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

117
Equal
117 regions (59%)
Equal
7
Unequal
7 regions (4%)
Unequal
74
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
74 regions (37%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
92%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
46 regions (92%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
4 regions (8%)
Oceania
64%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
9 regions (64%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
5 regions (36%)
South America
92%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
11 regions (92%)
Unequal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
74%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
17 regions (74%)
Unequal
1 regions (4%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
5 regions (22%)
Africa
22%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
12 regions (22%)
Unequal
5 regions (9%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
37 regions (69%)
Asia
48%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Equal
21 regions (48%)
Unequal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
23 regions (52%)

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 107 regions.

  1. Asia (19)
  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. Mongolia 1992
  13. Nepal
  14. North Korea 2009
  15. Philippines
  16. Singapore
  17. South Korea
  18. Taiwan 1947
  19. Thailand 1997
  20. Vietnam 1999
  21. Europe (46)
  22. Albania 2001
  23. Andorra 2006
  24. Armenia
  25. Austria 2002
  26. Azerbaijan
  27. Belarus 1994
  28. Belgium 1985
  29. Bosnia and Herzegovina
  30. Croatia 1998
  31. Cyprus 2002
  32. Czech Republic 1990
  33. Denmark
  34. Estonia 2022
  35. Finland 1999
  36. France 1982
  37. Georgia 2000
  38. Germany 1988
  39. Greece 2015
  40. Hungary 2002
  41. Iceland
  42. Ireland 1993
  43. Italy
  44. Kosovo 2004
  45. Liechtenstein 2001
  46. Lithuania 2004
  47. Luxembourg 1992
  48. Malta 1998
  49. Moldova 2002
  50. Monaco
  51. Montenegro 1977
  52. Netherlands 1978
  53. North Macedonia 1996
  54. Norway 1972
  55. Poland 1932
  56. Portugal 2007
  57. Romania
  58. San Marino 1865
  59. Serbia 2006
  60. Slovakia
  61. Slovenia 1977
  62. Spain 1995
  63. Sweden 1978
  64. Switzerland 1992
  65. Turkey 1858
  66. Ukraine 2001
  67. United Kingdom 2001
  68. North America (15)
  69. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  70. Barbados 2022
  71. Belize 2016
  72. Canada 2019
  73. Costa Rica
  74. Cuba 1979
  75. Dominica 2024
  76. Dominican Republic
  77. Haiti 1791
  78. Honduras
  79. Mexico 1871
  80. Panama 2008
  81. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  82. Trinidad and Tobago 2018
  83. United States
  84. Africa (10)
  85. Benin 2018
  86. Cape Verde 2004
  87. Djibouti
  88. Equatorial Guinea 1931
  89. Guinea-Bissau
  90. Mozambique
  91. Namibia 2024
  92. Rwanda
  93. Sierra Leone
  94. South Africa 2007
  95. Oceania (6)
  96. Australia 2016
  97. Federated States of Micronesia
  98. Fiji 2010
  99. Marshall Islands 2005
  100. New Zealand 1986
  101. Vanuatu 2007
  102. South America (10)
  103. Argentina 2001
  104. Bolivia 1999
  105. Brazil 1940
  106. Chile 2022
  107. Colombia 1997
  108. Ecuador 1997
  109. Peru 2012
  110. Suriname 2015
  111. Uruguay 1933
  112. Venezuela
  113. Antarctica (1)
  114. Antarctica

Female equal, male N/A

Equal age of consent is female equal, male n/a in 10 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Turkmenistan 2014
  3. Uzbekistan
  4. North America (2)
  5. Jamaica
  6. Saint Lucia
  7. Africa (2)
  8. Eswatini 1907
  9. Zimbabwe
  10. Oceania (3)
  11. Kiribati
  12. Papua New Guinea
  13. Tuvalu
  14. South America (1)
  15. Guyana

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 1972
  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 74 regions.

  1. Asia (23)
  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. Kyrgyzstan
  9. Laos
  10. Lebanon N/A
  11. Malaysia N/A
  12. Maldives N/A
  13. Myanmar N/A
  14. Oman N/A
  15. Pakistan N/A
  16. Palestine Varies by Region
  17. Qatar N/A
  18. Saudi Arabia N/A
  19. Sri Lanka N/A
  20. Syria N/A
  21. Tajikistan
  22. Timor-Leste
  23. United Arab Emirates N/A
  24. Yemen N/A
  25. Europe (4)
  26. Bulgaria
  27. Latvia
  28. Russia Varies by Region
  29. Vatican City
  30. North America (5)
  31. El Salvador
  32. Grenada
  33. Guatemala
  34. Nicaragua
  35. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines N/A
  36. Africa (37)
  37. Algeria N/A
  38. Angola
  39. Botswana
  40. Burkina Faso
  41. Burundi N/A
  42. Cameroon N/A
  43. Central African Republic
  44. Chad N/A
  45. Comoros N/A
  46. Democratic Republic of the Congo
  47. Egypt N/A
  48. Eritrea N/A
  49. Ethiopia N/A
  50. Gambia N/A
  51. Ghana N/A
  52. Guinea N/A
  53. Kenya N/A
  54. Lesotho
  55. Liberia N/A
  56. Libya N/A
  57. Malawi N/A
  58. Mali N/A
  59. Mauritania N/A
  60. Mauritius
  61. Morocco N/A
  62. Nigeria N/A
  63. Sao Tome and Principe
  64. Senegal N/A
  65. Seychelles
  66. Somalia N/A
  67. South Sudan N/A
  68. Sudan N/A
  69. Tanzania N/A
  70. Togo N/A
  71. Tunisia N/A
  72. Uganda N/A
  73. Zambia N/A
  74. Oceania (5)
  75. Nauru
  76. Palau
  77. Samoa
  78. Solomon Islands N/A
  79. Tonga

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