Common Law Countries 2022

The body of law developed from court judgments rather than laws is known as common law or case law.




The common law is used when written laws or statutes cannot be used to decide a decision’s conclusion. When a common-law court hears a new case, it turns to previous precedents for guidance.

The courts of English monarchs are the source of common law in American courts. Many of the colonies of the British Empire are still governed by the common law system that the British Empire introduced.

Differences Between the Common Law and Other Legal Systems

In contrast to common law, civil law is a body of legally codified statutes and laws enacted by legislators as opposed to the common law. Judges in civil law use the civil code to analyze cases and provide judgments.

Cases may be taken to court in civil systems, and there are specific rules governing how claims are handled and the penalties for offenses. Civil and common law’s purpose is to achieve consistent results by following the same interpretive criteria.




As a result, certain nations have customary laws based on established patterns of behavior or conventions. Countries in other parts of the world have legal systems based on religious scriptures or traditions.

Islamic nations have a high prevalence of religiously based legal systems. Mixed legal systems are popular in various nations, combining common law and different legal systems.

Common-Law Countries

Also See: Which Countries Did Germany Invade During World War 2?

The common law governs laws in the following countries:

  • American Samoa
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Bahamas
  • Bangladesh – family law is heavily based on Shariah law.
  • Barbados
  • Belize
  • Bhutan – has Indian influence and religious law as well.
  • The British Virgin Islands
  • Canada – except in Quebec, where a civil law system based on French law is used
  • Cayman Islands
  • Cyprus – has civil law influences, specifically in criminal law.
  • Dominica
  • England and Wales
  • Fiji
  • Gibraltar
  • Grenada
  • Hong Kong (principally based on common law)
  • India – except in Goa, Daman, Diu, and Dadra, and Nagar Haveli
  • Ireland
  • Israel – also incorporates civil law and Halakha and Sharia for family law.
  • Jamaica
  • Kiribati
  • Liberia – also uses customary law.
  • Marshall Islands
  • Myanmar
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • New Zealand
  • Northern Ireland
  • Palau
  • Pakistan – with provisions of Islamic law
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Singapore – Muslims are subject to the Sharia Court’s jurisdiction over Muslim personal law
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tuvalu
  • Uganda
  • United States – except in Louisiana, where the law is based on French and Spanish Civil law




Country2022 Population
India1406631.7760
United States334805.2690
Pakistan229488.9940
Bangladesh167885.6890
United Kingdom68497.9070
Myanmar55227.1430
Uganda48432.8630
Canada38388.4190
Nepal30225.5820
Australia26068.7920
Israel8922.8920
Hong Kong7604.2990
Singapore5943.5460
Liberia5305.1170
New Zealand4898.2030
Jamaica2985.0940
Trinidad and Tobago1406.5850
Cyprus1223.3870
Fiji909.4660
Bhutan787.9410
Belize412.1900
Bahamas400.5160
Barbados288.0230
Kiribati123.4190
Grenada113.4750
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines111.5510
Tonga107.7490
Antigua and Barbuda99.5090
Dominica72.3440
Cayman Islands67.2770
Marshall Islands60.0570
American Samoa55.0300
Saint Kitts and Nevis53.8710
Gibraltar33.7040
British Virgin Islands30.5960
Palau18.2330
Tuvalu12.0660
Nauru10.9030




Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top