The CIA World Factbook Edition 2011 Government
Legal system In 36 editions of 36.
Legal system was published in 36 editions of the CIA World Factbook, from 1990 to 2025. The 2011 edition carries it in 251 entries, in its Government section. Every entry is shown as that edition published it.
- entries in the 2011 edition
- 251
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Legal system” (1990 to 2025).
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Entries with Legal system in each edition
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World
1 entryWorld
- the legal systems of nearly all countries are generally modeled upon elements of five main types: civil law (including French law, the Napoleonic Code, Roman law, Roman-Dutch law, and Spanish law);
- common law (including United States law);
- customary law;
- mixed or pluralistic law;
- and religious law (including Islamic law);
- an additional type of legal system - international law - governs the conduct of independent nations in their relationships with one another
Africa
55 entriesAlgeria
- mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law;
- judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices
Botswana
mixed legal system of civil law influenced by the Roman-Dutch model and also customary and common law
Comoros
mixed legal system of Islamic religious law, the French civil code of 1975, and customary law
Congo, Democratic Republic of the now Democratic Republic of the Congo
civil legal system based on Belgian version of French civil law
Congo, Republic of the now Republic of the Congo
mixed legal system of French civil law and customary law
Cote d'Ivoire
civil law system based on the French civil code; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court
Djibouti
mixed legal system based primarily on the French civil code (as it existed in 1997) and Islamic religious law (in matters of family law and successions), and customary law
Egypt
- mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil law and Islamic religious law;
- judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions)
Guinea-Bissau
mixed legal system of civil law (influenced by the early French Civil Code) and customary law
Kenya
mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review in High Court
Lesotho
mixed legal system of English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal
Madagascar
civil law system based on the old French civil code and customary law in matters of marriage, family, and obligation
Malawi
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal
Mali
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
Morocco
mixed legal system of civil law based on French law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts by Supreme Court
Nigeria
mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law
Rwanda
mixed legal system of civil law, based on German and Belgian models, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Sao Tome and Principe
mixed legal system of civil law base on the Portuguese model and customary law
Senegal
civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
Sudan
mixed legal system of Islamic law and English common law in the north, and primarily customary law in the south
Tanzania
English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation
Tunisia
- mixed legal system of civil law, based on the French civil code, and Islamic law;
- some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session
Zambia
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council
Antarctic Region
5 entriesAntarctica
- Antarctica is administered through annual meetings - known as Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings - which include consultative member nations, non-consultative member nations, observer organizations, and expert organizations;
- decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws;
- more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty;
- note - US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially;
- some US laws directly apply to Antarctica;
- for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities unless authorized by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds;
- the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals;
- entry into specially protected areas;
- the discharge or disposal of pollutants;
- and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica;
- violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison;
- the National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities;
- Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty;
- for more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230;
- telephone: (703) 292-8030, or visit its website at www.nsf.gov
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands now South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the laws of the UK where applicable apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
Arctic Region
4 entriesAsia
23 entriesChina
- civil law influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems;
- legislature retains power to interpret statutes;
- constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation
India
- common law system based on the English model;
- separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus;
- judicial review of legislative acts
Japan
- civil law system based on German model;
- system also reflects Anglo-American influence and Japanese traditions;
- judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Kazakhstan
civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and by the theory and practice of the Russian Federation
Korea, North now North Korea
civil law system based on the Prussian model; system influenced by Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory
Korea, South now South Korea
mixed legal system combining European civil law, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought
Maldives
Islamic religious legal system with English common law influences, primarily in commercial matters
Mongolia
civil law system influenced by Soviet and Romano-Germanic legal systems; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts
Sri Lanka
mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law
Central America and the Caribbean
33 entriesCosta Rica
civil law system based on Spanish civil code; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Dominican Republic
civil law system based on the French civil code; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system
El Salvador
civil law system with minor common law influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Puerto Rico
civil law system based on the Spanish civil code and within the framework of the US federal system
Europe
49 entriesAlbania
civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" prevails
Belarus
civil law system; note - nearly all major codes (civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family and labor) have been revised and came into force in 1999 or 2000
Belgium
- civil law system based on the French Civil Code;
- note - Belgian law continues to be modified in conformance with the legislative norms mandated by the European Union;
- judicial review of legislative acts
Croatia
civil law system based on Yugoslav civil codes; note - Croatian legislation is changing the former Yugoslav legal model
Czech Republic now Czechia
civil law system based on former Austro-Hungarian civil codes and socialist theory; note - legislation is actively modernizing the legal system
European Union
- unique supranational law system in which, according to an interpretive declaration of member-state governments appended to the Treaty of Lisbon, "the Treaties and the law adopted by the Union on the basis of the Treaties have primacy over the law of Member States" under conditions laid down in the case law of the Court of Justice;
- key principles of EU law include fundamental rights as guaranteed by the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and as resulting from constitutional traditions common to the EU's states
Finland
civil law system based on the Swedish model; note - the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws
Guernsey
customary legal system based on Norman customary law, and includes elements of the French Civil Code and English common law
Ireland
common law system based on the English model but substantially modified by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court
Kosovo
evolving legal system; mixture of applicable Kosovo law, UNMIK laws and regulations, and applicable laws of the Former Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia that were in effect in Kosovo as of 22 March 1989
Malta
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law (based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes)
Moldova
civil law system with Germanic law influences; Constitutional Court review of legislative acts
Netherlands
civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General
Norway
mixed legal system of civil, common, and customary law; Supreme Court can advise on legislative acts
Poland
- civil law system;
- changes gradually being introduced as part of broader democratization process;
- limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Slovakia
- civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes;
- note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal system
Switzerland
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character
United Kingdom
common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998
Middle East
17 entriesAkrotiri
- the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters;
- laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Cyprus
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law with Greek Orthodox religious law influence
Dhekelia
- the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters;
- laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
Israel
mixed legal system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religious laws
Jordan
mixed legal system of civil law and Islamic religious law; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal
Kuwait
mixed legal system consisting of English common law, French civil law, and Islamic religious law
Lebanon
mixed legal system of civil law based on the French civil code and religious laws covering personal status, marriage, divorce, and other family relations of the Jewish, Islamic, and Christian communities
Saudi Arabia
- Islamic (sharia) legal system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law;
- note - several secular codes have been introduced;
- commercial disputes handled by special committees
Turkey now Turkiye
- civil law system based on various European legal systems notably the Swiss civil code;
- note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights
North America
6 entriesMexico
civil law system with US constitutional law theory influence; judicial review of legislative acts
United States
- common law system based on English common law at the federal level;
- state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code;
- judicial review of legislative acts
Oceania
28 entriesMicronesia, Federated States of now Federated States of Micronesia
mixed legal system of common and customary law
New Caledonia
civil law system based on French law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
New Zealand
- common law system,
- based on English model,
- with special legislation and land courts for the Maori
Northern Mariana Islands
US system applies, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
Samoa
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen
South America
13 entriesArgentina
civil law system based on West European legal systems; note - efforts at civil code reform begun in the mid-1980s has stagnated
Bolivia
civil law system with influences from Roman, Spanish, canon (religious), French, and indigenous law
Chile
civil law system influenced by several West European civil legal systems; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
Paraguay
civil law system with influences from Argentine, Spanish, Roman, and French civil law models; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice
Suriname
civil law system influenced by Dutch civil law; note - the Commissie Nieuw Surinaamse Burgerlijk Wetboek completed drafting a new civil code in February 2009
Southeast Asia
17 entriesAshmore and Cartier Islands
the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply
Burma now Burma (Myanmar)
mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law
Cambodia
civil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia) customary law, Communist legal theory, and common law
Christmas Island
legal system is under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
Hong Kong
mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)
Malaysia
- mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law;
- judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation
Timor-Leste
- civil law system based on the Indonesian model;
- note - new penal code based on the Portuguese model was passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009;
- new civil code expected to be promulgated in 2011
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook 2011, “Legal system”, all entries. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/fields/legal-system/2011.