Which number, which country
A country-by-country reference for emergency telephone numbers, how each call is routed, and what happens once you dial.
It is not a dispatch service, a replacement for calling your local emergency number, or a source of medical or legal advice.
Dial 112 in the European Union, 911 in the United States and Canada, 999 in the United Kingdom, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand.
The number depends on where you are standing when you need help. In the European Union, 112 has been the single emergency number since 1991 and works in every member state. Outside the EU, national numbers still apply: 911 across the United States and Canada, 999 in the United Kingdom, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand.
Some numbers serve more than one role. In England, NHS 111 is the non-emergency medical line, while 999 remains the emergency number. In Australia, calls placed to 112 from a mobile phone are diverted to the 000 service, so a traveller who dials the European number still reaches Australian responders.
If you are unsure of the local number, dial 112 from a GSM phone. The International Telecommunication Union reserves 112 as a global standard emergency number, and networks in many countries handle it directly.
The network handles 112 itself, so the call connects even without a SIM card, and location data is passed to the operator.
When you dial 112 on a GSM phone, the network recognises the number before any SIM-based routing takes place. This is why the call can be placed from a phone with no SIM card or a locked handset in many countries: the number is handled by the network, not by your subscription.
Once the call reaches the local answering point, it is taken in the local language. Across Europe, answering centres increasingly receive location data with the call, so the operator can see roughly where the phone is without asking.
The same network-level handling applies to 911 in North America, where the call is routed to the public safety answering point covering the caller's area.
| Country or region | Main emergency number | Also reachable | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union (all member states) | 112 | national numbers where they exist | Adopted 1991; answered in the local language |
| United States | 911 | 112 on GSM phones | First call 16 Feb 1968, Haleyville, Alabama |
| Canada | 911 | 112 on GSM phones | Same number as the United States |
| United Kingdom | 999 | 112 on GSM phones | Launched London, 1937 |
| England (medical, non-emergency) | NHS 111 | 999 for emergencies | Non-emergency medical line |
| Australia | 000 | 112 from mobile phones | 112 calls are diverted to 000 |
| New Zealand | 111 | 112 on GSM phones | Emergency number for police, ambulance, fire |
| ITU global reservation | 112 and 911 | — | Reserved as global standard emergency numbers |
You are connected, asked a short set of questions, and told to stay on the line until released.
The first seconds of the call determine how fast help is dispatched. The operator needs three things: where you are, what happened, and who is affected. Answer these in that order and keep answers short.
Do not hang up until the operator says you can. Staying on the line lets the operator update the responding crew, take additional details, or talk you through immediate first aid while help is on the way.
If you dialled by mistake, stay on the line and say so. A silent or disconnected emergency call still triggers a response attempt, and the operator will try to call back.
The list below names the facts each section relies on.