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Homosexual activity

Homosexuality is illegal in 62 countries and punishable by death in 8.

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  • Legal
  • Illegal (other penalty)
  • Male illegal, female legal
  • Male illegal, female uncertain
  • Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
  • Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
  • Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

Homosexual activity

Homosexual activity refers to consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex. While homosexual activity is legal in most countries around the world, there are several countries — mostly in Africa and the Middle East — where it is criminalized to a varying degree. Penalties can range from imprisonment all the way up to death penalty.

Homosexuality is commonly criminalized through sodomy laws (sometimes called a "buggery law" in British territories), which are laws that define sexual acts of crimes. Sodomy laws can sometimes prevent sexual activity between two individuals of the same sex. While some of these laws are not specific to homosexual sex (such as when referring to anal sex), they are usually used to target or criminalize gay people. In practice, these laws are difficult to actually enforce.

In some countries, the language of the criminal codes specifically refers to two men, meaning that lesbian sex is technically legal.

Some sodomy laws and penal codes date back to the 1700s and 1800s. Throughout the 1900s, many countries, US states, and other regions began decriminalizing homosexuality and removing references to homosexuality or sodomy from their criminal codes. This has continued over the past few decades.

Summary

162
Legal
162 regions (70%)
Legal
62
Illegal
62 regions (27%)
Illegal
8
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (3%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
98%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
51 regions (98%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
71%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
17 regions (71%)
Illegal
7 regions (29%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
South America
93%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
13 regions (93%)
Illegal
1 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
86%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
31 regions (86%)
Illegal
5 regions (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Africa
44%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
26 regions (44%)
Illegal
32 regions (54%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Asia
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (50%)
Illegal
17 regions (37%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
6 regions (13%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for homosexual activity over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

Homosexual activity by country

(and dependent territories)

Legal

Homosexual activity is legal in 162 regions.

  1. Asia (23)
  2. Bahrain 1976
  3. Bhutan 2021
  4. Cambodia
  5. China 1997
  6. Hong Kong 1991
  7. India 2018
  8. Israel 1988
  9. Japan 1881
  10. Jordan 1951
  11. Kazakhstan 1997
  12. Kyrgyzstan 1997
  13. Laos 1990
  14. Macau 1995
  15. Mongolia 2002
  16. Nepal 2007
  17. Philippines
  18. Singapore 2022
  19. South Korea
  20. Taiwan 1947
  21. Tajikistan 1998
  22. Thailand 1956
  23. Timor-Leste 1975
  24. Vietnam
  25. Europe (51)
  26. Albania 1995
  27. Andorra 1791
  28. Armenia 2003
  29. Austria 1971
  30. Azerbaijan 2000
  31. Belarus 1994
  32. Belgium 1944
  33. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2003
  34. Bulgaria 1968
  35. Croatia 1977
  36. Cyprus 1998
  37. Czech Republic 1962
  38. Denmark 1933
  39. Estonia 1992
  40. Faroe Islands 1933
  41. Finland 1971
  42. France 1791
  43. Georgia 2000
  44. Germany 1994
  45. Greece 2015
  46. Hungary 1961
  47. Iceland 1940
  48. Ireland 1993
  49. Isle of Man 1992
  50. Italy 1890
  51. Kosovo 2008
  52. Latvia 1992
  53. Liechtenstein 1989
  54. Lithuania 1993
  55. Luxembourg
  56. Malta 1973
  57. Moldova 1995
  58. Monaco 1793
  59. Montenegro 1977
  60. Netherlands 1945
  61. North Macedonia 1996
  62. Norway 1972
  63. Poland 1945
  64. Portugal 1982
  65. Romania 2001
  66. San Marino 1865
  67. Serbia 1994
  68. Slovakia 1961
  69. Slovenia 1976
  70. Spain 1979
  71. Sweden 1944
  72. Switzerland 1991
  73. Turkey 1858
  74. Ukraine 1991
  75. United Kingdom 2000
  76. Vatican City 1929
  77. North America (31)
  78. Anguilla 2001
  79. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  80. Aruba
  81. Bahamas 1991
  82. Barbados 2022
  83. Belize 2016
  84. Bermuda 1994
  85. British Virgin Islands 2001
  86. Canada 1969
  87. Cayman Islands 2001
  88. Costa Rica 2002
  89. Cuba 1997
  90. Curaçao
  91. Dominican Republic 1822
  92. El Salvador 1974
  93. Greenland 1933
  94. Guadeloupe 1791
  95. Guatemala 1871
  96. Haiti 1986
  97. Honduras 1985
  98. Martinique 1791
  99. Mexico 2001
  100. Montserrat 2001
  101. Nicaragua 2007
  102. Panama 2007
  103. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  104. Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1791
  105. Sint Maarten
  106. Trinidad and Tobago 2015
  107. Turks and Caicos Islands 2001
  108. United States 2003
  109. Africa (26)
  110. Angola 2019
  111. Benin
  112. Botswana 2019
  113. British Indian Ocean Territory
  114. Burkina Faso
  115. Cape Verde 2004
  116. Central African Republic
  117. Côte d’Ivoire
  118. Democratic Republic of the Congo 1940
  119. Djibouti
  120. Equatorial Guinea 1968
  121. Gabon 2020
  122. Guinea-Bissau
  123. Lesotho 2012
  124. Madagascar 1972
  125. Mali 1961
  126. Mayotte
  127. Mozambique 2015
  128. Niger 2006
  129. Republic of the Congo
  130. Réunion 1791
  131. Rwanda 1980
  132. Saint Helena 2001
  133. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  134. Seychelles 2016
  135. South Africa 1998
  136. Oceania (17)
  137. Australia 1997
  138. Christmas Island
  139. Cocos 1955
  140. Cook Islands 2023
  141. Federated States of Micronesia
  142. Fiji 2010
  143. French Polynesia
  144. Marshall Islands 2005
  145. Nauru 2016
  146. New Caledonia 1791
  147. New Zealand 1986
  148. Norfolk Island 1993
  149. Palau 2014
  150. Pitcairn Islands 1967
  151. Tokelau
  152. Vanuatu
  153. Wallis and Futuna
  154. South America (13)
  155. Argentina 1987
  156. Bolivia 1832
  157. Brazil 1830
  158. Chile 1998
  159. Colombia 2000
  160. Ecuador 1997
  161. Falkland Islands 1989
  162. French Guiana 1791
  163. Paraguay 1997
  164. Peru 1991
  165. Suriname 1910
  166. Uruguay 1933
  167. Venezuela 1997
  168. Antarctica (1)
  169. Antarctica

Illegal (other penalty)

Homosexual activity is illegal (other penalty) in 3 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Qatar
  3. Africa (2)
  4. Nigeria 1916
  5. Uganda 2023

Male illegal, female legal

Homosexual activity is male illegal, female legal in 18 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Kuwait 1960
  3. Turkmenistan 1998
  4. Uzbekistan 1994
  5. North America (3)
  6. Grenada 1987
  7. Jamaica 1864
  8. Saint Lucia 2005
  9. Africa (6)
  10. Eswatini 2004
  11. Ghana 1960
  12. Mauritius 1838
  13. Namibia
  14. Sierra Leone 1861
  15. Zimbabwe 2006
  16. Oceania (6)
  17. Kiribati
  18. Niue
  19. Papua New Guinea 2002
  20. Samoa 1961
  21. Tonga 1988
  22. Tuvalu 2017

Male illegal, female uncertain

Homosexual activity is male illegal, female uncertain in 2 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Myanmar 2016
  3. South America (1)
  4. Guyana 2016

Illegal (death penalty as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (death penalty as punishment) in 8 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Afghanistan 1976
  3. Brunei 2019
  4. Iran 1979
  5. Saudi Arabia
  6. United Arab Emirates 2023
  7. Yemen 2014
  8. Africa (2)
  9. Mauritania 1983
  10. Somalia 1991

Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in 5 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Bangladesh 1860
  3. Africa (4)
  4. Gambia 2014
  5. Sudan 2020
  6. Tanzania 1998
  7. Zambia 1931

Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in 26 regions.

  1. Asia (5)
  2. Malaysia 1826
  3. Maldives
  4. Oman 1974
  5. Pakistan 1860
  6. Sri Lanka 1885
  7. North America (2)
  8. Dominica 1998
  9. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1990
  10. Africa (18)
  11. Algeria 1966
  12. Burundi 2009
  13. Cameroon 1967
  14. Chad 2017
  15. Comoros 1982
  16. Eritrea 1957
  17. Ethiopia
  18. Guinea 2016
  19. Kenya 1930
  20. Liberia 1976
  21. Libya 1953
  22. Malawi 1930
  23. Morocco 1962
  24. Senegal 1966
  25. South Sudan 2011
  26. Togo 1980
  27. Tunisia 1913
  28. Western Sahara 1975
  29. Oceania (1)
  30. Solomon Islands 1978

No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous

Data on homosexual activity is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 8 regions.

  1. Asia (6)
  2. Indonesia
  3. Iraq
  4. Lebanon
  5. North Korea
  6. Palestine
  7. Syria
  8. Europe (1)
  9. Russia
  10. Africa (1)
  11. Egypt

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