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Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is legal in only 51 countries.

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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

Same-sex marriage

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

Summary

51
Legal
51 regions (22%)
Legal
106
Somewhere in between
106 regions (46%)
Somewhere in between
70
Illegal
70 regions (30%)
Illegal
5
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
5 regions (2%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
Europe
37%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
19 regions (37%)
Somewhere in between
24 regions (46%)
Illegal
9 regions (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
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
25%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
9 regions (25%)
Somewhere in between
21 regions (58%)
Illegal
6 regions (17%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
regions (0%)
Africa
9%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
5 regions (9%)
Somewhere in between
25 regions (42%)
Illegal
28 regions (48%)
No data, no laws, N/A, or ambiguous
1 regions (2%)
Asia
2%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
1 regions (2%)
Somewhere in between
21 regions (46%)
Illegal
21 regions (46%)
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 51 regions.

  1. Asia (1)
  2. Taiwan 2019
  3. Europe (19)
  4. Austria 2019
  5. Belgium 2003
  6. Denmark 2012
  7. Faroe Islands 2017
  8. Finland 2018
  9. France 2013
  10. Germany 2017
  11. Iceland 2010
  12. Ireland 2015
  13. Isle of Man 2016
  14. Luxembourg 2014
  15. Malta 2017
  16. Netherlands 2001
  17. Norway 2009
  18. Portugal 2010
  19. Spain 2005
  20. Sweden 2009
  21. Switzerland 2021
  22. United Kingdom 2020
  23. North America (9)
  24. Aruba 2010
  25. Canada 2005
  26. Costa Rica 2020
  27. Greenland 2015
  28. Martinique
  29. Mexico 2009
  30. Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2013
  31. Sint Maarten 2010
  32. United States 2015
  33. Africa (5)
  34. British Indian Ocean Territory
  35. Mayotte 2013
  36. Réunion 2013
  37. Saint Helena 2017
  38. South Africa 2006
  39. Oceania (9)
  40. Australia 2017
  41. Christmas Island 2017
  42. Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  43. French Polynesia 2013
  44. New Caledonia 2013
  45. New Zealand 2013
  46. Norfolk Island 2017
  47. Pitcairn Islands 2015
  48. Wallis and Futuna 2013
  49. South America (8)
  50. Argentina 2010
  51. Brazil 2013
  52. Chile 2021
  53. Colombia 2016
  54. Ecuador 2019
  55. Falkland Islands 2017
  56. French Guiana 2013
  57. Uruguay 2013

Other type of partnership

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

  1. Asia (1)
  2. China 2017

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 67 regions.

  1. Asia (15)
  2. Bhutan 2004
  3. Indonesia
  4. Iraq 2003
  5. Japan 1947
  6. Jordan
  7. Kyrgyzstan 1996
  8. Laos 1990
  9. Myanmar 1886
  10. North Korea 1948
  11. Philippines 1988
  12. South Korea 1948
  13. Tajikistan 2008
  14. Thailand 1932
  15. Timor-Leste
  16. Vietnam 2013
  17. Europe (10)
  18. Albania 2010
  19. Belarus 1996
  20. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  21. Kosovo
  22. Romania
  23. Serbia
  24. Slovakia
  25. Turkey 1923
  26. Ukraine
  27. Vatican City 1929
  28. North America (6)
  29. British Virgin Islands
  30. Dominican Republic 1944
  31. Guatemala 1995
  32. Nicaragua 1987
  33. Panama 1972
  34. Trinidad and Tobago 1924
  35. Africa (25)
  36. Angola 2019
  37. Burkina Faso 1991
  38. Burundi 2005
  39. Cape Verde
  40. Chad
  41. Comoros
  42. Côte d’Ivoire
  43. Djibouti
  44. Egypt
  45. Equatorial Guinea
  46. Eswatini
  47. Gabon 1963
  48. Guinea-Bissau 1993
  49. Madagascar
  50. Malawi
  51. Mali 2011
  52. Mauritius
  53. Mozambique 2004
  54. Niger
  55. Republic of the Congo
  56. Rwanda
  57. Sao Tome and Principe
  58. Seychelles
  59. Tanzania 1971
  60. Western Sahara
  61. Oceania (9)
  62. Federated States of Micronesia
  63. Kiribati
  64. Marshall Islands
  65. Nauru
  66. Niue
  67. Palau 2008
  68. Papua New Guinea
  69. Tokelau 2013
  70. Vanuatu
  71. South America (2)
  72. Bolivia 2009
  73. Venezuela 1999

Unregistered cohabitation

Same-sex marriage is unregistered cohabitation in 4 regions.

  1. Asia (4)
  2. Cambodia 2021
  3. India 2020
  4. Macau
  5. Pakistan 1958

Not legal

Same-sex marriage is not legal in 70 regions.

  1. Asia (21)
  2. Afghanistan 1971
  3. Bahrain
  4. Bangladesh 1860
  5. Brunei 1951
  6. Iran 1979
  7. Kazakhstan 2011
  8. Kuwait
  9. Lebanon
  10. Malaysia 1826
  11. Maldives
  12. Mongolia 1992
  13. Oman
  14. Qatar 1915
  15. Saudi Arabia 1932
  16. Singapore
  17. Sri Lanka 1885
  18. Syria 1949
  19. Turkmenistan 1992
  20. United Arab Emirates
  21. Uzbekistan 1994
  22. Yemen 1994
  23. Europe (9)
  24. Azerbaijan
  25. Bulgaria 1991
  26. Georgia
  27. Latvia 2005
  28. Moldova 1994
  29. Monaco
  30. North Macedonia 2015
  31. Poland
  32. Russia 1995
  33. North America (6)
  34. Bahamas
  35. Belize 2003
  36. Cuba 1975
  37. Haiti
  38. Honduras 2005
  39. Jamaica 1962
  40. Africa (28)
  41. Algeria 1966
  42. Benin 1900
  43. Botswana 1964
  44. Cameroon 1967
  45. Central African Republic 2010
  46. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006
  47. Eritrea 1957
  48. Ethiopia
  49. Gambia 2005
  50. Ghana 1960
  51. Guinea 1988
  52. Kenya 1902
  53. Lesotho 1966
  54. Liberia 1976
  55. Libya 1953
  56. Mauritania 1983
  57. Morocco
  58. Nigeria 2014
  59. Senegal 1966
  60. Sierra Leone 1861
  61. Somalia
  62. South Sudan 2011
  63. Sudan 1991
  64. Togo 1980
  65. Tunisia
  66. Uganda 1904
  67. Zambia 2010
  68. Zimbabwe 1964
  69. Oceania (5)
  70. Cook Islands 2000
  71. Fiji 2002
  72. Solomon Islands 1978
  73. Tonga 1998
  74. Tuvalu
  75. South America (1)
  76. Guyana

Civil unions

Same-sex marriage is civil unions in 15 regions.

  1. Europe (12)
  2. Andorra 2014
  3. Croatia 2014
  4. Cyprus 2015
  5. Czech Republic 2006
  6. Estonia 2016
  7. Greece 2015
  8. Hungary 2009
  9. Italy 2016
  10. Liechtenstein 2011
  11. Montenegro 2021
  12. San Marino 2018
  13. Slovenia 2017
  14. North America (3)
  15. Bermuda 2018
  16. Cayman Islands 2020
  17. Guadeloupe 1991

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

Data on same-sex marriage is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 5 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Israel
  3. Nepal
  4. Palestine
  5. Africa (1)
  6. Namibia
  7. Antarctica (1)
  8. Antarctica

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