Constitution In 36 editions of 36.

• 8 September 1963;
• revised 19 November 1976;
• effective 22 November 1976;
• revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, 10 April 2002, and 12 November 2008

adopted by National Assembly 5 February 2010

adopted by referendum 2 December 1990

March 1965; effective 30 September 1966

• approved by referendum 2 June 1991;
• formally adopted 11 June 1991;
• last amended January 2002

ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005

• 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)

• approved by referendum 20 May 1972;
• adopted 2 June 1972;
• revised January 1996;
• amended April 2008

ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004

passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits

23 December 2001

18 February 2006

approved by referendum 20 January 2002

approved by referendum 23 July 2000

approved by referendum 4 September 1992; note - constitution allows for multiparties

• 11 September 1971;
• amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007;
• note - constitution suspended by the military caretaker government 13 February 2011 and a new provisional constitution adopted 30 March 2011

approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January 1995

adopted 23 May 1997, but has not yet been fully implemented

signed by the King July 2005; went into effect 8 February 2006

ratified 8 December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

adopted 14 March 1991

approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; effective 16 January 1997

approved 28 April 1992

7 May 2010 (Loi Fundamentale)

16 May 1984; amended several times

• 27 August 2010;
• the new constitution abolishes the position of prime minister and establishes a bicameral legislature;
• many details have yet to be finalized and will require significant legislative action

2 April 1993

6 January 1986

• 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

• passed by referendum 17 November 2010; promulgated 11 December 2010 (2010)

18 May 1994

adopted 12 January 1992

12 July 1991

12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

• 10 March 1972;
• revised 4 September 1992, amended September 1996;
• new constitution approved in referendum July 2011

30 November 1990

ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

adopted 31 October 2010

adopted 5 May 1999; effective 29 May 1999

new constitution passed by referendum 26 May 2003

The Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009, effective 1 September 2009

approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

adopted 7 January 2001; amended many times

18 June 1993

1 October 1991; amended several times

25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

• 10 December 1996;
• note - certified by the Constitutional Court 4 December 1996;
• was signed by then President MANDELA 10 December 1996;
• and entered into effect 4 February 1997

Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011, effective 9 July 2011

Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005

note: under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Interim National Constitution was ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan was signed December 2005

25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

• 1 June 1959;
• amended 1988, 2002;
• note - the newly formed Constituent Assembly is charged with writing a new constitution

8 October 1995; amended 2005

note: the amendments in 2005 removed presidential term limits and legalized a multiparty political system

24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits

21 December 1979

(November 2008) Act on Greenland Self Government

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

• sixth constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004;
• signed 16 January 2004;
• ratified 26 January 2004

adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005

adopted 12 November 1995; modified by referendum 24 August 2002

• enacted 4 November 1972;
• effective 16 December 1972;
• suspended following coup of 24 March 1982;
• restored 10 November 1986;
• amended many times

ratified 18 July 2008

most recent promulgation 4 December 1982; amended several times

adopted 24 August 1995

26 January 1950; amended many times

3 May 1947

first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

adopted 1948; revised several times most recently in 2009

• 17 July 1948;
• note - amended or rewritten many times;
• current constitution approved 29 October 1987

27 June 2010

new constitution ratified 7 August 2008

13 January 1992

• 15 January 2007 (interim Constitution);
• note - in April 2008, a Constituent Assembly was elected to draft and promulgate a new constitution by May 2010;
• the fourth and final deadline extended to May 2012

• 12 April 1973;
• suspended 5 July 1977, restored 30 December 1985;
• suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002;
• amended 31 December 2003;
• suspended 3 November 2007;
• restored 15 December 2007;
• amended 19 April 2010

adopted 12 December 1993

adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended 20 December 2001

6 November 1994

adopted 26 September 2008

adopted 8 December 1992

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

1 November 1981

1 January 1986

10 July 1973

30 November 1966

21 September 1981

13 June 2007

The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009

7 November 1949

24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

3 November 1978

28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002 and January 2010

20 December 1983

19 December 1973

• 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986;
• suspended 25 May 1993;
• reinstated 5 June 1993;
• amended November 1993

approved March 1987

note: 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

11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times

6 August 1962

Montserrat Constitution Order 2010, effective 1 September 2011

9 January 1987; revised in 1995, 2000, and 2005

11 October 1972; revised several times

• ratified 3 March 1952;
• approved by US Congress 3 July 1952;
• effective 25 July 1952

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

19 September 1983

22 February 1979

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

27 October 1979

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

1 August 1976

Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) Order 2009, S.I. 2009/701 - effective 14 August 2009 - suspended Ministerial government, the House of Assembly, and the constitutional right to trial by jury, and imposed direct British rule

Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

• approved by parliament 21 October 1998;
• adopted by popular referendum 22 November 1998;
• promulgated 28 November 1998

• Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991;
• approved by referendum 14 March 1993;
• effective 28 April 1993

• 1 October 1920;
• revised 1929;
• reinstated 1 May 1945;
• revised many times;
• note - during the period 1 May 1934-1 May 1945 there was a fascist (corporative) constitution in place

• 15 March 1994;
• revised by national referendum 24 November 1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers;
• became effective 27 November 1996;
• revised again 17 October 2004 removing presidential term limits

• drafted 25 November 1830;
• approved by Congress 7 February 1831;
• entered into force 26 July 1831;
• amended many times;
• revised 14 July 1993 to create a federal state;
• in 1967 an official Dutch version of the constitution was adopted;
• in 1991 an official German version of the constitution was adopted;
• in 1993 an official consolidated version of the constitution was adopted

the Dayton Peace Accords, signed 14 December 1995 in Paris, included a constitution; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution

adopted 12 July 1991

adopted 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993; amended several times

5 June 1953; note - constitution allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief of state

adopted 28 June 1992

none

note: the EU legal order, although based on a series of treaties, has often been described as "constitutional" in nature; the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as modified by the Lisbon Treaty, states in Article 1 that "the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES establish among themselves a EUROPEAN UNION ... on which the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common"; Article 1 of the TEU states further that the EU is "founded on the present Treaty and on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as 'the Treaties')," both possessing the same legal value; Article 6 of the TEU provides that a separately adopted Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union "shall have the same legal value as the Treaties"

5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution)

1 March 2000

• adopted by referendum 28 September 1958;
• effective 4 October 1958;
• amended many times

note: amended in 1962 concerning election of president; amended to comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1997 Amsterdam Treaty, 2003 Treaty of Nice; amended in 1993 to tighten immigration laws; 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

23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 October 1990

5 June 2006; came into force 2 January 2007

11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaced the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

25 April 2011, effective 1 January 2012

adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many times

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

adopted by the Kosovo Assembly 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008

• 15 February 1922;
• restored to force by the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council 21 August 1991;
• multiple amendments since

5 October 1921; amended 15 September 2003

adopted 25 October 1992; last amended 13 July 2004

17 October 1868; occasional revisions

1964; amended many times

• adopted 29 July 1994;
• effective 27 August 1994;
• note - replaced 1979 Soviet Constitution

17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002

approved 19 October 2007 (by the Assembly)

adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001, 2005 and in 2009

note: amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights, in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary, and in 2009 with amendments related to the threshold required to elect the president

17 May 1814; amended many times

• adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997;
• passed by national referendum 25 May 1997;
• effective 17 October 1997

adopted 2 April 1976; subsequently revised

note: the revisions placed the military under strict civilian control, trimmed the powers of the president, and laid the groundwork for a stable, pluralistic liberal democracy; they allowed for the privatization of nationalized firms and government-owned communications media

8 December 1991; revised 29 October 2003

8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions of a constitution

adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006

• ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993;
• changed September 1998;
• amended February 2001

note: the change in September 1998 allowed direct election of the president; the amendment of February 2001 allowed Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

adopted 23 December 1991, amended 14 July 1997 and 25 July 2000

• approved by legislature 31 October 1978;
• passed by referendum 6 December 1978;
• signed by the king 27 December 1978

1 January 1975

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

adopted 28 June 1996

unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

adopted 14 February 2002

16 August 1960

note: 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 they then called the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)" when the Turkish Cypriots declared 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

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960, functions as a basic legal document

2-3 December 1979; revised 1989

note: the revision in 1989 expanded powers of the presidency and eliminated the prime ministership

ratified 15 October 2005 (subject to review by the Constitutional Review Committee and a possible public referendum)

• 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

1 January 1952; amended many times

approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently in 1990 to include changes necessitated by the Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

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

ratified by public referendum 29 April 2003; endorsed by the Amir 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005

governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992

13 March 1973

• 7 November 1982;
• amended several times;
• note - amendment passed by referendum 21 October 2007 concerning presidential elections

2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996

16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003