Emergency Numbers by Country
The police, ambulance and fire numbers for popular destinations — plus the universal fallbacks that reach help on almost any phone. Pick a country, and save the number before you go.
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Always works as a fallback
112 works on virtually any GSM mobile worldwide and is routed to local emergency services — in the EU/EEA it works even on a locked phone or with no SIM. 911 works across North America, and 999 across the UK and many Commonwealth countries.
Always confirm the current local number on arrival — ask your accommodation or check official signage. Numbers can change, and some countries restrict service outside major cities. If you’re unsure anywhere in Europe, dial 112; across the Americas, dial 911.
Related tools
What’s the emergency number abroad?
It depends on the country, but two numbers cover most of the world: 112 across Europe (and as a fallback on almost any mobile worldwide) and 911 across the Americas. The UK and many Commonwealth countries use 999, Australia uses 000, and New Zealand uses 111. Pick your destination above for the exact police, ambulance and fire numbers.
Methodology: The numbers are drawn from the ITU/Wikipedia list of emergency telephone numbers and national sources, cross-checked across multiple 2026 references. Because this is safety-critical, the set is deliberately curated to destinations whose numbers are well-verified rather than guessed for every country, and every result is paired with the universal fallbacks (112, 911, 999) and a prompt to confirm the number locally on arrival. Where one number reaches all services, it’s shown as a single number; where police, ambulance and fire differ, each is listed. How we test & calculate.
Two numbers cover most of the planet
If you remember nothing else: 112 works across Europe and, thanks to the GSM mobile standard, is recognised on almost any mobile phone in the world — it’ll route you to local emergency services even on a network you don’t have a SIM for, and in the EU it works on a locked screen. 911 covers North America and much of Latin America. Between them, those two numbers will get you help across most places travellers go.
But the local number is still worth saving
Plenty of countries keep their own system. The UK and many former British territories use 999, Australia uses 000, New Zealand uses 111, and several Asian countries split the services across different numbers — Japan’s 110 and 119, China’s 110, 120 and 119, Brazil’s 190, 192 and 193. Pick your destination above and save the right number in your phone before you fly, so you’re not searching for it in the moment that matters.
Be ready, not just informed
Knowing the number is half of it. Keep your accommodation’s address handy so you can give your location fast, and learn the words for “police”, “ambulance” and “fire” in the local language — in many countries the 112 operators speak English, but not all do. Keeping an active local SIM or eSIM matters too: some countries have restricted emergency calls from phones without a SIM to reduce hoax calls.
When in doubt
This guide covers the main destinations and the numbers are cross-checked, but they can change and can vary outside big cities. Treat it as a head start, confirm the current number with your hotel or a local provider when you arrive, and fall back on 112 in Europe or 911 in the Americas if you’re ever unsure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 112 work everywhere?
112 reaches emergency services across all EU and EEA countries, and it’s built into the GSM mobile standard — so on almost any mobile phone worldwide, dialling 112 is recognised and routed to local emergency services, even on a network you have no SIM for. In the EU it works on a locked phone too. It isn’t the official number in every country, but as a fallback when you don’t know the local one, it’s the safest single number to try.
What is the 911 equivalent in Europe?
It’s 112. Europe standardised on 112 as a single emergency number that works alongside any older national numbers. In the UK you can dial either 999 or 112. So if you’re used to dialling 911 at home, 112 is the number to remember in Europe — it connects you to police, ambulance and fire.
Why do some countries have separate numbers?
Many countries set up police, ambulance and fire lines independently before single-number systems existed, and never merged them. Japan, for example, uses 110 for police and 119 for fire and ambulance; China uses 110, 120 and 119. When a country has separate numbers, this tool shows each one — but in a real emergency, calling any of them will usually get you redirected if you ask for the wrong service.
Can I call emergency services without a SIM or signal?
Often, yes. Mobiles can usually place an emergency call over any available network, even without your own SIM or signal, and in many places without credit. This is most reliable with 112 and 911. It isn’t guaranteed everywhere, and some countries have restricted SIM-less calling to cut down on hoax calls — so keeping an active local SIM or eSIM is still the safest setup when travelling.
What should I do before I travel?
Save the local emergency number for your destination in your phone, and note your accommodation’s address so you can give your location quickly. Learn the one or two words for “police”, “ambulance” and “fire” in the local language, or keep them written down. Confirm the number on arrival — your hotel or a local SIM provider can verify it — since this guide covers the main destinations but numbers can change.