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"though I guess it wasn't technically "credit cards" but the national debit cards system"

Well yeah sure, but we're talking credit cards here. Either way, many parts of Europe used swipe-style debit cards (with pin) until a few years ago; I'm pretty sure I used them in France too, < 10 years ago (although I can't remember for sure).

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I was not trying to talk other countries down. For what it's worth you can't survive in France without a checkbook: it's the only way to pay for some transactions. Sad.

Also the debit cards we're talking about do both credit and debit. Not sure they disqualify.

I don't think credit cards are widely used outside US - most use debit.

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