Locale.getDefault() returns en always

java, linux, locale, unix

Solution

In Linux/Unix/Mac, the settings `LC_ALL` and `LANG` can control the default locale for Java programs. In Windows, the locales are set from the Control Panel, under Regional and Language Options.

When the JVM starts in a *nix environment, it will do this:

- Scan the environment for `LC_ALL`

- If `LC_ALL` doesn't exist, scan the environment for `LANG`

- If the JVM setting `user.language` is set, use that in place of the environment variables.

- If nothing is set, default to `en_US` (I believe this is the final failure case)

In your environment, you have `LC_ALL` set to `C`, which is just the C locale. It's basically a traditional fallback to the days when locales weren't used.

You can change `LC_ALL` in your case, and restart your JVM, and you should get a new value for `java.util.Locale.getDefault()`.

Example:

import java.util.Locale;

public class LocaleTest {
   public static void main(String[] args) {
      System.out.println(Locale.getDefault());
   }
}

Here's running:

> LC_ALL=en_UK java LocaleTest
en_UK

> LC_ALL=ja_JP java LocaleTest
ja_JP

Also note that if you're running Java 1.7.0-b147, there is a bug with the JRE not recognizing environment settings for locale, and will always use the default system locale.

Bug report here: https://bugs.java.com/bugdatabase/view_bug?bug_id=7073906

Problem

Servers on unix machine are always using en as default locale. Following is locale output ``` LANG=en_US LC_CTYPE="C" LC_NUMERIC="C" LC_TIME="C" LC_COLLATE="C" LC_MONETARY="C" LC_MESSAGES="C" LC_ALL=C ``` I just don't understand if LANG is set correctly then why servers starts with en locale.

Original source