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Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is legal in only 54 countries and territories.

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  • Legal
  • Other type of partnership
  • Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only
  • Unrecognized, same-sex marriage and civil unions banned
  • Unrecognized, only same-sex marriage official
  • Unrecognized
  • Unregistered cohabitation
  • Not legal
  • Civil unions
  • Unknown, N/A, or ambiguous

Recent Changes

  • Feb 17 2023Became Legal in Andorra
  • Sep 26 2022Became Legal in Cuba
  • Sep 19 2022Became Legal in Durango
  • Jul 8 2022Became Legal in Slovenia
  • Jul 1 2022Became Legal in Switzerland
  • Mar 10 2022Became Legal in Chile
  • Jan 1 2022Became Civil unions in Latvia
  • Sep 23 2021Became Legal in Sonora

Same-sex marriage

Marriage and marriage recognition between two people of the same biological sex and/or gender identity.

Summary

54
Legal
54 regions (23%)
Legal
103
Somewhere in between
103 regions (44%)
Somewhere in between
67
Illegal
67 regions (29%)
Illegal
8
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
8 regions (3%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
40%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
21 regions (40%)
Somewhere in between
23 regions (44%)
Illegal
6 regions (12%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
2 regions (4%)
Oceania
38%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (38%)
Somewhere in between
10 regions (42%)
Illegal
5 regions (21%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
South America
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (57%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (36%)
Illegal
1 regions (7%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
28%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
10 regions (28%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (56%)
Illegal
5 regions (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (3%)
Africa
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (9%)
Somewhere in between
26 regions (44%)
Illegal
27 regions (46%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Asia
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
19 regions (41%)
Illegal
23 regions (50%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (7%)

Progress over time

Number of countries with equality for same-sex marriage over the past 60 years.

Recent changes

Same-sex marriage by country

(and dependent territories)

Legal

Same-sex marriage is legal in 54 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Taiwan 2019
  3. Europe (21)
  4. Andorra 2023
  5. Austria 2019
  6. Belgium 2003
  7. Denmark 2012
  8. Faroe Islands 2017
  9. Finland 2017
  10. France 2013
  11. Germany 2017
  12. Iceland 2010
  13. Ireland 2015
  14. Isle of Man 2016
  15. Luxembourg 2014
  16. Malta 2017
  17. Netherlands 2001
  18. Norway 2009
  19. Portugal 2010
  20. Slovenia 2022
  21. Spain 2005
  22. Sweden 2009
  23. Switzerland 2022
  24. United Kingdom 2020
  25. North America (10)
  26. Aruba 2010
  27. Canada 2005
  28. Costa Rica 2020
  29. Cuba 2022
  30. Greenland 2015
  31. Guadeloupe 2013
  32. Martinique 2013
  33. Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2013
  34. Sint Maarten 2010
  35. United States 2015
  36. Africa (5)
  37. British Indian Ocean Territory
  38. Mayotte 2013
  39. Réunion 2013
  40. Saint Helena 2017
  41. South Africa 2006
  42. Oceania (9)
  43. Australia 2017
  44. Christmas Island 2017
  45. Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  46. French Polynesia 2013
  47. New Caledonia 2013
  48. New Zealand 2013
  49. Norfolk Island 2017
  50. Pitcairn Islands 2015
  51. Wallis and Futuna 2013
  52. South America (8)
  53. Argentina 2010
  54. Brazil 2013
  55. Chile 2022
  56. Colombia 2016
  57. Ecuador 2019
  58. Falkland Islands 2017
  59. French Guiana 2013
  60. Uruguay 2013

Other type of partnership

Same-sex marriage is other type of partnership in 2 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. China 2017
  3. South America (1)
  4. Bolivia 2020

Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only

Same-sex marriage is foreign same-sex marriages recognized only in 16 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Hong Kong 2017
  3. Europe (2)
  4. Armenia
  5. Lithuania
  6. North America (11)
  7. Anguilla
  8. Antigua and Barbuda
  9. Barbados 2018
  10. Curaçao 2010
  11. Dominica
  12. Grenada
  13. Montserrat 2010
  14. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  15. Saint Lucia
  16. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  17. Turks and Caicos Islands 2011
  18. Oceania (1)
  19. Samoa
  20. South America (1)
  21. Suriname

Unrecognized, same-sex marriage and civil unions banned

Same-sex marriage is unrecognized, same-sex marriage and civil unions banned in 3 regions.

  1. North America (1)
  2. El Salvador
  3. South America (2)
  4. Paraguay 1991
  5. Peru 2006

Unrecognized

Same-sex marriage is unrecognized in 63 regions.

  1. Asia (13)
  2. Bhutan 2004
  3. Indonesia
  4. Iraq 2003
  5. Jordan
  6. Laos 1990
  7. Myanmar 1886
  8. North Korea 1948
  9. Palestine 1994
  10. Philippines 1988
  11. Tajikistan 2008
  12. Thailand 1932
  13. Timor-Leste
  14. Vietnam 2013
  15. Europe (8)
  16. Albania 2010
  17. Belarus 1996
  18. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  19. Bulgaria 1991
  20. Kosovo
  21. Romania
  22. Serbia
  23. Turkey
  24. North America (6)
  25. British Virgin Islands
  26. Dominican Republic 1944
  27. Guatemala 1995
  28. Nicaragua 1987
  29. Panama 1972
  30. Trinidad and Tobago 1924
  31. Africa (26)
  32. Angola 2019
  33. Burkina Faso 1991
  34. Burundi 2005
  35. Cape Verde
  36. Central African Republic 2010
  37. Chad
  38. Comoros
  39. Côte d’Ivoire
  40. Djibouti
  41. Egypt
  42. Equatorial Guinea
  43. Eswatini
  44. Gabon 1963
  45. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  46. Madagascar
  47. Malawi
  48. Mali 2011
  49. Mauritius
  50. Mozambique 2004
  51. Niger
  52. Republic of the Congo
  53. Rwanda
  54. Sao Tome and Principe
  55. Seychelles
  56. Tanzania 1971
  57. Western Sahara
  58. Oceania (9)
  59. Federated States of Micronesia
  60. Kiribati
  61. Marshall Islands
  62. Nauru
  63. Niue
  64. Palau 2008
  65. Papua New Guinea
  66. Tokelau 2013
  67. Vanuatu
  68. South America (1)
  69. Venezuela 1999

Unregistered cohabitation

Same-sex marriage is unregistered cohabitation in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. Cambodia 2021
  3. India 2020
  4. Macau
  5. Pakistan 1958
  6. Europe (2)
  7. Poland
  8. Slovakia

Not legal

Same-sex marriage is not legal in 67 regions.

  1. Asia (23)
  2. Afghanistan 1971
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh 1860
  5. Brunei 1951
  6. Iran 1979
  7. Kazakhstan 2011
  8. Kuwait
  9. Kyrgyzstan 1996
  10. Lebanon
  11. Malaysia 1826
  12. Maldives
  13. Mongolia 1992
  14. Oman
  15. Qatar 1915
  16. Saudi Arabia 1932
  17. Singapore
  18. South Korea 1948
  19. Sri Lanka 1885
  20. Syria 1949
  21. Turkmenistan 1992
  22. United Arab Emirates
  23. Uzbekistan 1994
  24. Yemen 1994
  25. Europe (6)
  26. Azerbaijan
  27. Georgia
  28. Moldova 1994
  29. Monaco
  30. North Macedonia 2015
  31. Russia 1995
  32. North America (5)
  33. Bahamas
  34. Belize 2003
  35. Haiti
  36. Honduras 2005
  37. Jamaica 1962
  38. Africa (27)
  39. Algeria 1966
  40. Benin 1900
  41. Botswana 1964
  42. Cameroon 1967
  43. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006
  44. Eritrea 1957
  45. Ethiopia
  46. Gambia 2005
  47. Ghana 1960
  48. Guinea 1988
  49. Kenya 1902
  50. Lesotho 1966
  51. Liberia 1976
  52. Libya 1953
  53. Mauritania 1983
  54. Morocco
  55. Nigeria 2014
  56. Senegal 1966
  57. Sierra Leone 1861
  58. Somalia
  59. South Sudan 2011
  60. Sudan 1991
  61. Togo 1980
  62. Tunisia
  63. Uganda 1904
  64. Zambia 2010
  65. Zimbabwe 1964
  66. Oceania (5)
  67. Cook Islands 2000
  68. Fiji 2002
  69. Solomon Islands 1978
  70. Tonga 1998
  71. Tuvalu
  72. South America (1)
  73. Guyana

Civil unions

Same-sex marriage is civil unions in 13 regions.

  1. Europe (11)
  2. Croatia 2014
  3. Cyprus 2015
  4. Czech Republic 2006
  5. Estonia 2016
  6. Greece 2015
  7. Hungary 2009
  8. Italy 2016
  9. Latvia 2022
  10. Liechtenstein 2011
  11. Montenegro 2021
  12. San Marino 2018
  13. North America (2)
  14. Bermuda 2018
  15. Cayman Islands 2020

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

Data on same-sex marriage is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 8 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Israel
  3. Japan
  4. Nepal
  5. Europe (2)
  6. Ukraine
  7. Vatican City
  8. North America (1)
  9. Mexico
  10. Africa (1)
  11. Namibia
  12. Antarctica (1)
  13. Antarctica

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