When electricity was first introduced into residential buildings, it was primarily utilised for lighting purposes. However, as the usage of electrical devices and appliances became more widespread, the cost of powering lights often remained lower than powering appliances. Consequently, many low-wattage devices were modified to be compatible with light fixtures. With the rapid increase in the popularity of electrical appliances, a greater number of devices began incorporating dedicated mains plugs and sockets.
Various proposals have been put forth to establish a universal system, but currently, there are no plans to move towards a single international standard. This has resulted in the present situation where a wide range of international plugs are in use, with their specific usage varying from country to country.
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Regardless of the type of travel adapter you choose, it’s important to keep in mind that these devices only modify the pin configuration on a plug to fit specific types of wall sockets. In most cases, they do not convert voltages or currents.
That being said, it’s crucial to be aware of this, especially in countries where the power supply differs from your home country. In the UK, Europe, and the Asia Pacific regions, many countries typically use either 230V or 240V as the standard mains power. Consequently, devices and appliances in these countries are designed to handle higher power consumption. On the other hand, in regions that utilise 110V or 120V power, such as North America and Taiwan, electronics designed for 240V may not function optimally, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Additionally, devices rated for 110V or 120V may potentially be damaged if exposed to much higher mains voltages.
While many modern travel plug adapters can accommodate a wide range of voltages, from 100V to 240V, it is advisable to always double-check compatibility in advance. Make sure that both the adapter and the device you intend to use are suitable before plugging anything in.
Below is a useful table providing information on the standard voltages used in each country:
| Nicaragua | A | 120V |
| Japan | A, B | 100V |
| Colombia, Haiti, Jamaica | A, B | 110V |
| Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago | A, B | 115V |
| Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, USA, Venezuela | A, B | 120V |
| Mexico | A, B | 127V |
| Antigua and Barbuda | A, B | 230V |
| Philippines | A, B, C | 220V |
| Laos | A, B, C, E, F | 230V |
| Suriname | A, B, C, F | 127V, 230V |
| Cuba | A, B, C, L | 110V, 220V |
| Thailand | A, B, C, O | 230V |
| Guyana | A, B, D, G | 120V, 240V |
| Belize | A, B, G | 110V, 220V |
| St Vincent and Grenadines | A, B, G | 110V, 230V |
| Peru | A, C | 220V |
| Bolivia | A, C | 230V |
| Vietnam | A, C, D | 220V |
| Myanmar | A, C, D, G, I | 230V |
| Bangladesh | A, C, D, G, K | 220V |
| Cambodia | A, C, G | 230V |
| China | A, C, I | 220V |
| Yemen | A, D, G | 230V |
| Angola, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, North Korea, Mauritania, Paraguay, Somalia, Togo | C | 220V |
| Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan | C, D | 230V |
| DR Congo | C, D, E | 220V |
| Chad, Niger | C, D, E, F | 220V |
| Senegal | C, D, E, K | 230V |
| Jordan | C, D, F, G, J | 230V |
| Bhutan, Iraq, Lebanon, Zambia | C, D, G | 230V |
| Maldives | C, D, G, J, K, L | 230V |
| India, Nepal | C, D, M | 230V |
| South Africa | C, D, M, N | 230V |
| Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco | C, E | 220V |
| Belgium, Congo, Czechia, France, Mongolia, Poland, Slovakia, Tunisia | C, E | 230V |
| Monaco | C, E, F | 230V |
| Denmark | C, E, F, K | 230V |
| Syria | C, E, L | 220V |
| Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan | C, E, L | 230V |
| Guinea | C, F, K | 220V |
| Uruguay | C, F, L | 220V |
| Italy, San Marino | C, F, L | 230V |
| Mozambique | C, F, M | 220V |
| Mauritius | C, G | 230V |
| Israel, Palestine | C, H | 230V |
| Argentina | C, I | 220V |
| Liechtenstein, Rwanda, Switzerland | C, J | 230V |
| Chile | C, L | 220V |
| Eritrea, Libya | C, L | 220V |
| Brazil | C, N | 127V, 220V |
| Botswana, Dominica, Ghana, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Tanzania | D, G | 230V |
| Zimbabwe | D, G | 240V |
| Namibia | D, M | 220V |
| Bahrain, Cyprus, Gambia, Grenada, Ireland, Malawi, Malta, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, UK | G | 230V |
| Brunei, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Seychelles, Uganda | G | 240V |
| Solomon Islands | G, I | 230V |
| Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu | I | 230V |
| Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Tonga | I | 240V |
| Lesotho | M | 220V |
| Eswatini | M | 230V |
