This is a comprehensive list of countries that mandate the wearing of masks (and those that don’t).
Requiring masks to be worn in public can mean different things in different countries, sometimes it’s only on public transport, sometimes only in essential businesses, and sometimes everywhere in public.
Note: Universal Mask Usage is defined as more than 80% of the population wearing a mask (based upon polling data).
Country | Mandated? | Settings | Coverage |
---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Albania | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Algeria | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Andorra | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Angola | Yes | Public Transport + Markets + Most Public Places | Full Country |
Antigua and Barbuda | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Argentina | Yes | Public Transport + Select States: Everywhere | Full Country |
Armenia | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
Australia | No | N/A | Parts of Country |
Austria | Yes | Public Transport & Stores | Full Country |
Azerbaijan | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
Bahamas | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Bahrain | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Bangladesh | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Barbados | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
Belarus | null | N/A | No |
Belgium | Yes | Public Transport + Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Belize | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Benin | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Bhutan | null | N/A | No |
Bolivia | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Botswana | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Brazil | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Brunei | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Bulgaria | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Burkina Faso | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Burundi | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Côte d'Ivoire | Yes | N/A | Full Country |
Cabo Verde | Yes | All Indoor Public Places With Multiple People | Full Country |
Cambodia | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Cameroon | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Canada | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Central African Republic | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Chad | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Chile | Yes | Public Transport + Everywhere in Public With More Than 10 People | Full Country |
China | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
Colombia | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Comoros | null | N/A | No |
Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Costa Rica | Yes | Public transit, cinemas, churches, theaters, banks, and restaurants | Full Country |
Croatia | Yes | Public transportation, medical facilities, shops, and malls | Full Country |
Cuba | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Cyprus | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Czechia (Czech Republic) | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Denmark | Certain Situations | N/A | No |
Djibouti | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Dominica | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Dominican Republic | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Ecuador | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Egypt | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
El Salvador | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Equatorial Guinea | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Eritrea | null | N/A | No |
Estonia | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Eswatini (fmr. "Swaziland") | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Ethiopia | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Fiji | null | N/A | No |
Finland | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
France | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Gabon | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Gambia | Yes | N/A | Full Country |
Georgia | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Germany | Yes | Public Transport & Shopping | Full Country |
Ghana | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Greece | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Greenland | null | N/A | No |
Grenada | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Guatemala | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Guinea | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Guinea-Bissau | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Guyana | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Haiti | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Holy See | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Honduras | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Hong Kong | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
Hungary | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Iceland | null | N/A | No |
India | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
Indonesia | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Iran | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Iraq | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Ireland | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Israel | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Italy | Yes | Public Transport & Stores | Full Country |
Jamaica | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Japan | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
Jordan | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Kazakhstan | Yes | Public buses & at airports | Full Country |
Kenya | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Kiribati | null | N/A | No |
Kuwait | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Kyrgyzstan | Yes | All Indoor Public Places With Multiple People | Full Country |
Laos | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Latvia | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
Lebanon | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Lesotho | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Liberia | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Libya | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Liechtenstein | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Lithuania | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Luxembourg | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Madagascar | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Malawi | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Malaysia | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
Maldives | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Mali | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Malta | Yes | Public Transport + Shopping | Full Country |
Marshall Islands | null | N/A | No |
Mauritania | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Mauritius | 4/24/2020 | Full Country | -says-PM.aspx) |
Mexico | Yes | Everywhere in public where social distancing isn't possible | Full Country |
Micronesia | null | N/A | No |
Moldova | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Monaco | Yes | Public Transport + Shops | Full Country |
Mongolia | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Montenegro | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Morocco | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Mozambique | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Myanmar (formerly Burma) | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Namibia | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Nauru | null | N/A | No |
Nepal | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Netherlands | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
New Zealand | No | N/A | No |
Nicaragua | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Niger | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Nigeria | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
North Korea | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
North Macedonia | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Norway | No | Admits they work but does not recommend | No |
Oman | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Pakistan | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Palau | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Palestine State | null | N/A | No |
Panama | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Papua New Guinea | null | of%20Emergency%20over%20Covid-19) | when%20classes%20resume%20next%20week.&text=By%20then%2C%20primary%20and%20secondary |
Paraguay | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Peru | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Philippines | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Poland | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Portugal | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Qatar | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Romania | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Russia | Yes | Public Transport + Shops | Parts of Country |
Rwanda | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Saint Lucia | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Samoa | null | N/A | No |
San Marino | null | N/A | No |
Sao Tome and Principe | Yes | Public Roads & Business Employees | Full Country |
Saudi Arabia | Yes | Everywhere in public | Full Country |
Senegal | Yes | Certain Public Places | Full Country |
Serbia | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Seychelles | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Sierra Leone | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Singapore | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Slovakia | Yes | All Indoor Public Places + Outdoor Within 20 Meters of Others | Full Country |
Slovenia | Yes | All Indoor Public Places | Full Country |
Solomon Islands | null | N/A | No |
Somalia | null | N/A | No |
South Africa | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
South Korea | Yes | Universal Mask Usage | No, But Universal Mask Usage |
South Sudan | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Spain | Yes | Everywhere in Public Where Social Distancing Isn't Possible | Full Country |
Sri Lanka | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Sudan | null | N/A | No |
Suriname | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Sweden | No | N/A | No |
Switzerland | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Syria | null | N/A | No |
Taiwan | Yes | Public Transport | Full Country |
Tajikistan | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Tanzania | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Thailand | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Timor-Leste | Yes | All Commercial Establishments | Full Country |
Togo | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Tonga | null | N/A | No |
Trinidad and Tobago | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Tunisia | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Turkey | Yes | Public Transport, Markets, Supermarkets & Crowded Places | Full Country |
Turkmenistan | null | N/A | No |
Tuvalu | null | N/A | No |
Uganda | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Ukraine | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
United Arab Emirates | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
United Kingdom | Yes | Public transit, shops, and supermarkets | Full Country |
United States of America | Yes | N/A | Parts of Country |
Uruguay | Yes | Supermarkets, Banks & Some Indoor Spaces | Full Country |
Uzbekistan | Yes | Everywhere In Public (Major Cities) | Full Country |
Vanuatu | Yes | N/A | No, But Recommends Masks |
Venezuela | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Vietnam | Yes | Everywhere in Public | Full Country |
Yemen | null | N/A | No |
Zambia | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |
Zimbabwe | Yes | Everywhere In Public | Full Country |