Technology and travel go hand in hand nowadays. And with technology, we have to take into consideration a huge aspect of using it… electricity and charge. Did you know there are currently 15 types of electrical outlet plugs in use today? Each of these has been assigned a letter by the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA), starting with A and moving through the alphabet.
The good thing? These letters are completely arbitrary: they don’t actually mandate anything.
Of greater interest is the world map below, which visualizes the spread of the different plug types in use around the world.
Red countries use type A & B plugs, the deep blue ones use types C & E/F (which are compatible with each other), brown countries use type D, sea-green countries use the British type G plug, pink-colored Israel uses types C & H, yellow countries use the Australian type I system, black countries use C & J, orange countries use types C & L, purple countries use the South African type M, pale blue countries use the international type N and moss-green Thailand uses types C & O.
This is a simplified overview showing only the most common plug type, but sometimes multiple systems are used within one and the same country.
Article credits go to World Standards, where you can read further about each plug, socket compatibility, and specifications on safety details.
Privilege Tip: As you can see, plugs and outlets don’t always fit from country to country. Always verify the standards of the country you are traveling to. Your appliances may require a plug adapter, which allows a dual-voltage appliance, a transformer or a converter from one country to be plugged into the wall outlet of another country.
Are you covered on the gadget charging topic? Then check out our article on Five Essential Travel Apps. Visit our Travel Talk section to read about travel recommendations and insights about the industry.
