| Country | CONSTITUTION |
|---|
| Afghanistan |
several previous; latest drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004, signed 16 January 2004, ratified 26 January 2004; note - a provision in the constitution prohibits changes until 2020 (2016)
|
| Akrotiri |
presented 3 August 1960, effective 16 August 1960 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960 serves as a basic legal document); amended 1966 (2016)
|
| Albania |
history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998; amended several times, last in 2012
amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Assembly members; approval required by at least two-thirds vote of members; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Algeria |
several previous; latest approved by referendum 23 February 1989; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| American Samoa |
adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Andorra |
history: drafted 1991, approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 28 April 1993
amendments: proposed by the coprinces jointly or by the General Council; approval required by two-thirds majority vote of the General Council, by ratification in a referendum, and by the sanctioning of the coprinces (2016)
|
| Angola |
previous 1975, 1992; latest passed by National Assembly 21 January 2010, adopted 5 February 2010 (2016)
|
| Anguilla |
several previous; latest 1 April 1982; amended 1990 (2016)
|
| Antigua and Barbuda |
several previous; latest presented 31 July 1981, effective 31 October 1981 (Antigua and Barbuda Constitutional Order 1981); amended 2009, 2011 (2016)
|
| Argentina |
several previous; latest effective 11 May 1853; amended many times, last in 1994 (2016)
|
| Armenia |
previous 1915, 1978; latest adopted 5 July 1995; amended 2005, 2015; note - the 2015 amendment, approved in December 2015 by a public referendum and effective for the 2017-18 electoral cycle, changes the government type from the current semi-presidential system to a parliamentary system (2016)
note: the 2015 amendment, approved in December 2015 by a public referendum and effective for the 2017-18 electoral cycle, changes the government type from the current semi-presidential system to a parliamentary system (2016)
|
| Aruba |
previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba, but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - in October 2010, following dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2016)
|
| Australia |
9 July 1900; effective 1 January 1901; amended several times, last in 1977; note - a referendum to amend the constitution to reflect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 is planned for early 2017 (2016)
|
| Austria |
history: several previous; latest adopted 1 October 1920, revised 1929, replaced May 1934 (authoritarian corporate state), replaced by German Weimar constitution in 1938 following German annexation, reinstated 1 May 1945
amendments: proposed through laws designated “constitutional laws” or through the constitutional process if the amendment is part of another law; approval required by at least two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly if one-half of the members are present; a referendum is required only if requested by one-third of the National Council or Federal Council membership; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Azerbaijan |
several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995; amended 2002, 2009 (2016)
|
| Bahamas, The |
previous 1964 (preindependence); latest adopted 20 June 1973, effective 10 July 1973; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Bahrain |
adopted 14 February 2002; amended 2012 (2016)
|
| Bangladesh |
previous 1935, 1956, 1962 (preindependence); latest enacted 4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972, suspended March 1982, restored November 1986; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Barbados |
adopted 22 November 1966, effective 30 November 1966; amended several times, last in 2007 (2016)
|
| Belarus |
history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic through petition to the National Assembly or by at least 150,000 eligible voters; approval required by at least two-thirds vote of members in both chambers or by simple majority of eligible voters in a referendum (2016)
|
| Belgium |
history: drafted 25 November 1830, approved 7 February 1831, entered into force 26 July 1831, revised 14 July 1993 (creating a federal state)
amendments: "revisions" proposed as declarations by the federal government in accord with the king or by Parliament followed by dissolution of Parliament and new elections; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in both houses of the next elected Parliament; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Belize |
previous 1954, 1963 (preindependence); latest signed and entered into force 21 September 1981; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Benin |
previous 1946, 1958 (preindependence); latest adopted by referendum 2 December 1990, promulgated 11 December 1990 (2016)
|
| Bermuda |
several previous (dating to 1684); latest entered into force 8 June 1968; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Bhutan |
previous governing documents were various royal decrees; first constitution drafted November 2001 - March 2005, ratified 18 July 2008; amended 2011 (2016)
|
| Bolivia |
many previous; latest drafted 6 August 2006 - 9 December 2008, approved by referendum 25 January 2009, effective 7 February 2009; amended 2013 (2015)
|
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
history: 14 December 1995 (constitution included as part of the Dayton Peace Accords); note - each of the political entities has its own constitution
amendments: decided by the Parliamentary Assembly, including a two-thirds majority vote of members present in the House of Representatives; the constitutional article on human rights and fundamental freedoms cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2009
|
| Botswana |
previous 1960 (preindependence); latest adopted March 1965, effective 30 September 1966; amended several times, last in 2006 (2016)
|
| Brazil |
several previous; latest ratified 5 October 1988; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| British Virgin Islands |
several previous; latest effective 15 June 2007 (2016)
|
| Brunei |
drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; amended 1984, 2004, 2011; note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984 (2016)
|
| Bulgaria |
history: several previous; latest drafted between late 1990 and early 1991, adopted 13 July 1991
amendments: proposed by the National Assembly or by the president of the republic; passage requires three-fourths majority vote of National Assembly members in three ballots; signed by the National Assembly chairperson; note - under special circumstances, a "Grand National Assembly" is elected with the authority to write a new constitution and amend certain articles of the constitution, including those affecting basic civil rights and national sovereignty; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in each of several readings; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Burkina Faso |
several previous; latest approved by referendum 2 June 1991, adopted 11 June 1991; amended several times, last in 2015 for setting a two-term limit for presidents; note - constitution temporarily suspended between late October and mid-November 2014 (2016)
|
| Burma |
previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest approved by referendum 29 May 2008 (2016)
|
| Burundi |
several previous; latest ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005 (2016)
|
| Cabo Verde |
previous 1981; latest effective 25 September 1992; revised 1995, 1999, 2010 (2016)
|
| Cambodia |
previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993; amended 1999, 2008, 2014 (2016)
|
| Cameroon |
several previous; latest effective 18 January 1996; amended 2008 (2016)
|
| Canada |
made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions, and traditions dating from 1763; the written part of the constitution consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982; several amendments to the 1982 Constitution Act, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Cayman Islands |
several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009) (2016)
|
| Central African Republic |
several previous; latest adopted by referendum in December 2015 (2016)
|
| Chad |
several previous; latest passed by referendum 31 March 1996, entered into force 8 April 1996; amended 2005 (2016)
|
| Chile |
many previous; latest adopted 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended many times, last in 2011; note - in late 2015, the Chilean Government initiated a process to reform its constitution (2016)
|
| China |
several previous; latest promulgated 4 December 1982; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016)
|
| Christmas Island |
1 October 1958 (Christmas Island Act 1958); amended many times, last in 2010 (Territories Law Reform Act 2010) (2016)
|
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
23 November 1955 (Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955); amended many times, last in 2010 (2016)
|
| Colombia |
several previous; latest promulgated 5 July 1991; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Comoros |
previous 1996; latest ratified 23 December 2001; amended 2009, 2014 (2016)
|
| Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006; amended 2011 (2016)
|
| Congo, Republic of the |
previous 1992; latest approved by referendum 20 January 2002; amended 2015; note - the constitutional referendum approved in October 2015 changed the head of government from the president to the prime minister, eliminated the presidential age maximum, reduced the presidential term from 7 to 5 years and limited total presidential terms to 3 (2017)
|
| Cook Islands |
4 August 1965 (Cook Islands Constitution Act 1964); amended many times, last in 2004 (2016)
|
| Costa Rica |
previous 1825; latest effective 8 November 1949; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Cote d'Ivoire |
previous 1960, 2000; latest draft completed 24 September 2016, approved by referendum 30 October 2016, promulaged 8 November 2016 (2016)
|
| Croatia |
history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1990
amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the members in the Assembly, by the president of the republic, by the Government of Croatia, or by petition of 10 percent of total number of voters; proceedings to amend require majority vote of all Assembly members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of all Assembly members; passage of amendments by petition requires a majority vote in a popular referendum; promulgation by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Cuba |
several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 February 1976, effective 24 February 1976; amended 1978, 1992, 2002 (2016)
|
| Curacao |
previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 5 September 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Curacao but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - in October 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
|
| Cyprus |
ratified 16 August 1960; amended 1996, 2013; note - in 1963, the constitution was partly suspended as Turkish Cypriots withdrew from the government; Turkish-held territory in 1983 was declared the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" ("TRNC"); in 1985, the "TRNC" approved its own constitution (2016)
|
| Czechia |
history: previous 1960; latest ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993
amendments: passage requires three-fifths concurrence by members present in both houses of Parliament; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Denmark |
history: several previous; latest adopted 5 June 1953
amendments: proposed by the Folketing with consent of the government; passage requires approval by the next Folketing following a general election, approval by simple majority vote of at least 40 percent of voters in a referendum, and assent by the chief of state; changed several times, last in 2009 (Danish Act of Succession) (2016)
|
| Dhekelia |
presented 3 August 1960, effective 16 August 1960 (The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, serves as a basic legal document); amended 1966 (2016)
|
| Djibouti |
approved by referendum 4 September 1992; amended 2006, 2008, 2010 (2016)
|
| Dominica |
previous 1967 (preindependence); latest presented 25 July 1978, entered into force 3 November 1978; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Dominican Republic |
many previous (38 total); latest proclaimed 26 January 2010; note - the Dominican Republic Government has a practice of promulgating a "new" constitution whenever an amendment is ratified (2016)
|
| Ecuador |
many previous; latest approved 20 October 2008; amended 2011; note - a 2015 constitutional amendment lifting presidential term limits becomes effective in 2021 (2016)
|
| Egypt |
several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014 (2016)
|
| El Salvador |
many previous; latest drafted 16 December 1983, enacted 23 December 1983; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Equatorial Guinea |
approved by referendum 17 November 1991; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Eritrea |
adopted 23 May 1997 (not fully implemented); note - drafting of a new constitution, which began in 2014, continued into 2016 (2016)
|
| Estonia |
history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992
amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the “General Provisions” and “Amendment of the Constitution” chapters requires three-fifths majority vote of Parliament for a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Ethiopia |
several previous; latest drafted June 1994, adopted 8 December 1994, entered into force 21 August 1995 (2016)
|
| European Union |
history: none; note - the EU legal order relies primarily on two consolidated texts encompassing all provisions as amended from a series of past treaties: 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"
amendments: European Union treaties can be amended in several ways: 1) Ordinary Revision Procedure (for key amendments to the treaties); initiated by an EU country’s government, by the EU Parliament, or by the EU Commission; following adoption of the proposal by the European Council, a convention is formed of national government representatives to review the proposal and subsequently a conference of government representatives also reviews the proposal; passage requires ratification by all EU countries; 2) Simplified Revision Procedure (for amendment of EU internal policies and actions); passage of a proposal requires unanimous European Council vote following European Council consultation with the EU Commission, the European Council, and the European Parliament, and requires ratification by all EU countries; 3) Passerelle Clause (allows the alteration of a legislative procedure without a formal amendment of the treaties); 4) Flexibility Clause (permits the EU to decide in subject areas not covered by the EU treaties); note - the Treaty of Lisbon (signed in December 2007 and effective in December 2009) amended the two treaties that formed the EU - the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Rome (1958), known in updated form as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (2007) (2016)
|
| Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
previous 1985; latest entered into force 1 January 2009 (2016)
|
| Faroe Islands |
history: 5 June 1953 (Danish Constitution), 23 March 1948 (Home Rule Act), and 24 June 2005 (Takeover Act) serve as the Faroe Islands constitutional position in the Unity of the Realm
amendments: see entry for Denmark (2016)
|
| Fiji |
several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2016)
|
| Finland |
history: previous 1906, 1919; latest drafted 17 June 1997, approved by Parliament 11 June 1999, entered into force 1 March 2000
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage normally requires simple majority vote in two readings in the first parliamentary session and at least two-thirds majority vote in a single reading by the newly elected Parliament; proposals declared “urgent” by five-sixths of Parliament members can be passed by at least two-thirds majority vote in the first parliamentary session only; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| France |
history: many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by members of Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008 (2016)
|
| French Polynesia |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
| Gabon |
previous 1961; latest drafted May 1990, adopted 15 March 1991, promulgated 26 March 1991; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Gambia, The |
previous 1970; latest adopted 8 April 1996, approved by referendum 8 August 1996, effective 16 January 1997; amended several times, last in 2010 (2016)
|
| Georgia |
previous 1921, 1978 (based on 1977 Soviet Union constitution); latest approved 24 August 1995, effective 17 October 1995; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Germany |
history: previous 1919 (Weimar Constitution); latest drafted 10 to 23 August 1948, approved 12 May 1949, promulgated 23 May 1949, entered into force 24 May 1949
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage and enactment into law require two-thirds majority vote by both the Bundesrat (upper house) and the Bundestag (lower house) of Parliament; articles including those on basic human rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended many times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Ghana |
several previous; latest drafted 31 March 1992, approved and promulgated 28 April 1992, entered into force 7 January 1993; amended 1996 (2016)
|
| Gibraltar |
history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007
amendments: proposed by Parliament and require prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires three-quarters majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note – only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament (2016)
|
| Greece |
history: many previous; latest entered into force 11 June 1975
amendments: proposed by at least 50 members of Parliament and agreed by three-fifths majority vote in two separate ballots at least 30 days apart; passage requires absolute majority vote by the next elected Parliament; entry into force finalized through a “special parliamentary resolution”; articles on human rights and freedoms and the form of government cannot be amended; amended 1986, 2001, 2008 (2016)
|
| Greenland |
previous 1953 (Greenland established as a constituency in the Danish constitution), 1979 (Greenland Home Rule Act); latest 21 June 2009 (Greenland Self-Government Act) (2016)
|
| Grenada |
previous 1967; latest presented 19 December 1973, effective 7 February 1974, suspended 1979 following a revolution, but restored in 1983; amended 1991 (Constitutional Judicature Act, 1991); note - in late 2015, as part of constitutional reform, Parliament completed its first reading of a package of amendments (2016)
|
| Guam |
effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution); amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Guatemala |
several previous; latest adopted 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; suspended, reinstated, and amended in 1994 (2016)
|
| Guernsey |
history: unwritten; includes royal charters, statutes, and common law and practice
amendments: new laws or changes to existing laws are initiated by the States of Deliberation; passage requires majority vote (2016)
|
| Guinea-Bissau |
promulgated 16 May 1984; amended 1991, 1993, 1996; note - constitution suspended following military coup in April 2012 and restored in 2014 (2016)
|
| Guinea |
previous 1958, 1990; latest promulgated 19 April 2010, approved 7 May 2010 (2016)
|
| Guyana |
several previous; latest promulgated 6 October 1980; amended many times, last in 2009; note - in 2015, Guinea's High Court reversed the constitutional two-term presidential limit (2016)
|
| Haiti |
many previous (23 total); latest adopted 10 March 1987; amended 2012 (2016)
|
| Holy See (Vatican City) |
history: previous 1929, 1963; latest adopted 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (Fundamental Law of Vatican City State); note - in October 2013, Pope Francis instituted a 9-member Council of Cardinal Advisors to reform the administrative apparatus of the Holy See (Roman Curia) to include writing a new constitution
amendments: note - although the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State makes no mention of amendments, Article Four (drafting laws), states that this legislative responsibility resides with the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; draft legislation is submitted through the Secretariat of State and considered by the pope (2016)
|
| Honduras |
several previous; latest approved 11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended many times, last in 2012; note - in 2015, the Honduran Supreme Court struck down several constitutional articles on presidential term limits (2016)
|
| Hong Kong |
several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, the PRC National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law (2016)
|
| Hungary |
history: previous 1949 (heavily amended in 1989 following the collapse of communism); latest approved 18 April 2011, signed 25 April 2011, effective 1 January 2012
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by parliamentary committee, or by Parliament members; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament members and approval by the president; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Iceland |
history: several previous; latest ratified 16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944 (at independence)
amendments: proposed by the Althingi; passage requires approval by the Althingi and by the next elected Althingi, and confirmation by the president of the republic; proposed amendments to Article 62 of the constitution – that the Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the state church of Iceland – also require passage by referendum; amended many times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| India |
previous 1935 (preindependence); latest draft completed 4 November 1949, adopted 26 November 1949, effective 26 January 1950; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Indonesia |
drafted July to August 1945, effective 17 August 1945, abrogated by 1949 and 1950 constitutions, 1945 constitution restored 5 July 1959; amended several times, last in 2002; note - an amendment on "national character building and national consciousness awareness" was pending parliamentary review in early 2016 (2016)
|
| Iran |
previous 1906; latest adopted 24 October 1979, effective 3 December 1979; amended 1989 (2016)
|
| Iraq |
several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005 (2016)
|
| Ireland |
history: previous 1922; latest drafted 14 June 1937, adopted by plebiscite 1 July 1937, effective 29 December 1937
amendments: proposed as bills in Parliament; passage requires majority vote by both the Senate and House of Representatives, majority vote in a referendum, and presidental signature; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Isle of Man |
history: development of the Isle of Man constitution dates to at least the 14th century
amendments: proposed as bills in the House of Keys by the “Government,” by a “Member of the House,” or by outside bodies or private individuals through petition to the House or Council; passage normally requires three separate readings and approval of at least 13 House members; following both House and Legislative Council agreement, assent is required by the lieutenant governor acting on behalf of the Crown; the constitution has been expanded and amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Israel |
no formal constitution; some functions of a constitution are filled mostly by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (as amended); Basic Laws amended several times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Italy |
history: previous 1848 (originally for the Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by the Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948
amendments: proposed by both houses of Parliament; passage requires two successive debates and approval by absolute majority of each house on the second vote; a referendum is only required when requested by one-fifth of the members of either house, by voter petition, or by five Regional Councils (elected legislative assemblies of the 15 first-level administrative regions and 5 autonomous regions of Italy); amended many times, last in 2012; note - a referendum held on 4 December 2016 on constitutional amendments was defeated (2016)
|
| Jamaica |
several previous (preindependence); latest drafted 1961-62, submitted to British Parliament 24 July 1962, entered into force 6 August 1962 (at independence); amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Japan |
previous 1890; latest approved 6 October 1946, adopted 3 November 1946, effective 3 May 1947 ; note - the constitution has not been amended since its enactment in 1947 (2016)
|
| Jersey |
history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
amendments: proposals introduced to the Assembly of the States of Jersey by a government minister, by an Assembly member, or by an elected parish head; passage requires several Assembly readings, a majority vote by the Assembly, review by the UK Ministry of Justice, and approval by the British monarch (Royal Assent) (2016)
|
| Jordan |
previous 1928 (preindependence); latest initially adopted 28 November 1947, revised and ratified 1 January 1952; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Kazakhstan |
previous 1937, 1978 (preindependence); latest adopted 28 January 1993, approved by referendum 30 August 1995, effective 5 September 1995; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Kenya |
previous 1963, 1969; latest drafted 6 May 2010, passed by referendum 4 August 2010, promulgated 27 August 2010 (2016)
|
| Kiribati |
The Gilbert and Ellice Islands Order in Council 1915, The Gilbert Islands Order in Council 1975 (preindependence); latest promulgated 12 July 1979 (at independence); amended 1995, 2013 (2016)
|
| Korea, North |
previous 1948, 1972; latest adopted 1998 (during KIM Jong Il era); revised 2009, 2012, 2013 (2016)
|
| Korea, South |
effective 17 July 1948; amended several times, last in 1987 (2016)
|
| Kosovo |
history: previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, a court established to try war crimes allegedly committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s
amendments: proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one-fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Kuwait |
approved and promulgated 11 November 1962 (2016)
|
| Kyrgyzstan |
previous 1993; latest adopted 27 June 2010, effective 2 July 2010 (2016)
|
| Laos |
previous 1947 (preindependence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991; amended 2003, 2015 (2016)
|
| Latvia |
history: several previous (pre-1991 independence); note - following the restoration of independence in 1991, parts of the 1922 constitution were reintroduced 4 May 1990 and fully reintroduced 6 July 1993
amendments: proposed by two-thirds of Parliament members or by petition of one-tenth of qualified voters submitted through the president; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of three readings; amendment of constitutional articles including national sovereignty, language, the parliamentary electoral system, and constitutional amendment procedure requires passage by majority vote of at least half of the electorate in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Lebanon |
drafted 15 May 1926, adopted 23 May 1926; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016)
|
| Lesotho |
previous 1959, 1967; latest adopted 2 April 1993 (effectively restoring the 1967 version); amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Liberia |
previous 1847 (at independence); latest drafted 19 October 1983, revised version adopted by referendum 3 July 1984, effective 6 January 1986; amended 2011; note - a series of amendment proposals approved by the Constitution Review Conference in early 2015 are pending government review (2016)
|
| Libya |
previous 1951, 1977; latest 2011 (interim); note - the Constitution Drafting Assembly continued drafting a new constitution as of late 2016 (2016)
|
| Liechtenstein |
history: previous 1862; latest adopted 5 October 1921
amendments: proposed as bills by Parliament, by the reigning prince (in the form of “Government” proposals), by petition of at least 1,500 qualified voters, or by at least four communes; passage requires unanimous approval of Parliament members in one sitting or three-quarters majority vote in two successive sittings; referendum required only if petitioned by at least 1,500 voters or by at least four communes; passage by referendum requires absolute majority of all eligible voters; amended many times, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Lithuania |
history: several previous; latest adopted by referendum 25 October 1992, entered into force 2 November 1992
amendments: proposed by at least one-fourth of all Parliament members or by petition of at least 300,000 voters; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in each of two readings three months apart and a presidential signature; amendments to constitutional articles on national sovereignty and constitutional amendment procedure also require three-fourths voter approval in a referendum; amended 1996, 2003, 2006 (2016)
|
| Luxembourg |
history: previous 1842 (heavily amended 1848, 1856); latest effective 17 October 1868
amendments: adoption requires at least two-thirds vote by the Chamber of Deputies in two successive readings three months apart; a referendum can be substituted for the second reading if voted for by more than one-quarter of the Chamber members or by 25,000 valid voters; adoption by referendum requires a majority of all valid voters; amended many times, last in 2009 (2016)
|
| Macau |
previous 1976 (Organic Statute of Macau, under Portuguese authority); latest adopted 31 March 1993, effective 20 December 1999 (Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as Macau's constitution); amended 2005, 2012 (2016)
|
| Macedonia |
history: several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; draft amendments require approval by majority vote of Assembly members, followed by public debate; final passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Madagascar |
previous 1992; latest passed by referendum 17 November 2010, promulgated 11 December 2010 (2016)
|
| Malawi |
previous 1953 (preindependence), 1966; latest drafted January to May 1994, approved 16 May 1994, entered into force 18 May 1995; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Malaysia |
previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957; amended many times, last in 2010 (2016)
|
| Maldives |
many previous; latest ratified 7 August 2008; amended 2015 (2016)
|
| Mali |
several previous; latest drafted August 1991, approved by referendum 12 January 1992, effective 25 February 1992; amended 1999, suspended briefly in 2012 (2016)
|
| Malta |
history: many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964
amendments: proposals (Acts of Parliament) require at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Representatives; passage of "Acts" requires majority vote by referendum, followed by final majority vote by the House of Representatives and assent by the president of the republic; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Marshall Islands |
effective 1 May 1979; amended several times, last in 1995 (2016)
|
| Mauritania |
previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991; amended 2004, 2006, 2012 (2016)
|
| Mauritius |
several previous; latest adopted 12 March 1968; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Mexico |
several previous; latest approved 5 February 1917; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Micronesia, Federated States of |
drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979; amended 1990; note - in 2001, all 26 amendments proposed by the FSM constitutional convention were defeated in a national referendum (2016)
|
| Moldova |
history: previous 1978; latest adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994
amendments: proposed by voter petition (at least 200,000 eligible voters), by one-third of Parliament members, or by the government; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of Parliament within one year of initial proposal; revisions to constitutional articles on sovereignty, independence, and neutrality require majority vote by referendum; articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2010; note – in early 2016, a Moldovan Constitutional Court decision allowed for direct presidential elections, reversing a constitutional amendment allowing Parliament to select the president (2016)
|
| Monaco |
history: previous 1911 (suspended 1959); latest adopted 17 December 1962
amendments: proposed by joint agreement of the chief of state (the prince) and the National Council; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of National Council members; amended 2002 (2016)
|
| Mongolia |
several previous; latest adopted 13 January 1992, effective 12 February 1992; amended 1999, 2001; legislation on amendments proposed in 2015 continued into 2016 (2016)
|
| Montenegro |
history: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007
amendments: proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum; amended 2013, 2014 (2016)
|
| Montserrat |
previous 1960; latest effective 1 September 2010; amended 2011 (2016)
|
| Morocco |
several previous; latest drafted 17 June 2011, approved by referendum 1 July 2011; note - sources disagree on whether the 2011 referendum was for a new constitution or for reforms to the previous constitution (2016)
|
| Mozambique |
previous 1975, 1990; latest adopted 16 November 2004, effective 21 December 2004; amended 2007; note - amendments drafted in late 2013 were rejected by parliament in late 2015 (2016)
|
| Namibia |
drafted 9 February 1990, signed 16 March 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990; amended 1998, 2010, 2014 (2016)
|
| Nauru |
effective 29 January 1968; amended 1968, 2009, 2014 (2016)
|
| Nepal |
several previous; latest adopted 20 September 2015; amended January 2016
|
| Netherlands |
history: previous 1597, 1798; latest adopted 24 August 1815 (substantially revised in 1848)
amendments: proposed as an “Act of Parliament” by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after its first reading of the “Act”; passage requires a second reading by both the First Chamber and newly elected Second Chamber, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote of both chambers, and ratification by the king; amended many times, last in 2010 (2016)
|
| New Caledonia |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) (2016)
|
| New Zealand |
Constitution Act 1986 (the principal formal charter) adopted and effective 1 January 1987; amended 1999, 2005, 2014 (2016)
|
| Nicaragua |
several previous; latest adopted 19 November 1986, effective 9 January 1987; amended several times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Nigeria |
several previous; latest adopted 5 May 1999, effective 29 May 1999; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Niger |
several previous; passed by referendum 31 October 2010, entered into force 25 November 2010 (2016)
|
| Niue |
several previous (New Zealand colonial statutes); latest 19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act 1974); amended 1992, 2007 (2016)
|
| Norfolk Island |
previous 1913, 1957; latest effective 7 August 1979; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Northern Mariana Islands |
partially effective 9 January 1978 (Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); fully effective 4 November 1986 (Covenant Agreement); amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Norway |
history: drafted spring 1814, adopted 16 May 1814, signed by Constituent Assembly 17 May 1814
amendments: proposals submitted by members of Parliament or by the government within the first three years of Parliament's four-year term; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of a two-thirds quorum in the next elected Parliament; amended over 400 times, last in 2015
|
| Oman |
1996 (the Basic Law of the Sultanate of Oman serves as the constitution); amended by royal decree in 2011 (2016)
|
| Pakistan |
several previous; latest endorsed 12 April 1973, passed 19 April 1973, entered into force 14 August 1973 (suspended and restored several times); amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Palau |
ratified 9 July 1980, effective 1 January 1981; amended 1992, 2004, 2008 (2016)
|
| Panama |
several previous; latest effective 11 October 1972; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016)
|
| Papua New Guinea |
adopted 15 August 1975, effective at independence 16 September 1975; amended many times, last in 2013; note - in September 2015, the Supreme Court nullified the 2013 constitutional amendment that increased the grace period on motions of no confidence (2016)
|
| Paraguay |
several previous; latest approved and promulgated 20 June 1992; amended 2011, 2014 (2016)
|
| Peru |
several previous; latest promulgated 29 December 1993, enacted 31 December 1993; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Philippines |
several previous; latest ratified 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 (2016)
|
| Pitcairn Islands |
several previous; latest drafted 10 February 2010, presented 17 February 2010, effective 4 March 2010 (2016)
|
| Poland |
history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997
amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Sejm deputies, by the Senate, or by the president of the republic; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Sejm and absolute majority vote in the Senate; amendments to articles relating to sovereignty, personal freedoms, and constitutional amendment procedures also require passage by majority vote in a referendum; amended 2006, 2009, 2015 (2016)
|
| Portugal |
history: several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1976, effective 25 April 1976
amendments: proposed by the Assembly of the Republic; adoption requires two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members; amended several times, last in 2005 (2016)
|
| Puerto Rico |
previous 1900 (Organic Act, or Foraker Act); latest ratified 3 March 1952, approved 3 July 1952, effective 25 July 1952 (2016)
|
| Qatar |
previous 1972 (provisional); latest drafted 2 July 2002, approved by referendum 29 April 2003, endorsed 8 June 2004, effective 9 June 2005 (2016)
|
| Romania |
history: several previous; latest adopted 21 November 1991, approved by referendum and effective 8 December 1991
amendments: initiated by the president of Romania through a proposal by the government, by at least one-fourth of deputies or senators in Parliament, or by petition of eligible voters representing at least one-half of Romania’s counties; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by both chambers or – if mediation is required - by three-fourths majority vote in a joint session, followed by approval in a referendum; articles including those on national sovereignty, form of government, political pluralism, and fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended; amended 2003 (2016)
|
| Russia |
several previous (during Russian Empire and Soviet eras); latest drafted 12 July 1993, adopted by referendum 12 December 1993, effective 25 December 1993; amended 2008, 2014 (2016)
|
| Rwanda |
several previous; latest adopted by referendum 26 May 2003, effective 4 June 2003; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Saint Barthelemy |
a4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
| Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha |
several previous; latest effective 1 September 2009 (The St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009) (2016)
|
| Saint Kitts and Nevis |
several previous (preindependence); latest presented 22 June 1983, effective 23 June 1983 (2016)
|
| Saint Lucia |
previous 1958, 1960 (preindependence); latest presented 20 December 1978, effective 22 February 1979; note - in mid-2015, an amendment was proposed to replace the London-based Privy Council with the Caribbean Court of Justice as the country's highest appellate court (2016)
|
| Saint Martin |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
several previous; latest passed by the House of Assembly 3 September 2009 (The Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Constitution Act, 2009) (2016)
|
| Samoa |
several previous (preindependence); latest 1 January 1962; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| San Marino |
history: consists of several legislative instruments, chief among them the Statutes (Leges Statuti) of 1600 and the Declaration of Citizen Rights of 1974
amendments: proposed by the Great and General Council; passage requires two-thirds majority Council vote; Council passage by absolute majority vote also requires passage in a referendum; Declaration of Civil Rights amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)
|
| Sao Tome and Principe |
approved 5 November 1975; revised several times, last in 2006 (2016)
|
| Saudi Arabia |
1 March 1992 - Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and tradition of the Prophet Muhammad
|
| Senegal |
previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Serbia |
history: many previous; latest adopted 30 September 2006, approved by referendum 28-29 October 2006, effective 8 November 2006
amendments: proposed by at least one-third of deputies in the National Assembly, by the president of the republic, by the government, or by petition of at least 150,000 voters; passage of proposals and draft amendments each requires at least two-thirds majority vote in the Assembly; amendments to constitutional articles including the preamble, constitutional principles, and human and minority rights and freedoms also require a referendum with passage by simple majority vote (2016)
|
| Seychelles |
previous 1970, 1979; latest drafted May 1993, approved by referendum 18 June 1993, effective 23 June 1993; amended several times, last in 2011 (2016)
|
| Sierra Leone |
several previous; latest in effect 1 October 1991; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Singapore |
several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Sint Maarten |
Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 21 July 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Sint Maarten but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - in October 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
|
| Slovakia |
history: several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992
amendments: proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Slovenia |
history: previous 1974 (preindependence); latest passed by Parliament 23 December 1991
amendments: proposed by at least 20 National Assembly members, by the government, or by petition of at least 30,000 voters; passage of amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote by Assembly members; referendum required if agreed upon by at least 30 Assembly members; passage in a referendum requires a simple majority vote if a majority of eligible voters participated; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Solomon Islands |
adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; new constitution drafted in 2014 (2016)
|
| Somalia |
previous 1961, 1979; latest drafted 12 June 2012, approved 1 August 2012 (provisional) (2016)
|
| South Africa |
several previous; latest drafted 8 May 1996, approved 4 December 1996, effective 4 February 1997; amended many times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| South Sudan |
previous 2005 (preindependence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011); amended 2013, 2015 (2016)
|
| Spain |
history: previous 1812; latest approved by the General Courts 31 October 1978, passed by referendum 6 December 1978, signed by the king 27 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
amendments: proposed by the government, by the General Courts (the Congress or the Senate), or by the self-governing communities submitted through the government; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by both houses and passage by referendum if required by one-tenth of the members of either house within 15 days of passage; proposals disapproved by both houses are submitted to a joint committee, which submits an agreed upon text for another vote; passage requires two-thirds vote in Congress and simple majority vote in the Senate; amended 1992, 2007, 2011 (2016)
|
| Sri Lanka |
several previous; latest adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Sudan |
previous 1998; latest adopted 6 July 2005, effective 9 July 2005 (interim constitution); amended 2015; note - in 2011, the Government of Sudan initiated a process for drafting a new constitution (2016)
|
| Suriname |
previous 1975; latest ratified 30 September 1987, effective 30 October 1987; amended 1992 (2016)
|
| Swaziland |
previous 1968, 1978; latest signed by the king 26 July 2005, effective 8 February 2006 (2016)
|
| Sweden |
history: several previous; latest adopted 1 January 1975
amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage requires simple majority vote in two consecutive parliamentary terms with an intervening general election; passage also requires approval by simple majority vote in a referendum if Parliament approves a motion for a referendum by one-third of its members; amended several times, last in 2014 (changes to the "Instrument of Government") (2016)
|
| Switzerland |
history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000
amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one million voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Syria |
several previous; latest issued 15 February 2012, passed by referendum 26 February 2012 (2016)
|
| Taiwan |
previous 1912, 1931; latest adopted 25 December 1946, promulgated 1 January 1947, effective 25 December 1947; revised several times, last in 2005 (2016)
|
| Tajikistan |
several previous; latest adopted 6 November 1994; amended 1999, 2003, 2014 (2016)
|
| Tanzania |
several previous; latest adopted 25 April 1977; amended many times, last in 2012; note - in 2012, the Tanzania Constitutional Review Commission was formed, and in June 2013, completed the first draft of a new constitution and a second version in December; a 640-member Constituent Assembly, formed in February 2014, passed a new constitution draft in October; a national referendum planned for April 2015 has been postponed (2016)
|
| Thailand |
many previous; interim constitution - replacing the 2007 permanent constitution - signed by the king 22 July 2014; first draft of new constitution completed 17 April 2015, rejected by drafting committee 6 September 2015; final draft completed by new drafting committee 29 March 2016, passed by referendum 7 August 2016 (2016)
|
| Timor-Leste |
drafted 2001, approved 22 March 2002, entered into force 20 May 2002 (2016)
|
| Togo |
several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1992, effective 14 October 1992; amended 2002, 2007 (2016)
|
| Tokelau |
many previous; latest effective 1 January 1949 (Tokelau Islands Act 1948); amended many times, last in 2007 (2016)
|
| Tonga |
adopted 4 November 1875, revised 1988; amended many times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Trinidad and Tobago |
previous 1962; latest 1976; amended many times, last in 2007 (2016)
|
| Tunisia |
several previous; latest approved by Constituent Assembly 26 January 2014, signed by president on 27 January 2014 (2016)
|
| Turkey |
history: several previous; latest ratified 9 November 1982
amendments: proposed by written consent of at least one-third of Grand National Assembly (GNA) members; adoption of draft amendments requires two debates in plenary GNA session and three-fifths majority vote of all GNA members; the president of the republic can request GNA reconsideration of the amendment and, if readopted by two-thirds majority GNA vote, the president may submit the amendment to a referendum; passage by referendum requires absolute majority vote; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Turkmenistan |
adopted 18 May 1992; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)
|
| Turks and Caicos Islands |
several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011) (2016)
|
| Tuvalu |
previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986; amended 2007, 2010, 2013 (2016)
|
| Uganda |
several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1995, promulgated 8 October 1995; amended many times, last in 2015 (2016)
|
| Ukraine |
history: several previous; latest adopted and ratified 28 June 1996
amendments: proposed by the president of Ukraine or by at least one-third of the Supreme Council members; adoption requires simple majority vote by the Council and at least two-thirds majority vote in its next regular session; adoption of proposals relating to general constitutional principles, elections, and amendment procedures requires two-thirds majority vote by the Council and approval in a referendum; constitutional articles on personal rights and freedoms, national independence, and territorial integrity cannot be amended; amended 2004, 2010, 2015 (2016)
|
| United Arab Emirates |
previous 1971 (provisional); latest drafted in 1979, became permanent May 1996; amended 2009 (2016)
|
| United Kingdom |
history: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
amendments: proposed as a “bill” for an “Act of Parliament” by the government or by members of the House of Commons or by the House of Lords; passage requires agreement by both houses and by the monarch (Royal Assent); note - recent additions include the Human Rights Act of 1998, the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, and the House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015 (2016)
|
| United States |
previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789; amended many times, last in 1992 (2016)
|
| Uruguay |
several previous; latest approved by plebiscite 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967; amended several times, last in 2004 (2016)
|
| Uzbekistan |
several previous; latest adopted 8 December 1992; amended several times, last in 2014 (2016)
|
| Vanuatu |
effective 30 July 1980; amended several times, last in 2013 (2016)
|
| Venezuela |
many previous; latest adopted 15 December 1999, effective 30 December 1999; amended 2009 (2016)
|
| Vietnam |
several previous; latest adopted 15 April 1992, effective 1 January 1995; amended 2001, 2013 (2016)
|
| Virgin Islands |
22 July 1954 - the Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands functions as a constitution for this territory of the US; revised 1962, 2000 (2016)
|
| Wallis and Futuna |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
|
| Yemen |
adopted by referendum 16 May 1991 (following unification); amended several times, last in 2009; note - after the National Dialogue ended in January 2015, a presidentially-appointed Constitutional Drafting Committee worked to prepare a new draft constitution that was expected to be put to a national referendum before being adopted; however, the president’s resignation in January 2015 and the subsequent conflict interrupted the process (2016)
|
| Zambia |
several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991; amended 1996, 2015 (2016)
|
| Zimbabwe |
previous 1965 (at Rhodesian independence), 1979 (Lancaster House Agreement), 1980 (at Zimbabwean independence); latest final draft completed January 2013, approved by referendum 16 March 2013, approved by Parliament 9 May 2013; amended many times in 2013; note - significant amendments proposed in early 2015 (2016)
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