Homosexual activity
Homosexuality is illegal in 69 countries and punishable by death in 9.
- 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
- May 3 2021Became Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in Uganda
- Feb 17 2021Became Legal in Bhutan
- Jul 1 2020Became Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in Sudan
- Jun 29 2020Became Legal in Gabon
- Jan 1 2020Became Legal in Poland
- Jul 5 2019Became Illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in Gabon
- Jun 11 2019Became Legal in Botswana
- Mar 28 2019Became Illegal (death penalty as punishment) in Brunei
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
Progress over time
Recent changes
- UgandaIllegal (up to life in prison as punishment)May 3, 2021
- BhutanLegalFeb 17, 2021
- SudanIllegal (up to life in prison as punishment)Jul 1, 2020
- GabonLegalJun 29, 2020
- PolandLegalJan 1, 2020
- GabonIllegal (imprisonment as punishment)Jul 5, 2019
- BotswanaLegalJun 11, 2019
- BruneiIllegal (death penalty as punishment)Mar 28, 2019
- AngolaLegalJan 24, 2019
- IndiaLegalSep 6, 2018
Homosexual activity by country
(and dependent territories)Legal
Homosexual activity is legal in 159 regions.
- Asia (24)
- Bahrain 1976
- Bhutan 2021
- Cambodia
- China 1997
- Hong Kong 1991
- India 2018
- Indonesia 2001
- Israel 1988
- Japan 1881
- Jordan 1951
- Kazakhstan 1997
- Kyrgyzstan 1997
- Laos 1990
- Lebanon 2014
- Macau 1995
- Mongolia 2002
- Nepal 2007
- Philippines
- South Korea 2003
- Taiwan 1947
- Tajikistan 1998
- Thailand 1956
- Timor-Leste 1975
- Vietnam
- Europe (52)
- Albania 1995
- Andorra 1791
- Armenia 2003
- Austria 1971
- Azerbaijan 2000
- Belarus 1994
- Belgium 1944
- Bosnia and Herzegovina 1998
- Bulgaria 1968
- Croatia 1977
- Cyprus 1998
- Czech Republic 1962
- Denmark 1933
- Estonia 1992
- Faroe Islands 1933
- Finland 1971
- France 1791
- Georgia 2000
- Germany 1994
- Greece 1951
- Hungary 1961
- Iceland 1940
- Ireland 1993
- Isle of Man 1992
- Italy 1890
- Kosovo 2008
- Latvia 1992
- Liechtenstein 1989
- Lithuania 1993
- Luxembourg
- Malta 1973
- Moldova 1995
- Monaco 1793
- Montenegro 1977
- Netherlands 1945
- North Macedonia 1996
- Norway 1972
- Poland 2020
- Portugal 1982
- Romania 2001
- Russia 1993
- San Marino 1865
- Serbia 1994
- Slovakia 1961
- Slovenia 1976
- Spain 1979
- Sweden 1944
- Switzerland 1991
- Turkey 1858
- Ukraine 1991
- United Kingdom 2000
- Vatican City 1929
- North America (28)
- Anguilla 2001
- Aruba
- Bahamas 1991
- Belize 2016
- Bermuda 1994
- British Virgin Islands 2001
- Canada 1969
- Cayman Islands 2001
- Costa Rica 2002
- Cuba 1997
- Curaçao
- Dominican Republic 1822
- El Salvador 1974
- Greenland 1933
- Guadeloupe 1791
- Guatemala 1871
- Haiti 1986
- Honduras 1985
- Martinique 1791
- Mexico 2001
- Montserrat 2001
- Nicaragua 2007
- Panama 2007
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon 1791
- Sint Maarten
- Trinidad and Tobago 2015
- Turks and Caicos Islands 2001
- United States 2003
- Africa (25)
- Angola 2019
- Benin
- Botswana 2019
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Burkina Faso
- Cape Verde 2004
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo 1940
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea 1968
- Gabon 2020
- Guinea-Bissau
- Lesotho 2012
- Madagascar 1972
- Mali 1961
- Mayotte
- Mozambique 2015
- Niger 2006
- Republic of the Congo
- Réunion 1791
- Rwanda 1980
- Saint Helena 2001
- Sao Tome and Principe 2012
- Seychelles 2016
- South Africa 1998
- Oceania (17)
- Australia 1997
- Christmas Island
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1955
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji 2010
- French Polynesia
- Marshall Islands 2005
- Nauru 2016
- New Caledonia 1791
- New Zealand 1986
- Niue
- Norfolk Island 1993
- Palau 2014
- Pitcairn Islands 1967
- Tokelau
- Vanuatu
- Wallis and Futuna
Illegal (other penalty)
Homosexual activity is illegal (other penalty) in 1 regions.
- Africa (1)
- Nigeria 1916
Male illegal, female legal
Homosexual activity is male illegal, female legal in 19 regions.
- South America (1)
- Guyana 2016
Male illegal, female uncertain
Homosexual activity is male illegal, female uncertain in 3 regions.
Illegal (death penalty as punishment)
Homosexual activity is illegal (death penalty as punishment) in 9 regions.
- Asia (7)
- Afghanistan 1976
- Brunei 2019
- Iran 1979
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia 1932
- United Arab Emirates 1987
- Yemen 2014
Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)
Homosexual activity is illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in 5 regions.
Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)
Homosexual activity is illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in 32 regions.
- Asia (8)
- Bangladesh 1860
- Malaysia 1826
- Maldives
- Myanmar 2016
- Oman 1974
- Pakistan 1860
- Sri Lanka 1885
- Syria 1949
- Africa (20)
- Algeria 1966
- Burundi 2009
- Cameroon 1967
- Central African Republic 2010
- Chad 2017
- Comoros 1982
- Ethiopia
- Guinea 2016
- Kenya 1930
- Liberia 1976
- Libya 1953
- Malawi 1930
- Morocco 1962
- Senegal 1966
- South Sudan 2011
- Tanzania 1998
- Togo 1980
- Tunisia 1913
- Western Sahara 1975
- Zambia 1931
- Oceania (1)
- Solomon Islands 1978
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Data on homosexual activity is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 4 regions.
- Africa (1)
- Egypt
- Antarctica (1)
- Antarctica
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