What country has the highest car ownership rate?

What country has the highest car ownership rate in the world depends on whether you measure cars per 1,000 people or cars per household, but by most measures the United States has one of the highest rates, and small countries like San Marino and Monaco have the highest per capita. According to World Bank and OICA data for 2023-2024, the United States has about 850 to 910 vehicles per 1,000 people including cars and light trucks, which is among the highest for large countries. However, microstates like San Marino have over 1,300 vehicles per 1,000 people, Monaco has around 900, and Andorra and Liechtenstein also have very high rates over 800 due to small populations and high wealth. Among major countries, New Zealand has about 860 vehicles per 1,000 people, Australia has about 780 to 820 vehicles per 1,000 people, Canada about 680, Italy about 700, and Japan about 610. Australia has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world, with about 21 million registered vehicles for 27 million people, and about 91% of households owning at least one car, with many households owning 2 or 3 cars, especially in outer suburbs and regional areas where public transport is limited. The US has the highest total number of cars at over 280 million vehicles. Car ownership rates have been increasing globally, but countries with excellent public transport like Singapore and Hong Kong have much lower rates at 150 to 200 per 1,000 due to high costs and restrictions.