesotho | left side |
| Liberia | right side |
| Libya | right side |
| Liechtenstein | right side |
| Lithuania | right side |
| Luxembourg | right side |
| Macau | left side |
| Macedonia | right side |
| Madagascar | right side |
| Malawi | left side |
| Malaysia | left side |
| Maldives | left side |
| Mali | right side |
| Malta | left side |
| Marshall Islands | right side |
| Martinique | right side |
| Mauritania | right side |
| Mauritius | left side |
| Mayotte | right side |
| Mexico | right side |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | right side |
| Moldova | right side |
| Monaco | right side |
| Mongolia | right side |
| Montenegro | right side |
| Montserrat | left side |
| Morocco | right side |
| Mozambique | left side |
| Burma | right side |
| Namibia | left side |
| Nauru | left side |
| Nepal | left side |
| Netherlands | right side |
| Netherlands Antilles | right side |
| New Caledonia | right side |
| New Zealand | left side |
| Nicaragua | right side |
| Niger | right side |
| Nigeria | right side |
| Niue | left side |
| Norfolk Island | left side |
| Northern Mariana Islands | right side |
| Norway | right side |
| Oman | right side |
| Pakistan | left side |
| Palau | right side |
| West Bank | right side |
| Panama | right side |
| Papua New Guinea | left side |
| Paraguay | right side |
| Peru | right side |
| Philippines | right side |
| Pitcairn Islands | left side |
| Poland | right side |
| Portugal | right side |
| Puerto Rico | right side |
| Qatar | right side |
| Réunion | right side |
| Romania | right side |
| Russia | right side |
| Rwanda | right side |
| Saint Barthélemy | right side |
| Saint Helena | left side |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | left side |
| Saint Lucia | left side |
| Saint Martin | right side |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | right side |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | left side |
| Samoa | left side |
| San Marino | right side |
| Sao Tome and Principe | right side |
| Saudi Arabia | right side |
| Senegal | right side |
| Serbia | right side |
| Seychelles | left side |
| Sierra Leone | right side |
| Singapore | left side |
| Slovakia | right side |
| Slovenia | right side |
| Solomon Islands | left side |
| Somalia | right side |
| South Africa | left side |
| Spain | right side |
| Sri Lanka | left side |
| Sudan | right side |
| Suriname | left side |
| Svalbard | right side |
| Swaziland | left side |
| Sweden | right side |
| Switzerland | right side |
| Syria | right side |
| Taiwan | right side |
| Tajikistan | right side |
| Tanzania | left side |
| Thailand | left side |
| Timor-Leste | left side |
| Togo | right side |
| Tokelau | left side |
| Tonga | left side |
| Trinidad and Tobago | left side |
| Tunisia | right side |
| Turkey | right side |
| Turkmenistan | right side |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | left side |
| Tuvalu | left side |
| Uganda | left side |
| Ukraine | right side |
| United Arab Emirates | right side |
| United Kingdom | left side |
| United States | right side |
| Uruguay | right side |
| Uzbekistan | right side |
| Vanuatu | right side |
| Venezuela | right side |
| Vietnam | right side |
| British Virgin Islands | left side |
| Virgin Islands | left side |
| Wallis and Futuna | right side |
| Western Sahara | right side |
| Yemen | right side |
| Zambia | left side |
| Zimbabwe | left side |
| Midway Islands | right side |
Why Do Some Countries Drive On The Left Side Of The Road?
When comparing left-handed vs right-handed people, lefties are definitely the minority. 70-90% of the world’s population is right-handed. Thanks to right-handed instinct, it’s natural for most people to walk or drive on the right side of the road.
So why did the British choose the other side of the road? Swords. Since most people are right-handed, feudal societies, like early England, preferred to pass someone on the left so they could draw their sword with their right hand if necessary.
Left Hand Drive vs Right Hand Drive
So what side of the road do you drive on? Have you driven on both sides of the road? Which side do you prefer left hand drive or right hand drive? Please tell us in the comments below.
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I’ve lived and driven a lot in both RHD and LHD countries. Generally it is easy to context switch because a) the pedals stay in the same relative position and b) your mind adjusts to the new position and aims to keep you – the driver – near the middle of the road. But I’ve also driven LHD cars in RHD countries and vice versa and this is another matter entirely. Overtaking on 2 lane roads is hazardous and it is very easy to return to a 2 lane road (say from a fuel station) and travel on the wrong side if there isn’t much traffic about. On divided highways or motorways it is more manageable but you still need good wing mirror to make overtaking safer.