How to Call Emergency Services

Last Updated: February 18, 2023 References

For many countries in the world dialing 911, 999, or 112 from a mobile phone will connect you with emergency services. If that fails, this page lists mobile and landline emergency numbers for most countries on earth. Use the table of contents links to skip directly to the continent and country whose phone number you need.

Quick links
Africa	Asia & Oceania	Europe	Central & South America	Middle East	North America & The Caribbean
North	Southeast	North	Central	Middle East (all)	North America and The Caribbean (all)
East	East	East	South	(blank)	(blank)
Central	Central	Central, Western, Northern	(blank)	(blank)	(blank)
West	Oceania	West	(blank)	(blank)	(blank)
South	South	Southeast	(blank)	(blank)	(blank)

Method 1

Method 1 of 7:

Using a Mobile Phone (Cell Phone) in Any Nation

1
Try 911 or 112.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.} These numbers work with many mobile service providers worldwide, due to efforts by the European Union and the United States. Try these first, unless a local knows a number that will work on mobile phones. 112 is also a GSM standard, and using it on GSM phones will automatically redirect to the appropriate emergency number for their country, even if the phone has no service or a locked SIM.
2
If that fails look up the emergency services number by continent and country below:

Method 2

Method 2 of 7:

Africa

Click these links to skip directly to Northern, Eastern, Central, Western, or Southern Africa.

1
Call in Northern Africa. These countries cover the Saharan desert and all African land north of it:
- Algeria:
  - Ambulance: 021 – 23 63 81 or 021 – 71 14 14
  - Police: 17 (or 021 – 73 53 50 from a mobile)
  - Fire: 14 (or 021 – 71 14 14 from a mobile)
- Canary Islands: 112
- Egypt:
  - Ambulance: 123
  - Police: 122
  - Fire: 180
- Libya: 193 (currently unreliable)
- Morocco:
  - Ambulance or Fire: 15
  - Police: 19
- Sudan: Only local numbers available
- Tunisia:
  - Ambulance: 190
  - Police: 197
  - Fire: 198
2
Call in Eastern Africa. Here are emergency numbers for the Horn of Africa, and countries along the eastern half of Africa, including Madagascar.
- Burundi: Only local numbers available
- Djibouti:
  - Ambulance: 19
  - Police: 17
  - Fire: 18
- Eritrea: Only local numbers available
- Ethiopia:
  - Ambulance: 92
  - Police: 91
  - Fire: 93
- Kenya:
  - All emergencies: 999
- Madagascar:
  - Ambulance: 124
  - Police: 117
  - Fire: 118
  - Traffic Accidents: 3600
- Malawi:
  - Ambulance: 998
  - Police: 997 or 990
  - Fire: 999
- Mauritius:
  - Ambulance: 114
  - Police: 112 or 999
  - Fire: 115 or 995
- Mozambique:
  - Ambulance: 117
  - Police: 119
  - Fire: 198
- Rwanda:
  - Ambulance: 912
  - Police and Fire: 112
- Somalia: (may be unreliable or absent in some regions)^{[2]
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  - Ambulance: 999
  - Police: 888
  - Fire: 555
- South Sudan:
  - Police: 777 (in Juba only)
  - Ambulance and Fire: Unavailable
- Tanzania: (may be unreliable; try local numbers)
  - Ambulance: 115
  - Police: 112
  - Fire: 114
- Uganda: 999
- Zambia: 999 or 991
- Zimbabwe:
  - Ambulance: 994
  - Police: 777-777 (leads to Harare Central Station)
  - Fire: 993 or 783-983
  - Medical Air Relief: 771-221
3
Call in Central Africa. Look here for information on countries in Central Africa, and on the central western coast. (See Western Africa below for countries along the northwest coast.)
- Angola:
  - Ambulance: 112
  - Police: 113
  - Fire: 115
  - If the numbers above don't work: Try the numbers for other services, 110 or 118. The disagreement among sources may reflect recent changes or variation throughout the country.
- Cameroon: (available in major cities only)^{[3]
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  - Ambulance: 112 (try this first) or 119
  - Police: 117
  - Fire: 118
- Central African Republic: 117
- Chad: (may be unreliable or unavailable in most of country)
  - Ambulance: unavailable
  - Police: 17
  - Fire: 18
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the: none available
- Congo, Republic of the: (45 minute response times in Brazzaville, services almost nonexistent in rest of country)^{[4]
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- All emergencies: 112 or +242 06 665-4804
- Gabon:
  - Ambulance: 1300
  - Police: 177 (some regions), 01-76-55-85 (in Libreville), 07-36-22-25 (in Port Gentil)
  - Fire: 01-76-15-20 (in Libreville), 07-63-93-63 (in Port Gentil)
4
Call in Western Africa. This includes all sub-Saharan countries in the Western region of Africa. For countries along the southwestern coast (south of the "bend"), see Central Africa above or Southern Africa below.
- Benin:
  - Ambulance: Only local numbers available.
  - Police: 117
  - Fire: 118
- Burkina Faso: 10-10
- Côte d'Ivoire: 111
- Gambia: (emergency response teams often low on resources)
  - Ambulance: 116
  - Police: 117 or (220) 422-4914
  - Fire: 118
- Ghana: (many regions may require local numbers)
  - Ambulance: 193 or 776111-5
  - Police: 191 or 999 or 171
  - Fire: 192
- Guinea: Only local numbers available.
- Guinea-Bisseau: (many regions may require local numbers)
  - Ambulance: 119
  - Police: 121
  - Fire: 180
- Liberia: 911 (very unreliable, and the country has no land-line telephones)
- Mali: (many regions may require local numbers)
  - Ambulance: 15 or 112
  - Police: 17 or 18
  - Fire: 17 or 18 or 112
- Mauritania:
  - Ambulance: 118 (Expect long delays; find alternate transport if possible)
  - Police: 117
  - Gendarmerie: 116 (military law enforcement, for use outside cities)
  - Fire: 118
  - Traffic accidents: 117 or 119
- Niger:
  - Police: 17 or +227-20-72-25-53 (Unreliable, and only available during business hours)
  - Ambulance and Fire: Unavailable
- Nigeria:
  - Ambulance, Police and Fire (Outside Lagos): 199
  - Ambulance, Police and Fire (within Lagos): 112 or 767
- Senegal:
  - Police: 33-821-2431 or 800-00-20-20 or 800-00-17-00
  - Tourist Police: (221) 33 860-3810
  - Ambulance and Fire: Unavailable
- Sierra Leone: (many regions may require local numbers)
  - Ambulance and Police: 999
  - Fire: 019
- Togo: 117
5
Call in Southern Africa. The following are emergency numbers for southern African countries:
- Botswana:
  - Ambulance: 997
  - Police: 999
  - Fire: 998
- Lesotho: (may be unreliable)
  - Police: (266) 2231 2934 or (266) 2232 2099
  - Other services: Only local numbers available
- Namibia: 112
- South Africa: 10111
- Eswatini (Swaziland): 999

Method 3

Method 3 of 7:

Asia and Oceania

Click these links to skip directly to East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, or Oceania.

1
Call in East Asia. This list includes China and surrounding countries in East Asia, including Japan.
- China, mainland
  - Ambulance: 120
  - Police: 110
  - Fire: 119
  - Traffic accidents: 122
- China, Republic of: See Taiwan
- Hong Kong: 999
- Macau: 999
- Japan
  - Ambulance or Fire: 119
  - Police: 110
- North Korea: May require local station number, but try 819, 112, or 119.^{[5]
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- Mongolia
  - Ambulance: 103
  - Police: 102
  - Fire: 101
- South Korea:
  - Ambulance or Fire: 119
  - Police: 112
- Taiwan
  - Ambulance or Fire: 119
  - Police: 110
2
Call in South Asia. The following numbers cover countries in the Indian subcontinent.
- Afghanistan
  - Ambulance: 112 for Kabul (020-112 on a mobile phone). Outside of Kabul, local numbers only.
  - Police: 119 routes to Kabul, Kandahar, and Lashkar Gah. For local services elsewhere, you'll need a local number.
- Bangladesh (may require local numbers outside of Dhaka and Chittagong)^{[6]
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  - Ambulance: 199 or 9-555-555 or 9132023 or 8122041
  - Police: 999-2222 or 9551188 or 9514400 or 01713398311
- Bhutan^{[8]
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  - Ambulance or Medical Advice: 112
  - Police: 113
  - Fire: 110
  - Traffic Accidents: 111
  - If none of the above work: Bhutan's emergency numbers are not consistently reported, possibly reflecting recent changes or variation throughout the country. If you can't get through, try the numbers listed for other services, or try 115.
- India
  - Ambulance: 102
  - Police: 100
  - Fire: 101
  - Traffic Accidents: 103
  - All emergencies: 108 (only available in some regions)
- Maldives
  - Ambulance: 102
  - Police: 119
  - Fire: 118 or 108 or 999
- Nepal
  - Ambulance: 102 (run by a non-profit in greater Kathmandu and Patan), 4228094 (Red Cross in Kathmandu)^{[9]
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  - Ambulance in other regions: Contact a local ambulance or taxi.
  - Police: 100 or a local station
  - Fire: 101
- Pakistan:^{[10]
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  - Ambulance: 115
  - Police: 15
  - Fire: 16
- Sri Lanka:^{[11]
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  - Ambulance or Fire: 110 (or 011-2422222 in Colombo)
  - Police: 118 or 119 (or 011-2433333 in Colombo)
  - Tourist Police: 011-2421052
3
Call in Southeast Asia. Refer to this list for all countries east of Bangladesh and South of China, as well as countries in the Malay peninsula.
- Brunei:
  - Ambulance: 991 or 222366
  - Police: 993 or 423901
  - Fire: 995 or 222555
- Burma: See Myanmar.
- Cambodia:
  - Ambulance: 119
  - Police: 117
  - Fire: 118
- Indonesia:
  - Ambulance: 118 or 119
  - Police: 110 or 112
  - Fire: 113
- Laos:
  - Ambulance: 195
  - Police: 191
  - Fire: 190
- Malaysia:
  - Police or Ambulance: 999
  - Fire: 999 or 994
  - Tourist police: 03 2149 6590
- Myanmar:
  - Ambulance: 192
  - Police: 199
  - Fire: 191
- Philippines: 911
- Singapore:
  - Ambulance or Fire: 995
  - Police: 999
- Thailand:
  - Ambulance or Police: 191
  - Fire: 199
- Vietnam:
  - Ambulance: 115
  - Police: 113
  - Fire: 114
4
Call in Central Asia. These countries are the landlocked countries in Central Asia. Note that Afghanistan is included in South Asia; Russia is included in Europe; and Mongolia is included in East Asia.
- Kazakhstan: (may use 112, but will likely be directed to call one of the following)
  - Ambulance: 103
  - Police: 102
  - Fire: 101
  - Gas Leak: 104
- Kyrgyzstan:
  - Ambulance: 103
  - Police: 102
  - Fire: 101
- Tajikistan:
  - Ambulance: 03
  - Police: 02
  - Fire: 01
- Turkmenistan: 03
- Uzbekistan: (Add an initial 1 while in Tashkent city)
  - Ambulance: 03
  - Police: 02
  - Fire: 01
5
Call in Oceania. This includes Australia and Pacific island nations. Note that Oceania nations with populations below 800,000 are not included.
- Australia: 000
- Fiji:
  - Ambulance and Fire: 911
  - Police: 917
- New Zealand (Aotearoa): 111^{[12]
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- Papua New Guinea: 111

Method 4

Method 4 of 7:

Europe

The number 112 works in most of Europe. To see the exceptions in each region, click these links for Southeastern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Northern, Central, and Western Europe.

1
Call 112 in most countries. Most European countries use 112 as the all-purpose emergency number, including every country in the European Union. Only countries that do not have the 112 number are listed below.
- Many countries have additional, country-specific emergency numbers, but 112 will direct you to the same services.
2
Call in Southeastern Europe. Most countries here use 112, or are too small for inclusion on this list (less than one million people). Here are the larger exceptions:
- Albania: 129 (emergency services are unreliable)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina:
  - Ambulance: 124
  - Police: 122
  - Fire: 123
- North Macedonia:
  - Ambulance: 194
  - Police: 192
- Serbia: (include the local area code if dialing from a mobile phone)
  - Ambulance: 194
  - Police: 192
  - Fire: 193
  - Roadside assistance: 1987
- Turkey:
  - All emergencies (including ambulance): 155
  - Ambulance only: 112
3
Call in Eastern Europe. This includes former members of the Soviet Union and surrounding Slavic states. All states not listed below either use the number 112 or contain fewer than one million people.
- Belarus:
  - Ambulance: 103
  - Police: 102
  - Fire: 101
- Moldova:
  - Ambulance: 903
  - Police: 902
  - Fire: 901
- Russia:
  - Fire: 01 or 101
  - Police: 02 or 102
  - Ambulance: 03 or 103
- Ukraine: (expect long delays and poor service)
  - Ambulance: 103
  - Police: 102
  - Fire: 101
4
Call in Northern, Central, or Western Europe. Almost all states in this region use the number 112 for all emergency services, although they may have alternate numbers that lead to the same result. Here are the only exceptions that affect more than one million people:
- Norway:
  - Ambulance: 113
  - Police: 112
  - Fire: 110
- Switzerland:
  - General: 112
  - Ambulance: 144
  - Police: 117
  - Fire: 118
  - Toxic: 145 (You may want to call Ambulance first)
  - Air Ambulance (REGA): 1414
- UK: 112 or 999 (if not working, please dial 101)

Method 5

Method 5 of 7:

Central and South America

Click these links to skip directly to Central or South America.

1
Call in Central America. The following list includes all countries in the mainland of North America and south of Mexico, with a population greater than one million people.
- Costa Rica: 911
- El Salvador: 911
- Guatemala:
  - Ambulance or Fire: 123 or 122
  - Police: 110 or 120
- Honduras: (telephone service may be unreliable)
  - Ambulance: 195 (Red Cross)
  - Police: 911 or 112
  - Fire: 198
- Nicaragua:
  - Ambulance: 128
  - Police: 118 (Spanish) or 101 (English tourism services)
  - Fire: 115 or 911
- Panama:
  - All emergencies: 911
  - Direct to police: 104
2
Call in South America. Here are emergency services for all countries with more than one million people on the South American continent.
- Argentina:
  - Cordoba, Mendoza, Iguazu, Tucuman, and Tierra del Fuego provinces: 101
  - All other provinces: 911
- Bolivia: 110
- Brazil:
  - Ambulance: 192
  - Police: 190
  - Fire: 193
- Chile:
  - Ambulance: 131
  - Police: 133
  - Fire: 132
- Colombia: 123
- Ecuador:
  - Quito and Ibarra: 911
  - Guayaquil, Cuenca and Loja,: 112
  - Elsewhere, Ambulance: 102 (or 131 for Red Cross)
  - Elsewhere, Police: 101
  - Elsewhere, Fire: 102
- Paraguay:
  - All emergencies: 911
  - Direct to Fire or Rescue: 131 or 132
- Peru:
  - Police: 105^{[13]
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  - Fire: 116^{[14]
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  - Alternatives: Try 011 or 5114^{[15]
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  - Tourist Protection: ^{[16]
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- Uruguay: 911
- Venezuela: 171

Method 6

Method 6 of 7:

Middle East

1
Call in the Middle East. This includes all countries in the Arabian peninsula and some surrounding countries. For Egypt, see Northern Africa. For Turkey, see Southeastern Europe.
- Bahrain: 999
- Iran:
  - Ambulance: 115
  - Police: 110
  - Fire: 125
- Iraq: 130 (including mobile telephones)
- Israel:
  - Ambulance: 101
  - Police: 100
  - Fire: 102
  - (The West Bank and Gaza use the same numbers)
- Jordan:
  - All emergencies: 191
  - Alternate number, some parts of Amman: 911
- Kuwait: 112
- Lebanon: 112
- Oman: 9999
- Palestine:
  - Ambulance: 101
  - Police: 100
  - Fire: 102
- Qatar: 999
- Saudi Arabia: 999
- Syria:
  - Ambulance: 110
  - Police: 112
  - Fire: 113
- United Arab Emirates: 999
- Yemen: 199

Method 7

Method 7 of 7:

North America and The Caribbean

1
Call 911 in most of North America. 911 is used by any country part of the North America Numbering Plan (NANP), including the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Northern Marianas, Guam, American Samoa, and Sint Maarten. ^{[17]
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2
Call in North America. Note that mainland countries south of Mexico are listed under Central America.
- Canada: 911
- Mexico: 066
- United States: 911
3
Call in the Caribbean. All Caribbean nations with more than 350,000 people are listed here. Note that Martinique, Guadalupe, and several other islands are part of the French West Indies.
- Cuba:
  - Ambulance: 114 or 118^{[18]
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  - Police: 106
  - Fire: 105
- Dominican Republic: 911
- French West Indies:
  - Ambulance: 15
  - Police: 18
  - Fire: 17
- Haiti: 114
- Jamaica: 119
- Puerto Rico: 911
- Trinidad and Tobago:
  - Ambulance: 990 or 811 (or 694-2404 for private ambulance service)
  - Police: 999
  - Fire: 990

Expert Q&A

Question

What do you say when you call emergency services?

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Saul Jaeger is a Police Officer and Captain of the Mountain View, California Police Department (MVPD). Saul has over 17 years of experience as a patrol officer, field training officer, traffic officer, detective, hostage negotiator, and as the traffic unit’s sergeant and Public Information Officer for the MVPD. At the MVPD, in addition to commanding the Field Operations Division, Saul has also led the Communications Center (dispatch) and the Crisis Negotiation Team. He earned an MS in Emergency Services Management from the California State University, Long Beach in 2008 and a BS in Administration of Justice from the University of Phoenix in 2006. He also earned a Corporate Innovation LEAD Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2018.

Saul Jaeger, MS

Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

If you call 911, be prepared to give them your location. It's the first thing you will be asked. The reason behind that is, you may get cut off or your phone may die. The operator will then ask you specific information about your situation.
Question

If I were to hang up on a landline phone several times quickly, will it call the police?

Jonas DeMuro, MD
Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon
Dr. DeMuro is a board certified Pediatric Critical Care Surgeon in New York. He received his MD from Stony Brook University School of Medicine in 1996. He completed his fellowship in Surgical Critical Care at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System and was a previous American College of Surgeons (ACS) Fellow.

Jonas DeMuro, MD

Board Certified Critical Care Surgeon

Expert Answer

No, hanging up will not activate the police. It is best to call 911 (or your country's equivalent), and to speak to the emergency operator and indicate what type of help is needed.

Warnings

In many countries, a silent emergency call may not get a response. The more background noise there is, and the more suspicious it sounds, the better your chances of a response.

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Do not use these numbers for anything other than legitimate emergencies. Doing so risks the lives of people who need emergency help, wastes community resources and may subject you to criminal prosecution. When in doubt, make the emergency call, and the emergency services will transfer you to the non emergency number should the situation described is not an emergency.^{[20]
X
Expert Source

Saul Jaeger, MS
Police Captain, Mountain View Police Department
Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.}

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