|
Country
|
Constitution
|
|
Afghanistan
|
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
|
|
Akrotiri
|
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960
|
|
Albania
|
adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
|
|
Algeria
|
8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
|
|
American Samoa
|
ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967
|
|
Andorra
|
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
|
|
Angola
|
adopted by People's Assembly 25 August 1992
|
|
Anguilla
|
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990
|
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
1 November 1981
|
|
Argentina
|
1 May 1853; amended many times starting in 1860
|
|
Armenia
|
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005
|
|
Aruba
|
1 January 1986
|
|
Australia
|
9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901
|
|
Austria
|
1920; revised 1929; reinstated 1 May 1945
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
adopted 12 November 1995
|
|
Bahamas, The
|
10 July 1973
|
|
Bahrain
|
adopted 14 February 2002
|
|
Bangladesh
|
4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times
|
|
Barbados
|
30 November 1966
|
|
Belarus
|
15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits
|
|
Belgium
|
7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state
|
|
Belize
|
21 September 1981
|
|
Benin
|
adopted by referendum 2 December 1990
|
|
Bermuda
|
8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003
|
|
Bhutan
|
none; note - a draft constitution was unveiled in March 2005 and is expected to be adopted following the election of a new National Assembly in 2008
|
|
Bolivia
|
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994; referendom on new constitution to be held 6 August 2007
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution
|
|
Botswana
|
March 1965, effective 30 September 1966
|
|
Brazil
|
5 October 1988
|
|
British Virgin Islands
|
1 June 1977, amended in 2000
|
|
Brunei
|
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
|
|
Bulgaria
|
adopted 12 July 1991
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted; last amended January 2002
|
|
Burma
|
3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include participation of democratic opposition
|
|
Burundi
|
28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum
|
|
Cambodia
|
promulgated 21 September 1993
|
|
Cameroon
|
20 May 1972 approved by referendum, adopted 2 June 1972; revised January 1996
|
|
Canada
|
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments
|
|
Cape Verde
|
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; a major revision on 23 November 1995 substantially increased the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
|
|
Cayman Islands
|
1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994
|
|
Central African Republic
|
ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004
|
|
Chad
|
passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits
|
|
Chile
|
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005
|
|
China
|
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
|
|
Christmas Island
|
Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
|
|
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
|
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
|
|
Colombia
|
5 July 1991; amended many times
|
|
Comoros
|
23 December 2001
|
|
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
|
18 February 2006
|
|
Congo, Republic of the
|
approved by referendum 20 January 2002
|
|
Cook Islands
|
4 August 1965
|
|
Costa Rica
|
7 November 1949
|
|
Cote d'Ivoire
|
approved by referendum 23 July 2000
|
|
Croatia
|
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
|
|
Cuba
|
24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002
|
|
Cyprus
|
16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974 Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in 1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5 May 1985, although the "TRNC" remains unrecognized by any country other than Turkey
|
|
Czech Republic
|
ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
|
|
Denmark
|
5 June 1953 constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
|
|
Dhekelia
|
Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960
|
|
Djibouti
|
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992
|
|
Dominica
|
3 November 1978
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002
|
|
East Timor
|
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
|
|
Ecuador
|
10 August 1998
|
|
Egypt
|
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005
|
|
El Salvador
|
20 December 1983
|
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995
|
|
Eritrea
|
a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented
|
|
Estonia
|
adopted 28 June 1992
|
|
Ethiopia
|
ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995
|
|
European Union
|
based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in 2003; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 dealt a severe setback to the ratification process, though it has continued more slowly with Finland ratifying in December 2006; as of January 2007, 18 countries have ratified the Constitutional Treaty; Germany has made revival of the EU Constitution a goal of its EU Presidency in 2007
|
|
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
|
3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998
|
|
Faroe Islands
|
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
|
|
Fiji
|
enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
|
|
Finland
|
1 March 2000
|
|
France
|
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum
|
|
French Polynesia
|
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Gabon
|
adopted 14 March 1991
|
|
Gambia, The
|
24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997
|
|
Georgia
|
adopted 24 August 1995
|
|
Germany
|
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 October 1990
|
|
Ghana
|
approved 28 April 1992
|
|
Gibraltar
|
30 May 1969
|
|
Greece
|
11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001
|
|
Greenland
|
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
|
|
Grenada
|
19 December 1973
|
|
Guam
|
Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950
|
|
Guatemala
|
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993
|
|
Guernsey
|
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
|
|
Guinea
|
23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)
|
|
Guinea-Bissau
|
16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and in 1996
|
|
Guyana
|
6 October 1980
|
|
Haiti
|
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution, while technically in force between 2004-2006, was not enforced; returned to constitutional rule in May 2006
|
|
Holy See (Vatican City)
|
new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
|
|
Honduras
|
11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times
|
|
Hong Kong
|
Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"
|
|
Hungary
|
18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997 amendment streamlined the judicial system
|
|
Iceland
|
16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times
|
|
India
|
26 January 1950; amended many times
|
|
Indonesia
|
August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amemdments concluded in 2002
|
|
Iran
|
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
|
|
Iraq
|
ratified on 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum in 2007)
|
|
Ireland
|
adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937
|
|
Isle of Man
|
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
|
|
Israel
|
no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law; note - since May 2003 the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset has been working on a draft constitution
|
|
Italy
|
passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times
|
|
Jamaica
|
6 August 1962
|
|
Japan
|
3 May 1947
|
|
Jersey
|
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
|
|
Jordan
|
1 January 1952; amended many times
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995
|
|
Kenya
|
12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005
|
|
Kiribati
|
12 July 1979
|
|
Korea, North
|
adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992, and September 1998
|
|
Korea, South
|
29 October 1987
|
|
Kuwait
|
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
|
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expanded the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; during large-scale demonstrations in November 2006, President BAKIYEV and the opposition negotiated a new constitution granting greater powers to the parliament and the government; amendments added on 30 December 2006 redistributed some power back to the president
|
|
Laos
|
promulgated 14 August 1991
|
|
Latvia
|
15 February 1922; restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council on 21 August 1991; multiple amendments since
|
|
Lebanon
|
23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989
|
|
Lesotho
|
2 April 1993
|
|
Liberia
|
6 January 1986
|
|
Libya
|
none; note - following the September 1969 military overthrow of the Libyan government, the Revolutionary Command Council replaced the existing constitution with the Constitutional Proclamation in December 1969; in March 1977, Libya adopted the Declaration of the Establishment of the People's Authority
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
5 October 1921
|
|
Lithuania
|
adopted 25 October 1992
|
|
Luxembourg
|
17 October 1868; occasional revisions
|
|
Macau
|
Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"
|
|
Macedonia
|
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary
|
|
Madagascar
|
19 August 1992 by national referendum
|
|
Malawi
|
18 May 1994
|
|
Malaysia
|
31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963
|
|
Maldives
|
adopted 1 January 1998
|
|
Mali
|
adopted 12 January 1992
|
|
Malta
|
1964 constitution; amended many times
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
1 May 1979
|
|
Mauritania
|
12 July 1991
|
|
Mauritius
|
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
|
|
Mayotte
|
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Mexico
|
5 February 1917
|
|
Micronesia, Federated States of
|
10 May 1979
|
|
Moldova
|
new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979
|
|
Monaco
|
17 December 1962
|
|
Mongolia
|
12 February 1992
|
|
Montenegro
|
12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note - Montenegro is currently writing a new constitution set to be presented to Parliament in spring 2007
|
|
Montserrat
|
effective 19 December 1989
|
|
Morocco
|
10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996
|
|
Mozambique
|
30 November 1990
|
|
Namibia
|
ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
|
|
Nauru
|
29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)
|
|
Nepal
|
9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim constitution in May 2006
|
|
Netherlands
|
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
|
|
Netherlands Antilles
|
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
|
|
New Caledonia
|
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
New Zealand
|
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987
|
|
Nicaragua
|
9 January 1987; reforms in 1995, 2000, and 2005
|
|
Niger
|
new constitution adopted 18 July 1999
|
|
Nigeria
|
new constitution adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999
|
|
Niue
|
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
|
|
Norfolk Island
|
Norfolk Island Act of 1979, as amended in 2005
|
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986
|
|
Norway
|
17 May 1814; amended many times
|
|
Oman
|
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
|
|
Pakistan
|
12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003
|
|
Palau
|
1 January 1981
|
|
Panama
|
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
16 September 1975
|
|
Paraguay
|
promulgated 20 June 1992
|
|
Peru
|
29 December 1993
|
|
Philippines
|
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
|
|
Pitcairn Islands
|
30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964
|
|
Poland
|
adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997; passed by national referendum 25 May 1997; effective 17 October 1997
|
|
Portugal
|
adopted 2 April 1976; effective 25 April 1976; revised many times
|
|
Puerto Rico
|
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
|
|
Qatar
|
ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
|
|
Romania
|
8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003
|
|
Russia
|
adopted 12 December 1993
|
|
Rwanda
|
new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003
|
|
Saint Helena
|
1 January 1989
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
19 September 1983
|
|
Saint Lucia
|
22 February 1979
|
|
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
|
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
27 October 1979
|
|
Samoa
|
1 January 1962
|
|
San Marino
|
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution
|
|
Sao Tome and Principe
|
approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992
|
|
Senegal
|
new constitution adopted 7 January 2001
|
|
Serbia
|
adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006
|
|
Seychelles
|
18 June 1993
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
|
|
Singapore
|
3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)
|
|
Slovakia
|
ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership
|
|
Slovenia
|
adopted 23 December 1991
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
7 July 1978
|
|
Somalia
|
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing
|
|
South Africa
|
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 4 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
|
|
Spain
|
approved by legislature 31 October 1978; passed by referndum 6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
|
|
Sudan
|
constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA, Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan signed December 2005
|
|
Suriname
|
ratified 30 September 1987; effective 30 October 1987
|
|
Swaziland
|
signed by the King in July 2005 went into effect on 8 February 2006
|
|
Sweden
|
1 January 1975
|
|
Switzerland
|
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000
|
|
Syria
|
13 March 1973
|
|
Taiwan
|
25 December 1947; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005
note: constitution adopted on 25 December 1946; went into effect on 25 December 1947
|
|
Tajikistan
|
6 November 1994
|
|
Tanzania
|
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
|
|
Thailand
|
constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promulgated on 1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised new constitution by mid 2007
|
|
Togo
|
multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992
|
|
Tokelau
|
administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970
|
|
Tonga
|
4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
1 August 1976
|
|
Tunisia
|
1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002
|
|
Turkey
|
7 November 1982
|
|
Turkmenistan
|
adopted 18 May 1992
|
|
Turks and Caicos Islands
|
Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)
|
|
Tuvalu
|
1 October 1978
|
|
Uganda
|
8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system
|
|
Ukraine
|
adopted 28 June 1996
|
|
United Arab Emirates
|
2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996
|
|
United Kingdom
|
unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
|
|
United States
|
17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789
|
|
Uruguay
|
27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
adopted 8 December 1992
|
|
Vanuatu
|
30 July 1980
|
|
Venezuela
|
30 December 1999
|
|
Vietnam
|
15 April 1992
|
|
Virgin Islands
|
Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
|
|
Wallis and Futuna
|
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Yemen
|
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001
|
|
Zambia
|
24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
21 December 1979
|
