|
Country
|
Constitution
|
|
Afghanistan
|
new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
|
|
Albania
|
a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998
|
|
Algeria
|
19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
|
|
American Samoa
|
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
|
|
Andorra
|
Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991; approved by referendum 14 March 1993; came into force 4 May 1993
|
|
Angola
|
11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been approved
|
|
Anguilla
|
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990
|
|
Antigua and Barbuda
|
1 November 1981
|
|
Argentina
|
1 May 1853; revised August 1994
|
|
Armenia
|
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995
|
|
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 late December 2000; Bahrani voters approved on 13-14 February 2001 a referendum on legislative changes (revised constitution calls for a partially elected legislature, a constitutional monarchy, and an independent judiciary)
|
|
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
|
30 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective 27 November 1996
|
|
Belgium
|
7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state
|
|
Belize
|
21 September 1981
|
|
Benin
|
December 1990
|
|
Bermuda
|
8 June 1968, amended 1989 and 2003
|
|
Bhutan
|
no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, which is to become effective in 2005
|
|
Bolivia
|
2 February 1967; revised in August 1994
|
|
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
|
|
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; ammended April 2000
|
|
Burma
|
3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; progress has since been stalled
|
|
Burundi
|
13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 6 June 1998 by a Transitional Constitution which enlarged the National Assembly and created two vice presidents
|
|
Cambodia
|
promulgated 21 September 1993
|
|
Cameroon
|
20 May 1972 approved by referendum; 2 June 1972 formally adopted; revised January 1996
|
|
Canada
|
17 April 1982 (Constitution Act); originally, the machinery of the government was set up in the British North America Act of 1867; charter of rights and unwritten customs
|
|
Cape Verde
|
new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
|
|
Cayman Islands
|
1959, revised 1972 and 1992
|
|
Central African Republic
|
passed by referendum 29 December 1994; adopted 7 January 1995
|
|
Chad
|
passed by referendum 31 March 1996
|
|
Chile
|
11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981, amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997
|
|
China
|
most recent promulgation 4 December 1982
|
|
Christmas Island
|
NA
|
|
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
|
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955
|
|
Colombia
|
5 July 1991
|
|
Comoros
|
23 December 2001
note: a Transitional National Unity Government (GUNT) was formed on 20 January 2002 following the passing of the new constitution; the GUNT governed until the presidential elections on 14 April 2002
|
|
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
|
a new constitution was adopted 17 July 2003
|
|
Congo, Republic of the
|
constitution approved by referendum 20 January 2002
|
|
Cook Islands
|
4 August 1965
|
|
Costa Rica
|
7 November 1949
|
|
Cote d'Ivoire
|
a new constitution was adopted 4 August 2000
|
|
Croatia
|
adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001
|
|
Cuba
|
24 February 1976, amended July 1992 and June 2002
|
|
Cyprus
|
16 August 1960; negotiations to create the basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and to better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held intermittently; in 1975 Turkish Cypriots created their own constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated State of Cyprus," which was renamed the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983; a new constitution for the Turkish Cypriot area passed by referendum on 5 May 1985
|
|
Czech Republic
|
ratified 16 December 1992; effective 1 January 1993
|
|
Denmark
|
5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state
|
|
Djibouti
|
multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992
|
|
Dominica
|
3 November 1978
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
28 November 1966
|
|
East Timor
|
22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)
|
|
Ecuador
|
10 August 1998
|
|
Egypt
|
11 September 1971
|
|
El Salvador
|
23 December 1983
|
|
Equatorial Guinea
|
approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995
|
|
Eritrea
|
the 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 December 1994; effective 22 August 1995
|
|
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
|
3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998
|
|
Faroe Islands
|
5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)
|
|
Fiji
|
promulgated on 25 July 1990 and amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; entered into force 28 July 1998; note - the May 1999 election was the first test of the amended constitution and introduced open voting - not racially prescribed - for the first time at the national level
|
|
Finland
|
1 March 2000
|
|
France
|
28 September 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 to change the seven-year presidential term to a five-year term in 2000
|
|
French Guiana
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
French Polynesia
|
28 September 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 17 October 1995
|
|
Germany
|
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German people 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
|
|
Guadeloupe
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Guam
|
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
|
|
Guatemala
|
31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President 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 1996
|
|
Guyana
|
6 October 1980
|
|
Haiti
|
approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994
|
|
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 1995
|
|
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
|
|
India
|
26 January 1950
|
|
Indonesia
|
August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959
|
|
Iran
|
2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership
|
|
Iraq
|
interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - new constitution to be drafted and ratified in 2005 referendum
|
|
Ireland
|
29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
|
|
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
|
|
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
|
8 January 1952
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995; first post-independence constitution was adopted 28 January 1993
|
|
Kenya
|
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
|
|
Kiribati
|
12 July 1979
|
|
Korea, North
|
adopted 1948, completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in April 1992 and September 1998
|
|
Korea, South
|
17 July 1948
|
|
Kuwait
|
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962
|
|
Kyrgyzstan
|
adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature
|
|
Laos
|
promulgated 14 August 1991
|
|
Latvia
|
15 February 1922; an October 1998 ammendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
|
|
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
|
11 December 1969, amended 2 March 1977
|
|
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
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights
|
|
Madagascar
|
19 August 1992 by national referendum
|
|
Malawi
|
18 May 1994
|
|
Malaysia
|
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963
|
|
Maldives
|
adopted January 1998
|
|
Mali
|
adopted 12 January 1992
|
|
Malta
|
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987
|
|
Man, Isle of
|
unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act, 1961, does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
1 May 1979
|
|
Martinique
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Mauritania
|
12 July 1991
|
|
Mauritius
|
12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
|
|
Mayotte
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Mexico
|
5 February 1917
|
|
Micronesia, Federated States of
|
10 May 1979
|
|
Moldova
|
new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979
|
|
Monaco
|
17 December 1962
|
|
Mongolia
|
12 February 1992
|
|
Montserrat
|
present constitution came into force 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
|
|
Nepal
|
9 November 1990
|
|
Netherlands
|
adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002
|
|
Netherlands Antilles
|
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
|
|
New Caledonia
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
New Zealand
|
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments and The Constitution Act 1986 which is the principal formal charter
|
|
Nicaragua
|
9 January 1987, with reforms in 1995 and 2000
|
|
Niger
|
a new constitution was adopted 18 July 1999
|
|
Nigeria
|
new constitution adopted May 1999
|
|
Niue
|
19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)
|
|
Norfolk Island
|
Norfolk Island Act of 1979
|
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978
|
|
Norway
|
17 May 1814, modified in 1884
|
|
Oman
|
none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law 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
|
10 April 1973, suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002
|
|
Palau
|
1 January 1981
|
|
Panama
|
11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983 and 1994
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
16 September 1975
|
|
Paraguay
|
promulgated 20 June 1992
|
|
Peru
|
31 December 1993
|
|
Philippines
|
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
|
|
Pitcairn Islands
|
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
|
25 April 1976, revised 30 October 1982, 1 June 1989, 5 November 1992, and 3 September 1997
|
|
Puerto Rico
|
ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952
|
|
Qatar
|
provisional constitution enacted 19 April 1972; in July 1999 Amir HAMAD issued a decree forming a committee to draft a permanent constitution; in the 29 April 2003 referendum, 96.6% of Qatari voters approved the new constitution
|
|
Reunion
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Romania
|
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003
|
|
Russia
|
adopted 12 December 1993
|
|
Rwanda
|
a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003
|
|
Saint Helena
|
1 January 1989
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
19 September 1983
|
|
Saint Lucia
|
22 February 1979
|
|
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
|
28 September 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 Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
|
|
Senegal
|
a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001
|
|
Serbia and Montenegro
|
4 February 2003
|
|
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, fully 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, effective 23 December 1991
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
7 July 1978
|
|
Somalia
|
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is 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 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
|
|
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
|
adopted 3 October 1985
|
|
Spain
|
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
adopted 16 August 1978
|
|
Sudan
|
12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR
|
|
Suriname
|
ratified 30 September 1987
|
|
Swaziland
|
a constitution was adopted 14 November 2003
|
|
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 1946, amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
|
|
Tajikistan
|
6 November 1994
|
|
Tanzania
|
25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984
|
|
Thailand
|
new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997
|
|
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, as amended in 1970
|
|
Tonga
|
4 November 1875, revised 1 January 1967
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
1 August 1976
|
|
Tunisia
|
1 June 1959; amended 12 July 1988
|
|
Turkey
|
7 November 1982
|
|
Turkmenistan
|
adopted 18 May 1992
|
|
Turks and Caicos Islands
|
introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
|
|
Tuvalu
|
1 October 1978
|
|
Uganda
|
8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995
|
|
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 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
|
new constitution 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
|
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
|
|
Yemen
|
16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001
|
|
Zambia
|
24 August 1991
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
21 December 1979
|
