Which country has the highest Legal Voting Age?

United Arab Emirates has the highest Legal Voting Age, at 21, followed by Singapore (21) and Lebanon (21).

Which country has the lowest Legal Voting Age?

Guernsey has the lowest Legal Voting Age, at 16.

What is the median Legal Voting Age across countries?

The median is 18 across the 219 countries with data.

Where does this voting rights by country data come from?

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Women's Suffrage - Wiki; Suffrage - CIA; Freedom in the World - Freedom House; Freedom in the World Data - Freedom House.

Country rankings

Voting Rights by Country

Name: Voting Rights by Country
Creator: Rankodex

United Arab Emirates has the highest Legal Voting Age (21), followed by Singapore (21) and Lebanon (21). Guernsey has the lowest (16).

Politics & Government228 countries · 9 metricsUpdated Sep 24, 2025Original page

6 sources

Showing

219 of 235 countries

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Legal Voting Age

Darker means higher. Click a place to highlight it.

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Ranking

Highest first: the first 15 and last 5 of 219 countries.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one country; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median

Middle half 18 – 18

Average

18.09

219 countries

Highest

United Arab Emirates

Lowest

Guernsey

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

224 countries · # = rank by Legal Voting Age

#
1	United Arab Emirates	21	Selective	2006	Rulers of the seven emirates each select a proportion of voters for the Federal National Council (FNC) that together account for about 12% of Emirati citizens (though this can vary by election)., Voting age minimum value is based upon reporting from the UAE National Elections…
1	Singapore	21	Universal and Compulsory	1947	—
1	Lebanon	21	—	1952	Authorized for all men and women regardless of religion. However, excludes all military and security service personnel regardless of rank.
1	Oman	21	Universal	1994	Members of the military and security forces by law cannot vote.
1	Kuwait	21	—	2005	—
1	Solomon Islands	21	Universal	1974	—
1	Samoa	21	Universal	—	—
1	Tonga	21	Universal	—	—
1	Tokelau	21	Universal	—	—
10	Cameroon	20	Universal	1946	—
10	Taiwan	20	Universal	1947	In March 2022, the Legislative Yuan approved lowering the voting age to 18, but the change will require a constitutional amendment that must be submitted to a referendum.
10	Bahrain	20	Universal	2002	—
10	Nauru	20	Universal and Compulsory	—	—
14	India	18	Universal	1947	—
14	China	18	Universal	1949	—
14	United States	18	Universal	1920	—
14	Pakistan	18	Universal	1947	There are joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims.
14	Nigeria	18	Universal	1958	—
14	Brazil	18	Compulsory	1932	Compulsory between ages 18 to 70.
14	Bangladesh	18	Universal	1972	—
14	Russia	18	Universal	1918	—
14	Ethiopia	18	Universal	1955	—
14	Mexico	18	Universal and Compulsory	1947	—
14	Japan	18	Universal	1947	—
14	Egypt	18	Universal and Compulsory	1956	—
14	Philippines	18	Universal	1937	—
14	DR Congo	18	Universal and Compulsory	1967	—
14	Vietnam	18	Universal	1946	—
14	Iran	18	Universal	1963	—
14	Turkey	18	Universal	1934	—
14	Germany	18	Universal	1918	Minimum age lowered to 16 for some state and municipal elections.
14	Tanzania	18	Universal	1959	—
14	Thailand	18	Universal and Compulsory	1932	—
14	United Kingdom	18	Universal	1928	—
14	France	18	Universal	1944	—
14	South Africa	18	Universal	1994	—
14	Italy	18	Universal	1945	Universal except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25.
14	Kenya	18	Universal	1963	—
14	Colombia	18	Universal	1954	—
14	Uganda	18	Universal	1962	—
14	South Korea	18	Universal	1948	Minimum age lowered from 19 to 18 beginning with the 2020 national election.
14	Algeria	18	Universal	1962	—
14	Iraq	18	Universal	1947	—
14	Spain	18	Universal	1931	—
14	Argentina	18	Universal and Compulsory	1947	Ages 16-17 have option to vote in national elections., Those over the age of 70 do not vote.
14	Afghanistan	18	Universal	1964	—
14	Yemen	18	Universal	1967	—
14	Canada	18	Universal	1917	—
14	Angola	18	Universal	—	—
14	Ukraine	18	Universal	1917	—
14	Morocco	18	Universal	1963	—
14	Poland	18	Universal	1918	—
14	Uzbekistan	18	Universal	—	—
14	Mozambique	18	Universal	1975	—
14	Malaysia	18	Universal	1955	—
14	Ghana	18	Universal	1954	—
14	Saudi Arabia	18	Universal	2015	Universal for municipal elections.
14	Peru	18	Universal and Compulsory	1955	Universal and compulsory until the age of 70.
14	Madagascar	18	Universal	1959	—
14	Ivory Coast	18	Universal	1952	—
14	Nepal	18	Universal	1951	—
14	Niger	18	Universal	1948	—
14	Venezuela	18	Universal	1946	—
14	Australia	18	Universal and Compulsory	1902	—
14	Syria	18	Universal	1949	—
14	Mali	18	Universal	1956	—
14	Burkina Faso	18	Universal	1958	—
14	Sri Lanka	18	Universal	1931	—
14	Malawi	18	Universal	1961	—
14	Zambia	18	Universal	1962	—
14	Chad	18	Universal	1958	—
14	Kazakhstan	18	Universal	1993	—
14	Somalia	18	Universal	—	—
14	Chile	18	Universal	1949	—
14	Senegal	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Guatemala	18	Universal	1965	Active-duty members of the armed forces and police cannot vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day.
14	Romania	18	Universal	1946	—
14	Netherlands	18	Universal	1949	—
14	Ecuador	18	Universal and Compulsory	1929	Compulsory for ages 18-65. Voluntary for ages 16-18 or over 65.
14	Cambodia	18	Universal	1955	—
14	Zimbabwe	18	Universal	1978	—
14	Guinea	18	Universal	1958	—
14	Benin	18	Universal	—	—
14	Rwanda	18	Universal	—	—
14	Burundi	18	Universal	—	—
14	Bolivia	18	Universal and Compulsory	1952	—
14	South Sudan	18	Universal	—	—
14	Tunisia	18	Universal	1957	Universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months.
14	Haiti	18	Universal	1950	—
14	Belgium	18	Universal and Compulsory	1919	—
14	Dominican Republic	18	Universal and Compulsory	1942	Married persons regardless of age can vote., Members of the armed forces and national police by law cannot vote.
14	Jordan	18	Universal	1974	—
14	Honduras	18	Universal and Compulsory	1955	—
14	Tajikistan	18	Universal	1924	—
14	Papua New Guinea	18	Universal	1964	—
14	Sweden	18	Universal	1921	—
14	Azerbaijan	18	Universal	1919	—
14	Portugal	18	Universal	1976	—
14	Togo	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Israel	18	Universal	1948	Minimum age lowered to 17 for municipal elections.
14	Hungary	18	Universal	1945	Minimum age lowered to 16 if married and marriage is registered in Hungary.
14	Switzerland	18	Universal	1971	—
14	Sierra Leone	18	Universal	1961	—
14	Belarus	18	Universal	1919	—
14	Laos	18	Universal	1958	—
14	Turkmenistan	18	Universal	—	—
14	Libya	18	Universal	1963	—
14	Kyrgyzstan	18	Universal	—	—
14	Hong Kong	18	Universal	1949	Universal with three years residency., Universal in indirect elections for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years.
14	Paraguay	18	Universal and Compulsory	1961	Universal and compulsory until the age of 75.
14	Bulgaria	18	Universal	1944	—
14	Serbia	18	Universal	1945	Minimum age lowered to 16 if employed.
14	Republic of the Congo	18	Universal	1963	—
14	El Salvador	18	Universal	1950	—
14	Denmark	18	Universal	1915	—
14	Liberia	18	Universal	1946	—
14	Central African Republic	18	Universal	1986	—
14	Norway	18	Universal	1913	—
14	Finland	18	Universal	1906	—
14	Mauritania	18	Universal	1961	—
14	Slovakia	18	Universal	1920	—
14	Ireland	18	Universal	1922	—
14	New Zealand	18	Universal	1893	—
14	Costa Rica	18	Universal and Compulsory	1949	—
14	Panama	18	Universal	1946	—
14	Croatia	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Georgia	18	Universal	1918	—
14	Eritrea	18	Universal	—	—
14	Mongolia	18	Universal	1924	—
14	Uruguay	18	Universal and Compulsory	1927	—
14	Puerto Rico	18	Universal	—	Island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections.
14	Qatar	18	Universal	1997	—
14	Namibia	18	Universal	1989	—
14	Bosnia and Herzegovina	18	Universal	1945	Minimum age lowered to 16 if employed.
14	Moldova	18	Universal	1993	—
14	Armenia	18	Universal	—	—
14	Gambia	18	Universal	1960	—
14	Jamaica	18	Universal	1944	—
14	Lithuania	18	Universal	1918	—
14	Albania	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Gabon	18	Universal	1956	—
14	Botswana	18	Universal	1965	—
14	Lesotho	18	Universal	1965	—
14	Slovenia	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Equatorial Guinea	18	Universal	—	—
14	Latvia	18	Universal	1917	—
14	North Macedonia	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Trinidad and Tobago	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Cyprus	18	Universal	1960	—
14	Estonia	18	Universal	1917	Minimum age lowered to 16 for local elections.
14	Eswatini	18	—	1968	—
14	Mauritius	18	Universal	1956	—
14	Fiji	18	Universal	1963	—
14	Comoros	18	Universal	—	—
14	Guyana	18	Universal	1953	—
14	Bhutan	18	Universal	1953	—
14	Macau	18	—	—	Indirect elections are limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" and an election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, central government bodies, and elected Macau officials.
14	Luxembourg	18	Universal and Compulsory	1919	—
14	Suriname	18	Universal	1948	—
14	Montenegro	18	Universal	1945	—
14	Malta	18	Universal	1947	Minimum age lowered to 16 for local council elections.
14	Maldives	18	Universal	1932	—
14	Brunei	18	Universal	—	National elections in Brunei are currently suspended. Both men and women have voting rights only for local elections., Minimum age lowered to 18 for village elections.
14	Belize	18	Universal	1954	—
14	Bahamas	18	Universal	—	—
14	Iceland	18	Universal	1915	—
14	Vanuatu	18	Universal	1975	—
14	New Caledonia	18	Universal	—	—
14	French Polynesia	18	Universal	—	—
14	Barbados	18	Universal	1951	—
14	Sao Tome and Principe	18	Universal	—	—
14	Curacao	18	Universal	—	—
14	Saint Lucia	18	Universal	—	—
14	Guam	18	Universal	—	Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections.
14	Kiribati	18	Universal	1967	—
14	Seychelles	18	Universal	1948	—
14	Grenada	18	Universal	—	—
14	Micronesia	18	Universal	1979	—
14	Aruba	18	Universal	—	—
14	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	18	Universal	—	—
14	Antigua and Barbuda	18	Universal	—	—
14	Andorra	18	Universal	1970	—
14	Cayman Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Dominica	18	Universal	1951	—
14	Bermuda	18	Universal	—	—
14	Faroe Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Greenland	18	Universal	—	—
14	Turks and Caicos Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Saint Kitts and Nevis	18	Universal	1951	—
14	American Samoa	18	Universal	—	—
14	Sint Maarten	18	Universal	—	—
14	Northern Mariana Islands	18	Universal	—	Indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections.
14	Gibraltar	18	Universal	—	British citizens with six months residence or more may also vote.
14	Liechtenstein	18	Universal	—	—
14	British Virgin Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Monaco	18	Universal	—	—
14	Marshall Islands	18	Universal	1979	—
14	San Marino	18	Universal	1959	—
14	Saint Martin	18	Universal	—	—
14	Palau	18	Universal	1979	—
14	Anguilla	18	Universal	—	—
14	Cook Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Saint Barthelemy	18	Universal	—	—
14	Wallis and Futuna	18	Universal	—	—
14	Tuvalu	18	Universal	—	—
14	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	18	Universal	—	—
14	Montserrat	18	Universal	—	—
14	Falkland Islands	18	Universal	—	—
14	Niue	18	Universal	—	—
210	Indonesia	17	Universal	1945	Married persons regardless of age may vote.
210	Sudan	17	Universal	1964	—
210	North Korea	17	Universal and Compulsory	1946	—
210	Greece	17	Universal and Compulsory	1952	—
214	Cuba	16	Universal	1934	—
214	Austria	16	Universal	1918	—
214	Nicaragua	16	Universal	1955	—
214	Jersey	16	Universal	—	—
214	Isle of Man	16	Universal	—	—
214	Guernsey	16	Universal	—	—
—	Myanmar	—	—	1922	—
—	Czechia	—	—	1920	—
—	Palestine	—	—	1972	—
—	Cape Verde	—	—	1975	—
—	Vatican City	—	—	—	While there is no established minimum age for voting in Vatican City, one must be a cardinal in the Catholic church to vote. Cardinals are always male, and as of December 2023, the two youngest cardinals were 49 years old., Cardinals over the age of 80 may no longer vote.

What correlates with Legal Voting Age?

Pearson r against 1,297 other country metrics sharing at least 132 countries. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Legal Voting Age tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

Voting AgeVoting Age by Country
r = +0.89 · very strong · n = 216
Plot
Cost of a Beer - FinderCountries with the Most Expensive Beer
r = +0.33 · moderate · n = 163
Plot
Agricultural ScoreWater Stress by Country
r = +0.33 · moderate · n = 138
Plot
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)Indian Population by Country
r = +0.32 · moderate · n = 186
Plot
Stress Industrial ScoreWater Stress by Country
r = +0.31 · moderate · n = 138
Plot
Country CodePhone Number Length by Country
r = +0.30 · weak · n = 210
Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Legal Voting Age tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

Crude Death Rate Per 1k - UN 2015-2020Death Rate by Country
r = −0.28 · weak · n = 183
Plot
Crude Death Rate per 1k Population - UN 2020-2025Death Rate by Country
r = −0.28 · weak · n = 184
Plot
Order of New Year ArrivalWhich Country Celebrates the New Year First?
r = −0.27 · weak · n = 214
Plot
Standard VAT Tax RatesVAT Tax by Country
r = −0.25 · weak · n = 142
Plot
Mortality (Deaths) - MaleCancer Rates by Country
r = −0.24 · weak · n = 173
Plot
Water Stress RankWater Stress by CountryA rank: rank 1 is the worst
r = −0.23 · weak · n = 158
Plot

Quick answers

Which country has the highest Legal Voting Age?: United Arab Emirates has the highest Legal Voting Age, at 21, followed by Singapore (21) and Lebanon (21).
Which country has the lowest Legal Voting Age?: Guernsey has the lowest Legal Voting Age, at 16.
What is the median Legal Voting Age across countries?: The median is 18 across the 219 countries with data.
Where does this voting rights by country data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Women's Suffrage - Wiki; Suffrage - CIA; Freedom in the World - Freedom House; Freedom in the World Data - Freedom House.

Higher together

Opposite directions

Quick answers

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