Equal age of consent

In 9 countries, the age of consent is not equalized for same-sex relationships.

DATE

Equal age of consent

The difference between legal age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex.

Summary

134
Equal
134 regions (68%)
Equal
9
Unequal
9 regions (5%)
Unequal
54
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
54 regions (27%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
98%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
49 regions (98%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
79%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
11 regions (79%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (21%)
South America
75%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
9 regions (75%)
Unequal
2 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
87%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
20 regions (87%)
Unequal
1 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
Africa
38%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
20 regions (38%)
Unequal
6 regions (11%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
27 regions (51%)
Asia
55%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
24 regions (55%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
20 regions (46%)

Timeline of equal age of consent

Number of countries to equalize age of consent over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2024

2022

2021

2020

2019

Equal age of consent by Country

Equal

Equal age of consent is equal in 128 regions.

  1. Asia (22)
  2. Bhutan 2021
  3. Cambodia
  4. China 1949
  5. India 2018
  6. Indonesia 2019
  7. Israel 1948
  8. Japan 1947
  9. Jordan
  10. Kazakhstan 1997
  11. Kyrgyzstan 1998
  12. Laos
  13. Mongolia 1992
  14. Nepal
  15. North Korea 2009
  16. Philippines
  17. Singapore
  18. South Korea
  19. Taiwan 1947
  20. Tajikistan 1998
  21. Thailand 1997
  22. Timor-Leste 1975
  23. Vietnam 1999
  24. Europe (49)
  25. Albania 2001
  26. Andorra 2006
  27. Armenia
  28. Austria 2002
  29. Azerbaijan
  30. Belarus 1994
  31. Belgium 1985
  32. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  33. Bulgaria 2002
  34. Croatia 1998
  35. Cyprus 2002
  36. Czech Republic 1990
  37. Denmark
  38. Estonia 2022
  39. Finland 1999
  40. France 1982
  41. Georgia 2000
  42. Germany 1988
  43. Greece 2015
  44. Hungary 2002
  45. Iceland
  46. Ireland 1993
  47. Italy
  48. Kosovo 2004
  49. Latvia
  50. Liechtenstein 2001
  51. Lithuania 2004
  52. Luxembourg 1992
  53. Malta 1998
  54. Moldova 2002
  55. Monaco
  56. Montenegro 1977
  57. Netherlands 1978
  58. North Macedonia 1996
  59. Norway 1972
  60. Poland 1932
  61. Portugal 2007
  62. Romania
  63. San Marino 1865
  64. Serbia 2006
  65. Slovakia
  66. Slovenia 1977
  67. Spain 1995
  68. Sweden 1978
  69. Switzerland 1992
  70. Turkey 1858
  71. Ukraine 2001
  72. United Kingdom 2001
  73. Vatican City 1890
  74. North America (19)
  75. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  76. Barbados 2022
  77. Belize 2016
  78. Canada 2019
  79. Costa Rica
  80. Cuba 1979
  81. Dominica 2024
  82. Dominican Republic
  83. El Salvador 1974
  84. Grenada
  85. Guatemala 1871
  86. Haiti 1791
  87. Honduras
  88. Mexico 1871
  89. Nicaragua 2007
  90. Panama 2008
  91. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  92. Trinidad and Tobago 2018
  93. United States
  94. Africa (18)
  95. Angola
  96. Botswana
  97. Burkina Faso 1996
  98. Cape Verde 2004
  99. Central African Republic
  100. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006
  101. Djibouti
  102. Equatorial Guinea 1931
  103. Guinea-Bissau
  104. Lesotho 2012
  105. Mauritius
  106. Mozambique
  107. Namibia 2024
  108. Rwanda
  109. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  110. Seychelles
  111. Sierra Leone
  112. South Africa 2007
  113. Oceania (10)
  114. Australia 2016
  115. Federated States of Micronesia
  116. Fiji 2010
  117. Marshall Islands 2005
  118. Nauru
  119. New Zealand 1986
  120. Palau 2014
  121. Samoa
  122. Tonga
  123. Vanuatu 2007
  124. South America (9)
  125. Argentina 2001
  126. Bolivia 1999
  127. Brazil 1940
  128. Chile 2022
  129. Colombia
  130. Ecuador 1997
  131. Peru 1836
  132. Uruguay 1933
  133. Venezuela 1998
  134. Antarctica (1)
  135. Antarctica

Female equal, male N/A

Equal age of consent is female equal, male n/a in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Turkmenistan 2014
  3. Uzbekistan
  4. North America (1)
  5. Saint Lucia
  6. Africa (2)
  7. Eswatini 1907
  8. Zimbabwe
  9. Oceania (1)
  10. Papua New Guinea

Unequal

Equal age of consent is unequal in 9 regions.

  1. North America (1)
  2. Bahamas
  3. Africa (6)
  4. Benin
  5. Côte d’Ivoire
  6. Gabon 2020
  7. Madagascar
  8. Niger 2016
  9. Republic of the Congo 1947
  10. South America (2)
  11. Paraguay
  12. Suriname 1869

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on equal age of consent is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 54 regions.

  1. Asia (20)
  2. Afghanistan N/A
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh N/A
  5. Brunei N/A
  6. Iran N/A
  7. Iraq N/A
  8. Kuwait N/A
  9. Lebanon N/A
  10. Malaysia N/A
  11. Maldives N/A
  12. Myanmar N/A
  13. Oman N/A
  14. Pakistan N/A
  15. Palestine Varies by Region
  16. Qatar N/A
  17. Saudi Arabia N/A
  18. Sri Lanka N/A
  19. Syria N/A
  20. United Arab Emirates N/A
  21. Yemen N/A
  22. Europe (1)
  23. Russia Varies by Region
  24. North America (2)
  25. Jamaica N/A
  26. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  27. Africa (27)
  28. Algeria N/A
  29. Burundi N/A
  30. Cameroon N/A
  31. Chad N/A
  32. Comoros N/A
  33. Egypt
  34. Eritrea N/A
  35. Ethiopia N/A
  36. Gambia N/A
  37. Ghana N/A
  38. Guinea N/A
  39. Kenya N/A
  40. Liberia N/A
  41. Libya N/A
  42. Malawi N/A
  43. Mauritania N/A
  44. Morocco N/A
  45. Nigeria N/A
  46. Senegal N/A
  47. Somalia N/A
  48. South Sudan N/A
  49. Sudan N/A
  50. Tanzania N/A
  51. Togo N/A
  52. Tunisia N/A
  53. Uganda N/A
  54. Zambia N/A
  55. Oceania (3)
  56. Kiribati Ambiguous
  57. Solomon Islands N/A
  58. Tuvalu Ambiguous
  59. South America (1)
  60. Guyana N/A

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