Equal age of consent

In 7 countries, the age of consent is not equalized for same-sex relationships.

DATE

Equal age of consent

The difference between legal age of consent for homosexual sex and heterosexual sex.

Summary

137
Equal
137 regions (69%)
Equal
7
Unequal
7 regions (4%)
Unequal
54
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
54 regions (27%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
98%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
49 regions (98%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
79%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
11 regions (79%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (21%)
South America
83%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
10 regions (83%)
Unequal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (8%)
North America
87%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
20 regions (87%)
Unequal
1 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (9%)
Africa
39%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
21 regions (39%)
Unequal
5 regions (9%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
28 regions (52%)
Asia
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
25 regions (57%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
19 regions (43%)

Timeline of equal age of consent

Number of countries to equalize age of consent over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2024

2022

2021

2020

2019

Equal age of consent by Country

Equal

Equal age of consent is equal in 131 regions.

  1. Asia (23)
  2. Bahrain 1976
  3. Bhutan 2021
  4. Cambodia
  5. China 1949
  6. India 2018
  7. Indonesia 2019
  8. Israel 1948
  9. Japan 1947
  10. Jordan
  11. Kazakhstan 1997
  12. Kyrgyzstan 1998
  13. Laos
  14. Mongolia 1992
  15. Nepal
  16. North Korea 2009
  17. Philippines
  18. Singapore
  19. South Korea
  20. Taiwan 1947
  21. Tajikistan 1998
  22. Thailand 1997
  23. Timor-Leste 1975
  24. Vietnam 1999
  25. Europe (49)
  26. Albania 2001
  27. Andorra 2006
  28. Armenia
  29. Austria 2002
  30. Azerbaijan
  31. Belarus 1994
  32. Belgium 1985
  33. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  34. Bulgaria 2002
  35. Croatia 1998
  36. Cyprus 2002
  37. Czech Republic 1990
  38. Denmark
  39. Estonia 2022
  40. Finland 1999
  41. France 1982
  42. Georgia 2000
  43. Germany 1988
  44. Greece 2015
  45. Hungary 2002
  46. Iceland
  47. Ireland 1993
  48. Italy
  49. Kosovo 2004
  50. Latvia
  51. Liechtenstein 2001
  52. Lithuania 2004
  53. Luxembourg 1992
  54. Malta 1998
  55. Moldova 2002
  56. Monaco
  57. Montenegro 1977
  58. Netherlands 1978
  59. North Macedonia 1996
  60. Norway 1972
  61. Poland 1932
  62. Portugal 2007
  63. Romania
  64. San Marino 1865
  65. Serbia 2006
  66. Slovakia
  67. Slovenia 1977
  68. Spain 1995
  69. Sweden 1978
  70. Switzerland 1992
  71. Turkey 1858
  72. Ukraine 2001
  73. United Kingdom 2001
  74. Vatican City 1890
  75. North America (19)
  76. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  77. Barbados 2022
  78. Belize 2016
  79. Canada 2019
  80. Costa Rica
  81. Cuba 1979
  82. Dominica 2024
  83. Dominican Republic
  84. El Salvador 1974
  85. Grenada
  86. Guatemala 1871
  87. Haiti 1791
  88. Honduras
  89. Mexico 1871
  90. Nicaragua 2007
  91. Panama 2008
  92. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  93. Trinidad and Tobago 2018
  94. United States
  95. Africa (19)
  96. Angola
  97. Benin 2018
  98. Botswana
  99. Burkina Faso 1996
  100. Cape Verde 2004
  101. Central African Republic
  102. Democratic Republic of the Congo 2006
  103. Djibouti
  104. Equatorial Guinea 1931
  105. Guinea-Bissau
  106. Lesotho 2012
  107. Mauritius
  108. Mozambique
  109. Namibia 2024
  110. Rwanda
  111. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  112. Seychelles
  113. Sierra Leone
  114. South Africa 2007
  115. Oceania (10)
  116. Australia 2016
  117. Federated States of Micronesia
  118. Fiji 2010
  119. Marshall Islands 2005
  120. Nauru
  121. New Zealand 1986
  122. Palau 2014
  123. Samoa
  124. Tonga
  125. Vanuatu 2007
  126. South America (10)
  127. Argentina 2001
  128. Bolivia 1999
  129. Brazil 1940
  130. Chile 2022
  131. Colombia 1997
  132. Ecuador 1997
  133. Peru 2012
  134. Suriname 2015
  135. Uruguay 1933
  136. Venezuela 1998
  137. Antarctica (1)
  138. Antarctica

Female equal, male N/A

Equal age of consent is female equal, male n/a in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Turkmenistan 2014
  3. Uzbekistan
  4. North America (1)
  5. Saint Lucia
  6. Africa (2)
  7. Eswatini 1907
  8. Zimbabwe
  9. Oceania (1)
  10. Papua New Guinea

Unequal

Equal age of consent is unequal in 7 regions.

  1. North America (1)
  2. Bahamas
  3. Africa (5)
  4. Côte d’Ivoire
  5. Gabon 2020
  6. Madagascar
  7. Niger 2016
  8. Republic of the Congo 1947
  9. South America (1)
  10. Paraguay

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on equal age of consent is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 54 regions.

  1. Asia (19)
  2. Afghanistan N/A
  3. Bangladesh N/A
  4. Brunei N/A
  5. Iran N/A
  6. Iraq N/A
  7. Kuwait N/A
  8. Lebanon N/A
  9. Malaysia N/A
  10. Maldives N/A
  11. Myanmar N/A
  12. Oman N/A
  13. Pakistan N/A
  14. Palestine Varies by Region
  15. Qatar N/A
  16. Saudi Arabia N/A
  17. Sri Lanka N/A
  18. Syria N/A
  19. United Arab Emirates N/A
  20. Yemen N/A
  21. Europe (1)
  22. Russia Varies by Region
  23. North America (2)
  24. Jamaica N/A
  25. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  26. Africa (28)
  27. Algeria N/A
  28. Burundi N/A
  29. Cameroon N/A
  30. Chad N/A
  31. Comoros N/A
  32. Egypt N/A
  33. Eritrea N/A
  34. Ethiopia N/A
  35. Gambia N/A
  36. Ghana N/A
  37. Guinea N/A
  38. Kenya N/A
  39. Liberia N/A
  40. Libya N/A
  41. Malawi N/A
  42. Mali N/A
  43. Mauritania N/A
  44. Morocco N/A
  45. Nigeria N/A
  46. Senegal N/A
  47. Somalia N/A
  48. South Sudan N/A
  49. Sudan N/A
  50. Tanzania N/A
  51. Togo N/A
  52. Tunisia N/A
  53. Uganda N/A
  54. Zambia N/A
  55. Oceania (3)
  56. Kiribati Ambiguous
  57. Solomon Islands N/A
  58. Tuvalu Ambiguous
  59. South America (1)
  60. Guyana N/A

Spot an error? Visit the region and select "Accurate?: No" so Equaldex's editors can review it.