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Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is legal in only 37 countries.

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

Recent Changes

  • Jan 1 2024Became Legal in Estonia
  • Sep 5 2023Became Civil unions in Hong Kong
  • Jun 28 2023Became Legal in Nepal
  • Jun 23 2023Became Not legal in Mali
  • May 29 2023Became Not legal in Uganda
  • May 29 2023Became Unrecognized in Romania
  • Feb 17 2023Became Legal in Andorra
  • Feb 1 2023Became Unrecognized in Suriname

Same-sex marriage

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

Summary

37
Legal
37 regions (19%)
Legal
87
Somewhere in between
87 regions (44%)
Somewhere in between
71
Illegal
71 regions (36%)
Illegal
3
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
3 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
40%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
20 regions (40%)
Somewhere in between
22 regions (44%)
Illegal
7 regions (14%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
14%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
2 regions (14%)
Somewhere in between
7 regions (50%)
Illegal
5 regions (36%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
South America
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
6 regions (50%)
Somewhere in between
5 regions (42%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
North America
22%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (22%)
Somewhere in between
13 regions (57%)
Illegal
5 regions (22%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Africa
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (37%)
Illegal
33 regions (61%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Asia
7%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
3 regions (7%)
Somewhere in between
20 regions (46%)
Illegal
20 regions (46%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)

Progress Over Time

Number of countries with equality for same-sex marriage over the past 60 years.
There are no recent changes about Same-sex marriage.

Same-sex marriage by Country

Legal

Same-sex marriage is legal in 37 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Bangladesh 1860
  3. Nepal 2023
  4. Taiwan 2019
  5. Europe (20)
  6. Andorra 2023
  7. Austria 2019
  8. Belgium 2003
  9. Denmark 2012
  10. Estonia 2024
  11. Finland 2017
  12. France 2013
  13. Germany 2017
  14. Iceland 2010
  15. Ireland 2015
  16. Luxembourg 2014
  17. Malta 2017
  18. Netherlands 2001
  19. Norway 2009
  20. Portugal 2010
  21. Slovenia 2022
  22. Spain 2005
  23. Sweden 2009
  24. Switzerland 2022
  25. United Kingdom 2020
  26. North America (5)
  27. Canada 2005
  28. Costa Rica 2020
  29. Cuba 2022
  30. Mexico 2022
  31. United States 2015
  32. Africa (1)
  33. South Africa 2006
  34. Oceania (2)
  35. Australia 2017
  36. New Zealand 2013
  37. South America (6)
  38. Argentina 2010
  39. Brazil 2013
  40. Chile 2022
  41. Colombia 2016
  42. Ecuador 2019
  43. Uruguay 2013

Civil unions

Same-sex marriage is civil unions in 10 regions.

  1. Europe (9)
  2. Croatia 2014
  3. Cyprus 2015
  4. Czech Republic 2006
  5. Greece 2015
  6. Hungary 2009
  7. Italy 2016
  8. Liechtenstein 2011
  9. Montenegro 2021
  10. San Marino 2018
  11. South America (1)
  12. Bolivia 2020

Other type of partnership

Same-sex marriage is other type of partnership in 1 regions.

  1. Europe (1)
  2. Monaco 2020

Foreign same-sex marriages recognized only

Same-sex marriage is foreign same-sex marriages recognized only in 7 regions.

  1. Europe (1)
  2. Romania 2018
  3. North America (4)
  4. Antigua and Barbuda
  5. Barbados 2018
  6. Saint Kitts and Nevis
  7. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  8. Africa (1)
  9. Namibia
  10. South America (1)
  11. Peru 2006

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. Venezuela 1999

Unrecognized, only same-sex marriage official

Same-sex marriage is unrecognized, only same-sex marriage official in 2 regions.

  1. Europe (2)
  2. Moldova 1994
  3. North Macedonia 2015

Unregistered cohabitation

Same-sex marriage is unregistered cohabitation in 4 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. China 2017
  3. India 2022
  4. Israel 2006
  5. Europe (1)
  6. Poland

Unrecognized

Same-sex marriage is unrecognized in 60 regions.

  1. Asia (17)
  2. Bhutan 2004
  3. Indonesia
  4. Iraq 2003
  5. Japan 2018
  6. Jordan
  7. Kazakhstan
  8. Kuwait 1960
  9. Laos 1990
  10. Lebanon
  11. Myanmar 1886
  12. Palestine 1994
  13. Philippines 1988
  14. Singapore 2022
  15. Syria 1949
  16. Thailand
  17. Timor-Leste
  18. Vietnam 2013
  19. Europe (8)
  20. Albania 2010
  21. Azerbaijan
  22. Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018
  23. Kosovo
  24. Lithuania
  25. Serbia 2006
  26. Turkey
  27. Ukraine 2022
  28. North America (8)
  29. Belize 2003
  30. Dominica
  31. Dominican Republic 1944
  32. Grenada
  33. Guatemala 1995
  34. Nicaragua 1987
  35. Saint Lucia
  36. Trinidad and Tobago 1924
  37. Africa (19)
  38. Angola
  39. Benin 1900
  40. Botswana 1964
  41. Cape Verde
  42. Comoros
  43. Côte d’Ivoire
  44. Djibouti
  45. Egypt
  46. Equatorial Guinea
  47. Gabon 1963
  48. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  49. Lesotho 1966
  50. Madagascar
  51. Mauritius
  52. Mozambique 2004
  53. Niger
  54. Republic of the Congo
  55. Sao Tome and Principe
  56. Seychelles
  57. Oceania (7)
  58. Federated States of Micronesia
  59. Kiribati
  60. Marshall Islands
  61. Nauru
  62. Papua New Guinea
  63. Samoa
  64. Vanuatu
  65. South America (1)
  66. Suriname 2023

Not legal

Same-sex marriage is not legal in 71 regions.

  1. Asia (20)
  2. Afghanistan 1971
  3. Bahrain
  4. Brunei 1951
  5. Iran 1979
  6. Kyrgyzstan 1996
  7. Malaysia 1826
  8. Maldives
  9. Mongolia 1992
  10. North Korea 1948
  11. Oman
  12. Pakistan 1958
  13. Qatar 1915
  14. Saudi Arabia 1932
  15. South Korea 1948
  16. Sri Lanka 1885
  17. Tajikistan 2008
  18. Turkmenistan 1992
  19. United Arab Emirates 1987
  20. Uzbekistan 1994
  21. Yemen 1994
  22. Europe (7)
  23. Armenia 2004
  24. Belarus 1996
  25. Bulgaria 1991
  26. Georgia
  27. Russia 1995
  28. Slovakia
  29. Vatican City 2020
  30. North America (5)
  31. Bahamas
  32. Haiti
  33. Honduras 2005
  34. Jamaica 2011
  35. Panama 1972
  36. Africa (33)
  37. Algeria 1966
  38. Burkina Faso 1991
  39. Burundi 2005
  40. Cameroon 1967
  41. Central African Republic 2016
  42. Chad 2017
  43. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006
  44. Eritrea 1957
  45. Eswatini
  46. Ethiopia
  47. Gambia 2005
  48. Ghana 1960
  49. Guinea 1988
  50. Kenya 1902
  51. Liberia 1976
  52. Libya 1953
  53. Malawi
  54. Mali 2023
  55. Mauritania 1983
  56. Morocco
  57. Nigeria 2014
  58. Rwanda 2003
  59. Senegal 1966
  60. Sierra Leone 1861
  61. Somalia
  62. South Sudan 2011
  63. Sudan 1991
  64. Tanzania 1971
  65. Togo 1980
  66. Tunisia
  67. Uganda 2023
  68. Zambia 2010
  69. Zimbabwe 1964
  70. Oceania (5)
  71. Fiji 2002
  72. Palau 2008
  73. Solomon Islands 1978
  74. Tonga 1998
  75. Tuvalu
  76. South America (1)
  77. Guyana

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

Data on same-sex marriage is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 3 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Cambodia
  3. Europe (1)
  4. Latvia
  5. Antarctica (1)
  6. Antarctica

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