Country Travel Reference
Plugs and voltage, emergency numbers, tipping, currency, drive side and tap-water guidance for a long list of countries, in one place.
Covers 46 popular destinations. Tipping norms and tap-water guidance are general practice, not law — upscale places worldwide drift toward tipping, and water safety varies within countries. 112 reaches emergency services from any mobile phone in the EU and many other countries even without a local SIM. Pair this with the Travel Phrasebook.
Four adapters cover all 46 of these countries
They use 15 distinct socket types between them, which sounds like a packing problem and is not. Type C — the two round pins used across Europe and well beyond it — appears in 31 of them on its own. Take that, then whichever covers most of what is left, and repeat.
| Take type | Covers | Left to cover |
|---|---|---|
| C | 31 more | 15 |
| A | 8 more | 7 |
| G | 5 more | 2 |
| I | 2 more | 0 |
Taking the biggest each time is not proof it is the smallest set, so every pair and every triple was checked too. The best two types together reach 39 of 46, and the best three reach 44. So 4 really is the floor, and the last two countries are the ones that make it four rather than three.
The distribution is very lopsided. One type covers two thirds of the list, while 8 of the 15 appear in only one or two countries each. The counts add up to more than 46 because most countries accept several.
The voltage rule has six exceptions, and two of them are not exceptions
The shorthand is that low voltage goes with 60 Hz and high voltage with 50 — the Americas one way, most of the rest the other. It holds for 40 of the 46.
| Country | Volts | Hz | Why it breaks the rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 220 | 60 | high voltage, fast frequency |
| Philippines | 220 | 60 | high voltage, fast frequency |
| Peru | 220 | 60 | high voltage, fast frequency |
| Jamaica | 110 | 50 | low voltage, slow frequency |
The other two do not break the rule so much as decline to answer it, and they decline about different things. Japan runs 50 Hz in the east and 60 in the west; Brazil runs 127 V in some cities and 220 V in others. Japan's entry gives one voltage and two frequencies; Brazil's gives two voltages and no frequency at all.
Both say so rather than picking one, which is the right call — a reference that admits an ambiguity is more useful than one that resolves it wrongly. It does mean anything reading these entries has to expect a number or a sentence.
And "is the tap water safe" is rarely a yes or a no
Of the 46 entries, 23 get a flat "safe to drink" and 12 get a flat "stick to bottled". The remaining 11 each get their own sentence.
| Answer | Countries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Safe to drink | 23 | 50% |
| Stick to bottled | 12 | 26% |
| Its own sentence | 11 | 24% |
No two of those 11 share a hedge — safe on the mainland but not the islands, safe in the capital but not elsewhere, safe but locals filter anyway. That is not vagueness. It is what an honest answer looks like when the question has a different answer in different parts of the same country.
Two smaller tallies from the same set: exactly half of them — 23 of 46 — reach emergency services on 112, and 12 drive on the left.
How to use
- Find your destination.
- Check plug type and voltage before buying an adapter.
- Note the emergency number and save it.
- Verify anything critical with an official source.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an adapter and a converter?
An adapter changes the plug shape only; a converter changes the voltage. Most modern electronics — phones, laptops, cameras — handle 100 to 240 volts and need only an adapter. High-draw heating appliances such as hair dryers and travel kettles frequently do not, and plugging one into the wrong voltage destroys it.
How do I know if my device is dual voltage?
Read the small print on the power supply. If it says 100-240V, it works anywhere with a plug adapter. If it names a single voltage, it does not. This is a thirty-second check that prevents a burnt-out device and occasionally a fire.
Is 112 an emergency number everywhere?
It works across the European Union and in a number of other countries, and it is not universal. Many countries have their own numbers, and some have different numbers for police, ambulance and fire. Saving the local number on arrival is worth the moment it takes.
Can I drink the tap water?
It varies enormously, and guidance for a country can vary within it. Where the general answer is yes, it is usually reliable; where it is no, that includes ice, salads washed in it and brushing teeth. Local advice on arrival beats any general table.
How do tipping expectations differ?
Substantially, from expected and substantial in the United States, to modest rounding in much of Europe, to actively awkward in Japan. Applying your home country's habits abroad is how travellers either offend someone or overpay considerably.
How current is this information?
It reflects a point in time, and emergency numbers, currencies and entry requirements do change. For anything consequential — visas, health requirements, safety advisories — your government's official travel guidance is the authority rather than a convenience reference.
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