# Copyright, Its History and Its Law/Conspectus

Conspectus of Copyright by Countries
Under the names of countries are given dates of the basic and latest amendatory laws. International relations are shown by the name in small caps of the convention city where a country is a party to the International Copyright Union or the Pan American conventions, and by the names of countries with which there are specific treaties, excepting those within the union or conventions. The general term of duration is entered, without specification of special terms for specific classes. Places of registration and deposit are indicated by R and D when these are not the same. The number of copies required and in some cases period after publication within which deposit is required are given in parentheses. Notice of copyright or of reservation is indicated. Special exceptions or conditions are noted so far as practicable under remarks. An asterisk indicates that specific exceptions exist.
The International Copyright Union includes (A) under the Berlin convention, 1908 (a) without reservation Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, Spain, Monaco, Liberia, Haiti, Portugal, and (b) with reservation France, Norway, Tunis, Japan; (B) under the Berne convention, 1886, and the Paris additional act and interpretative declaration, 1896, Denmark, Italy; (C) under the Berne convention. 1886, and the Paris additional act, 1896, Great Britain; (D) under the Berne convention, 1886, and the Paris interpretative declaration, 1896. Sweden. The Pan American conventions agreed on at Mexico City, 1902. Rio de Janeiro, 1906, and Buenos Aires, 1910, have not been ratified except that of Mexico by the United States and by Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Salvador, and doubtfully by Cuba and Dominican Republic; that of Rio by a few states insufficient to make it anywhere operative; and that of Buenos Aires by the United States. The South American convention of Montevideo, 1889, has been accepted by Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, Peru and Bolivia, and has the adherence (in relation with Argentina and Paraguay only) of Belgium, France, Italy and Spain. The five Central American states have a mutual convention through their Washington treaty of peace of 1907.
| | Countries Dates of laws | International relations | Duration | Registration and Deposit | Notice | Remarks |
| North America: | North America (English-speaking) | | | | | |
| English | United States 1909 | Mexico, B. Aires, Gt. Brit., Belg., China, Den., Fr., Ger., It., Jap., Lux., Nor., Sp., Swe., Switz., Aust., Hol., Port., Chile, Costa R., Cuba, Mex. | 28 + 28 | Library of Congress (2 "promptly") | "Copyright, 19—, by A. B." or statutory equivalent | Manufacture within U. S, for books, etc. |
| English | Canada 1875–1908 [1912?] | See Gt. Brit.* (Aus. Hung. excepted) | 28 + 14 | Dept, of Agriculture: Copyright Branch (3) | "Copyright, Canada 19—, by A. B." or signature of artist | Printing and publ. within Canada* |
| English | Newfoundland 1890-1899 | See Gt. Brit. | 28 + 14 | Colonial Sec. (2) | "Entered, Newf. . . ., by A. B." etc, or signature of artist | Printing and publ. within Newf. * |
| English | Canal Zone (U. S.) | See U. S. | | | | |
| English | Porto Rico (U. S.) | See U. S. | | | | |
| English | Jamaica (Br.) 1887 | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | (3 or 1* within mo.) | None | |
| English | Trinidad (Br.) 1888 | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | Registrar of copyright (3 within mo.) | None | ​ |
| Europe: | Europe | | | | | |
| English | Great Britain & Ireland | Berne-Paris A U. S., Aus.-Hung.* | Life + 7 or 42* [Life + 50*] | R Stationers Hall (before suit)* D British Museum (1) + 4 library copies (on demand)* | None* | First or simultaneous publication |
| English | D 1842–1906 I 1844–1886 | Berne-Paris A U. S., Aus.-Hung.* | Life + 7 or 42* [Life + 50*] | R Stationers Hall (before suit)* D British Museum (1) + 4 library copies (on demand)* | [None] | First or simultaneous publication |
| English | [1911] | Berne-Paris A U. S., Aus.-Hung.* | Life + 7 or 42* [Life + 50*] | R Stationers Hall (before suit)* D British Museum (1) + 4 library copies (on demand)* | [No registration] | [In effect 1912] |
| English | Isle of Man 1907 | See Gt. Brit. | | | | |
| English | Channel Isles | See Gt. Brit. | | | | |
| French | France 1793–1910 | Berlin* Montv.* U. S., Aus.-Hung., Hol., Port., Mont., Roum., Lat. Amer. | Life + 50* | D Ministry of Interior or prefecture (2 before suit)* | None | |
| French | Belgium 1886 | Berlin, Montv.* U. S., Aus., Hol., Port., Roum., Mex. | Life + 50 | None* | None* | |
| French | Luxemburg 1898 | Berlin U. S. | Life + 50* | None* | None* (res. playr.) | |
| | Holland 1881 [1912?] | U. S., Belg., Fr. | 50 or life* | Dept. of Justice (2 within mo.) | None* (res. trans., playr.) | Printing within Holland |
| German | Germany 1901–1910 | Berlin U. S., Aus.-Hung. | Life + 30* | None* | None* | |
| German | Austria 1805, 1907 | Hung., U. S., Gt. Brit.,* Belg., Den., Fr., Ger., It., Roum., Swed. | Life + 30* | None* | None* (res. trans. photos, mus.) | |
| German | Hungary 1884 | Aust., Gt. Brit.,* Fr., Ger., It. | Life + 50* | None* | None* (res. trans. photos) | |
| Scandinavian | Switzerland 1874, 1883 | Berlin U. S. | Life + 30* | R Office of Intel. Prop, optional* | None* (res. playr.) | |
| Scandinavian | Denmark 1865–1911 | Berne-Paris U. S., Aus. | Life + 50* | None* | None* (photos, res. music) | |
| Scandinavian | Iceland (Den.) 1905 | See Denmark | | | | As in Denmark |
| Scandinavian | Norway 1877–1910 | Berlin* U. S. | Life + 50* | None* | None (photos, res. music) | |
| Scandinavian | Sweden 1897–1908 | Berne-Paris D U. S., Aus. | Life + 50* | None | None* (photos, res. playr. | |
| Russian | Russia 1911 | France | Life + 50* | | None* (photos, res. trans mus.) | |
| Russian | Finland 1880 | None | Life + 50* | None* | None* | |
| Southern | Spain 1879–1896 | Berlin, Montv.* U. S., Port., Lat. Amer. | Life + 80* | Register of Intel. Prop. (3 within one year*) | None* | Special provisions |
| Southern | Portugal 1867, 1886 | Berlin U. S., It., Sp., Bra. | Life + 50* | Pub. Lib.* (2 before pub) | None | |
| Southern | Italy 1882, 1889, 1910 | Berne-Paris Montv.* U. S., Aus.-Hung., Mont., Port., Roum., San. Mar., Lat. Amer. | Life or 40* + 40* | Prefecture (3 within 3 months)* | None* (res. trans.) | Added 40 yrs. on royalty of 5 p. c. ​ |
| Minor States | San Marino | See Italy | | | | As in Italy |
| Minor States | Monaco 1889, 1896 | Berlin | Life + 50* | None | None* | |
| Minor States | Greece 1833–1910 | None | 15 + * | D (4 within 10 days*) | | |
| Minor States | Malta, Cyprus, etc. (Br.) | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | D (3 within mo.) | | |
| Balkan States | Montenegro | Fr., It. | | | | Uncertain protection |
| Balkan States | Bulgaria 1896? | | | | | Uncertain protection |
| Balkan States | Servia | | | | | No protection |
| Balkan States | Roumania 1862–1904 | Aus., Belg., Fr., It. | Life + 10 | R. Min. of Instruc. | | |
| Balkan States | Turkey 1910 | None | Life + 30* | Min. of Pub. Instruc. (3)* | None | |
| Asia | Asia | | | | | |
| Asia | Japan 1899, 1910 | Berlin* U. S.,* China | Life + 30* | R Ministry of Int. (before suit) | None* | |
| Asia | Korea 1908 | See Japan | | | | As in Japan |
| Asia | China 1910 | U. S.,* Japan | Life + 30* | Ministry of Int. (2) | | |
| Asia | Hong-Kong (Br.) | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | D (3 within mo.) | | |
| Asia | Philippines (U. S.) | See U. S. | | | | |
| Asia | India, British 1847, 1867 | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | D (3 within mo.) | Printer's and publisher's name on work | |
| Asia | Ceylon, etc. (Br.) | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | D (3 within mo.) (4 within yr.) | | |
| Asia | Siam 1901 | None | Life + 7 or 42* | | | |
| Asia | Persia | None | | | | No protection |
| Africa | Africa | | | | | |
| Africa | Egypt | None | Indefinite | | | Court protection |
| Africa | Tunis 1889 | Berlin* | Life + 50* | | | As in France |
| Africa | Algeria (Fr.) | See France | | | | |
| Africa | Sierra Leone, etc. (Br.) 1887 | See Gt. Brit. | Life + 7 or 42* | D (3)* | | |
| Africa | Liberia | Berlin | Indefinite | | | Without specific law |
| Africa | Congo Free State | Belg., Fr. (extradition) | | | | Punishes fraud only |
| Africa | So. Africa (Br.) | See Gt. Brit.* Aus.-Hung., excepted | | | | |
| Africa | Cape Colony 1873–1895 | | Life + 5 or 30* | Registrar of Deeds D (4 within mo.)* | | |
| Africa | Natal 1895–1898 | | Life + 7 or 42* | Colonial Sec., D (2 within 3 mos.)* | | |
| Africa | Transvaal, etc. 1887 | | 50 or life* | Registrator D (3 within 2 mos.)* | Reserv. of playr. and trans. | Printing within colony* (? ​ |
| America, Latin: | Latin America | | | | | |
| Mexico | Mexico 1871, 1874 | U. S., Dom. | Perpetuity* | R. Min. Pub. Instruc. D (2)* | None* (res. trans.) | |
| Central America | Costa Rica 1880–1896 | Mexico U. S., Sp., Fr. Guat., Sal., Hon. | Life + 50* | Office of Pub. Libs. (3)* | None | |
| Central America | Guatemala 1879 | Mexico Sp., Fr., Costa R. | Perpetuity | Min. of Pub. Educ. (4)* | (res. trans.) | |
| Central America | Honduras 1894, 1898 | Mexico Costa R. | Indefinite | | | No specific law |
| Central America | Nicaragua 1904 | Mexico It. | Perpetuity* | Min. of Agric. (6*) | (res. trans.) | |
| Central America | Salvador 1886, 1900 | Mexico Sp., Fr., Costa R. | Life + 25* | D Min. of Agric. (1 before pub.) | None | Publication within country |
| Central America | Panama 1904 | None | Life + 80 | | | As in Colombia |
| West Indies | Cuba 1879–1909 | Mexico? U. S., It. | Life + 80* | Dept. of State (3) | None | |
| West Indies | Haiti 1885 | Berlin | Life + " | D Dept of Int., (5 within yr.) | None | |
| West Indies | Dominican Rep. 1896 | Mexico? Mex. | Uncertain | | | |
| South America | Brazil 1891–1901 | Portugal | 50* from the 1st Jan. of yr. of pub. | Nat. Lib. (1 within 2 yrs.) | None* (res. playr.) | |
| South America | Argentina 1910 | Montevideo Belg., Sp., Fr., It. | Life + 10* | Nat. Lib. (2 within 15 or 30 days) | None* | |
| South America | Uruguay 1868 | Montevideo | Indefinite | | | No specific law |
| South America | Paraguay 1870, 1881, 1910 | Montevideo Belg., Sp., Fr., It., U. S. | | Public registries | | Under penal code |
| South America | Chile 1833–1874 | U. S. | Life + 5* | D Nat. Pub. Lib. (3)* | None | |
| South America | Peru 1849, 1860 | Montevideo | Life + 20* | D Pub. Lib. (1) + Dept. Pref. (1) | None | |
| South America | Bolivia 1834, 1909 | Montevideo Fr. | Life + 30* | R Min. of Pub. Instruc. D Pub. Lib. (1 within yr.) | | |
| South America | Ecuador 1884, 1887 | Sp., Fr., Mex. | Life + 50* | Min. of Pub. Educ. (3 within 6 mos.)* | None* (res. playr.) | |
| South America | Colombia 1886, 1890 | Sp., It. | Life + 80* | Min. of Pub. Educ. (3 within yr.)* | None | |
| South America | Venezuela 1894, 1897 | None. | Perpetuity | Registry (6) | Notice of patent | |
| Australasia | Australasia | | | | | |
| Australasia | Australia (Br.) 1905 | See Gt. Brit.* Aus.-Hung. excepted | Life + 7 or 42* | Commonwealth Copyr. Office D (2) | Reserv. performing right | |
| Australasia | New Zealand (Br.) 1842–1903 | See Gt. Brit. | 28 or life* | R Registrar of Coprs.* D libr. of Gen. Assem. (for plays only) | | |
| Australasia | Hawaii (U. S.) | See U. S. | | | | |