diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index 5da35c6adaa..6b6b8ec038f 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -5473,7 +5473,7 @@ function get_list_of_countries() {
     }
 
     if (!empty($string)) {
-        asort($string);
+        uasort($string, 'strcoll');
     }
 
     return $string;