Stop Signs from Around the World
The meaning of the sign is the same, no matter how you spell it.
Click first photo to start narrative or any photo to see caption
Signs South Korea A stop sign in both English and Hangul script, Kyongju,
South Korea. http://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/southkorea.jpg Dominican Republic In
the Dominican Republic (a Spanish-speaking country
once colonized by Spain) "PARE"...literally, STOP...is
used. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/dominicanrepublic.jpg Cuba Octagonal stop signs are rare in Cuba. Most stop signs in the country use a modified yield symbol with the Spanish word PARE (STOP). Mexico In
Mexico the Spanish equivalent of HALT (ALTO)
is preferred. Mexico Unusual
blue stop sign (“ALTO”) in Mexico City, Mexico. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/mexico2.jpg Spain While
the Spanish "PARE" or "ALTO" are used on
stop signs in Spanish-speaking countries once colonized by Spain,
"STOP" is used in the mother country of Spain
(the result of European Union rules specifying English as the
language of road signs in order to standardize road travel across
E.U. countries). Spain The Canary Islands territory of Spain, off the northwest coast of Africa, also uses the E.U. standard English stop sign. Italy The
European Union standard English stop sign is used in Italian-speaking Florence,
Italy. Czech Republic The
EU-standard English is also used on stop signs in the Czech Republic (Frantiskovy Lazne). https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/STOP IMG_5015 Frantiskovy Lazne Czech Republic.JPG Romania Romania
became a member of the European Union in 2007 and adopted the
standard English "STOP" on its signs. However, most of these
signs were already in English prior to E.U. accession. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/romania.jpg Albania Although it
is not a member of the E.U., stop signs in Albania are in
English. Albania, and many other non-E.U. states in Europe,
have (like the E.U.) adopted the English "STOP" as a standard. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/albania.jpg Hungary Pannonhalma, Hungary, where Hungarian is the language of the streets, except on some street corners. Latvia It's also English over Latvian for international signs in Riga, Latvia. Equatorial Guinea While the local language is Spanish in Equatorial Guinea, a former colony of Spain, stop signs here are made in Europe and come in English, the EU standard. Bahamas English stop signs were inherited in this former British colony of the Bahamas, as was the British custom of driving on the left side of the street. Ireland Although many signs in Ireland are bilingual (Irish-Gaelic and English) stop signs are all in English (Westport, Ireland). United Kingdom They use English on stop signs in England. It seems logical, but French is not used on stop signs in France (Chipping Campden, England, UK). Canada A
bilingual English-French "STOP/ARRET" sign in Quebec, Canada, the North American bastion of French language and culture. Curiously,
stop signs in France use only the English word "STOP,"
an artifact of European Union standardization (see earlier slide from Spain). Canada Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where signs are either English-French bilingual or only in French. Canada A
unique bilingual French-Huron sign in Wendake (a.k.a. Village-des-Hurons),
Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Yves Lacroix, Montreal, Quebec) https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/canada2.jpg Canada Bilingual French and Cree stop sign located in northern Quebec, Canada where French culture overlaps with a mostly native Cree culture. Canada A native language stop sign in the Cree village of Chisasibi, near James Bay, northern Quebec, Canada. Canada This sign in English is in Saskatchewan, western Canada. Rwanda Although Rwanda
is a former French colony and
remains a Francophone country where the language of business and
culture is French, the country diminished its French connections
beginning in 2006
and has been transforming itself into an English-speaking country
(like many of its neighbors in Africa) and STOP signs are in English. Burundi Burundi, like its neighbor Rwanda, is a Francophone country with a French-speaking population, though STOP signs are in English. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/burundi.jpg Uganda Uganda is one of the English-speaking neighbors of Rwanda and all of its STOP
signs are in English. Zimbabwe Stop signs have always been in English in the former British colony of Zimbabwe. Zambia Stop signs in Zambia, like in neighboring countries, are influenced by British colonization and are all in English. South Africa The former British and Dutch Boer colony of South Africa uses English on stop signs and drives on the left side of the road like in England. Swaziland English is used on stop signs in Swaziland which has been much influenced by the English in neighboring South Africa. The Gambia A stop sign in The Gambia, a former British colony in West Africa where English is widely spoken. Senegal Senegal, a former French colony in West Africa where French is used as the common linked language, except on stop signs. Benin Benin is a Francophone country colonized by France in West Africa where French is still widely spoken but English has been adopted for stop signs, just like in neighboring Togo, which is also French. French Guiana Stop
sign in Cayenne, French Guiana.
Although this is a French-speaking territory in South America--one of the départements
of France--they use EU-standard English on road signs as in the other départements
of France. Guyana Stop
sign in Georgetown, Guyana. The sign
is in English, as might be expected in this English-speaking former British
colony in South America.
Suriname Stop
sign in English in the Dutch-speaking country of Suriname. United States Although many immigrants in the United States speak
a primary language other than English, the vast majority of Americans speak English and all road signs are in English
(Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, U.S.A.). United States Stop sign 30 miles north of the Arctic circle in Kotzebue, Alaska (USA). United States Russia "CTOП"
is STOP in Russian (Moscow). Ukraine In
Ukraine, the European standard "STOP"
is used with the familiar octagonal sign, though often hand-painted on a round base. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/ukraine.jpg Malaysia https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/malaysia.jpg China Mongolia A
rare STOP sign in mostly rural and nomadic Mongolia. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/mongolia.jpg Morocco "STOP"
in Arabic (or a three-man toboggan), Rabat, Morocco. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/morocco.jpg Tunisia Both
Arabic and English are used on the stop signs in Tunisia.
Unlike French Quebec, no French appears on the stop signs in
this Francophone region of the world. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/tunisia.jpg Chad English with the local Arabic language are paired on stops signs in N'Djamena, Chad. United Arab Emirates Arabic-English sign in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/11 Arabic-English sign in Dubai, UAE.JPG Sudan Another bilingual stop sign where Arabic is the principal language (Khartoum, Sudan). Iraqi Kurdistan Stop sign in Iraqi Kurdistan. Phonetically the translation of the Kurdish on the sign is "boou'sta." It is the verb "wastan" in simple present tense, which means stop. Iran The Persian script spells "EEST" which is STOP in Farsi, the national language in Yazd, Iran. Niger In
Zinder, Niger, a part of Francophone West Africa,
stop signs are not in French but in English, as they are in
France and Francophone Tunisia. As would be expected, the “STOP”
is in English across the border to the south, in Nigeria (a
former British colony). This red-on-white round sign is commonly
seen in Niger, though the global standard octagon shape and
white-on-red colors are also used. Mali STOP in Bamako, Mali. Although Mali is a Francophone country and much of
the population speaks French, the sign is in English. Eritrea English is not the native language of Eritreans but they, like many countries, have adopted the standard STOP sign (Asmara, Eritrea). Mauritania English and bilingual stops signs in Mauritania (West Africa). https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/4 Mauritania (West Africa).JPG South Sudan South Sudan (central Africa). https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/5 South Sudan (central Africa).JPG Eritrea Massawa, Eritrea (northeast Africa). https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/6 Massawa, Eritrea (northeast Africa).JPG São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé is a former colony of Portugal and Portuguese is the common language spoken on the island, but stop signs are all in English in São Tomé and Príncipe. Cambodia Round
stop sign in the Tonle Sap area of Cambodia
written in both English and Khmer (Cambodian language). https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/cambodia.jpg Cambodia Khmer
script stop sign in the north Angkor area, Cambodia. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/cambodia2.jpg Cyprus In
(Greek) Cyprus, the English "STOP"
is employed. Northern Cyprus In
northern Cyprus (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus),
only the Turkish "DUR" is used. https://lightworld.okstate.edu/images/slide/Stop/northerncyprus.jpg Turkey You
have reached the last slide and must now DUR (Turkey).
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