Is slavery still legal in some countries?

No, slavery is technically illegal in every country, but it persists globally in various hidden forms like forced labor, human trafficking, forced marriage, and debt bondage, often called "modern slavery," because many nations lack specific laws criminalizing these exploitative practices, allowing abusers to escape punishment. While chattel slavery (legal ownership) ended, millions remain trapped through coercion, threats, and economic desperation, affecting nearly every country, with some nations like North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, and Saudi Arabia having particularly high rates.

Which country has the longest run of slavery?

While slavery has existed globally for millennia, Chosŏn Korea (1392–1910) is often cited for having one of the longest continuous, institutionalized systems, with slaves (nobi) forming a significant portion (up to 30-40%) of the population for centuries, existing from ancient times until its formal end in the late 19th century. Other regions, like parts of Africa and the Middle East, also saw very long periods with high slave populations, such as Mauritania (ancient times to 1980s) and the Islamic Caliphates. 

What was the last country with legal slavery?

In 1981, Mauritania became the last country in the world to officially abolish slavery, when a presidential decree abolished the practice. However, no criminal laws were passed to enforce the ban.

What countries have modern slavery laws?

The United Kingdom and Australia have already introduced Modern Slavery Acts and France has adopted a corporate duty of vigilance law. Germany and Canada have announced their intention to legislate supply chain reporting.

Is slavery illegal in Africa?

Slavery in contemporary Africa still exists in some regions despite being illegal. In the relevant literature, African slavery is categorized into indigenous slavery and export slavery, depending on whether or not slaves were traded beyond the continent.

Modern Slavery: The Most-Afflicted Countries

Does illegal slavery still exist?

There are an estimated 50 million people held in slavery today. An estimated 90% of labor trafficking takes place in the private economy—homes, business and supply chains. Human trafficking generates about $236 billion a year—with two-thirds coming from commercial sexual exploitation.

What country has the highest amount of slavery?

While exact numbers vary by report and definition, India consistently shows the largest total number of people in modern slavery (forced labor, trafficking, forced marriage), with estimates around 11-14 million; however, North Korea and Eritrea have the highest prevalence (percentage of population), with about one in ten people enslaved due to state-imposed forced labor. Other countries with high absolute numbers include China, Pakistan, Nigeria, and North Korea, while Mauritania, Afghanistan, and South Sudan are also highly vulnerable. 

Which president had 600 slaves?

Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President, enslaved over 600 people in his lifetime, primarily at his Monticello estate, making him the president who held the most slaves, though George Washington also held a large number, around 600. Jefferson is known for authoring the Declaration of Independence while holding people in bondage, a significant contradiction in his legacy. 

Are there any surviving slaves today?

Yes, slavery still exists today in many forms, with an estimated 50 million people living in modern slavery, including forced labor, human trafficking, and forced marriage, although no one alive today was born into chattel slavery as it existed historically (like in the U.S. antebellum South). The last direct survivors of historical slavery have passed, with Matilda McCrear (died 1940) often cited as the last survivor of the transatlantic slave trade, and Daniel Smith (died 2022) as perhaps the last child born to enslaved parents in the U.S. 

Do any countries currently have slavery?

Yes, while outright legal slavery (chattel slavery) is abolished globally, modern slavery (forced labor, forced marriage, human trafficking) persists in every country, with millions trapped in exploitative conditions, especially in regions like Asia, Africa, and the Arab States, driven by poverty, conflict, and governance issues. North Korea, Eritrea, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, and India are often cited for high prevalence or large numbers of victims, though the issue is universal. 

Which country has never had slavery?

The country of Australia has never legally allowed slavery. Australia as a country has only existed since 1901. Before Federation (creation of the Commonwealth of Australia) the colony of Queensland used Kanaka (now considered offensive) labourers.

What race was enslaved for 400 years?

The race enslaved for approximately 400 years in the Americas, beginning with the forced arrival of Africans in Virginia in 1619, were people of African descent, specifically those from various regions in West and Central Africa, who were subjected to racialized chattel slavery. This brutal system forcibly brought millions of Africans to the New World, establishing a legacy that profoundly shaped American history, culture, and racial dynamics for centuries. 

Who actually stopped slavery?

On February 1, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln approved the Joint Resolution of Congress submitting the proposed amendment to the state legislatures. The necessary number of states (three-fourths) ratified it by December 6, 1865.

What nation sold the most slaves?

The major Atlantic slave trading nations, in order of trade volume, were Portugal, Britain, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United States, and Denmark. Several had established outposts on the African coast, where they purchased slaves from local African leaders.

Was slavery worse in the U.S. or Brazil?

That is not to say it was not brutal, the early days of slavery in Brazil were much worse and slave deaths were far higher.

What country defeated slavery?

In 1833—one year after the Great Jamaican Slave Revolt of 1831–32, also known as the Baptist War—Great Britain abolished slavery (with full implementation in 1838). France definitively abolished slavery as a part of the French Revolution of 1848.

What were white slaves called?

"White slaves" historically referred to Europeans captured by North African pirates (Barbary corsairs), or more commonly in the Americas, to indentured servants from Europe (Irish, English, German, etc.) who traded years of labor for passage to the New World, though this system often devolved into actual slavery, with terms like "Redemptioner" used for those paying off passage after arrival. In the 19th/20th centuries, the term also described forced prostitution, known as "white slave trade", not indicating race but forced sexual exploitation. 

What families are rich from slavery?

The Brown family, founders of Brown University, and the Lopez family, founders of one of America's oldest synagogues, also grew wealthy from their involvement in the slave trade.

Are there any children of slaves still alive?

While it's difficult to know for certain, it's highly unlikely there are many, if any, children of formerly enslaved people still alive today, as the last known person with a parent born into slavery in the U.S., Daniel R. Smith, died in 2022, though some individuals with parents enslaved until the early 20th century may still be living, such as Lydia Clemmens. Most children born to enslaved parents would have been born during or shortly after the Civil War, making them very elderly, with the last known person dying at 90, but some parents weren't freed until later, extending the timeline. 

Which president never freed his slaves?

Tyler never freed any of his slaves and consistently supported slaveholders' rights and the expansion of slavery during his time in political office.

Did Thomas Jefferson pay his slaves?

While in France, New York, and Philadelphia, Jefferson paid James Hemings a wage for being a chef ,valet, and butler for his household. Although Hemings was enslaved by Jefferson at the time, slavery was illegal in France and Jefferson was required to pay Hemings.

What president bought slaves to free them?

James Buchanan Henry, President Buchanan's nephew, contributed greatly to this perspective by writing about his uncle buying enslaved people just to free them while living in Washington.

What country gave up slavery first?

The first and only country to self-liberate from slavery was a former French colony, Haiti, as a result of the Revolution of 1791–1804.

What country had slaves the longest?

While pinpointing a single "longest" is complex due to varying definitions, Korea is often cited for its ancient, unbroken, institutionalized system (nobi), but ancient civilizations like China, the Roman Empire, and Islamic states (Arab/Red Sea trade) also had slavery for millennia, with the Arab/Red Sea trade continuing well into the 20th century, making the duration and continuity points of comparison difficult. 

Who owned the first 11 slaves?

Leslie Harris: The first 11 enslaved people, all male, who came to New Amsterdam, were brought by the Dutch West Indian Company. They were owned by the company, not by individuals.