Homosexual activity

Being gay is illegal in 58 countries and punishable by death in 7.

DATE

Homosexual activity

Homosexual activity refers to consensual sexual activity between individuals of the same sex. While homosexual activity is legal in most countries around the world, there are several countries — mostly in Africa and the Middle East — where it is criminalized to a varying degree. Penalties can range from imprisonment all the way up to death penalty.

Homosexuality is commonly criminalized through sodomy laws (sometimes called a "buggery law" in British territories), which are laws that define sexual acts of crimes. Sodomy laws can sometimes prevent sexual activity between two individuals of the same sex. While some of these laws are not specific to homosexual sex (such as when referring to anal sex), they are usually used to target or criminalize gay people. In practice, these laws are difficult to actually enforce.

In some countries, the language of the criminal codes specifically refers to two men, meaning that lesbian sex is technically legal.

Some sodomy laws and penal codes date back to the 1700s and 1800s. Throughout the 1900s, many countries, US states, and other regions began decriminalizing homosexuality and removing references to homosexuality or sodomy from their criminal codes. This has continued over the past few decades.

Summary

133
Legal
133 regions (68%)
Legal
58
Illegal
58 regions (29%)
Illegal
6
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
6 regions (3%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
Europe
98%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
49 regions (98%)
Illegal
regions (0%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
1 regions (2%)
Oceania
57%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
8 regions (57%)
Illegal
6 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
South America
92%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
11 regions (92%)
Illegal
1 regions (8%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
North America
83%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
19 regions (83%)
Illegal
4 regions (17%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
regions (0%)
Africa
43%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
23 regions (43%)
Illegal
28 regions (53%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
2 regions (4%)
Asia
50%
LEGAL EQUALITY
Legal
22 regions (50%)
Illegal
19 regions (43%)
Varied, unclear, or unknown laws
3 regions (7%)

Timeline of homosexual activity

Number of countries to legalize homosexuality over the past 61 years.

Recent Changes

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

Homosexual activity by Country

Legal

Homosexual activity is legal in 133 regions.

  1. Asia (22)
  2. Bahrain 1976
  3. Bhutan 2021
  4. Cambodia
  5. China 1997
  6. India 2018
  7. Israel 1963
  8. Japan 1881
  9. Jordan 1951
  10. Kazakhstan 1998
  11. Kyrgyzstan 1997
  12. Laos 1990
  13. Mongolia 2002
  14. Nepal 2007
  15. North Korea 1948
  16. Philippines
  17. Singapore 2022
  18. South Korea
  19. Taiwan 1947
  20. Tajikistan 1998
  21. Thailand 1956
  22. Timor-Leste 1975
  23. Vietnam
  24. Europe (49)
  25. Albania 1995
  26. Andorra 1791
  27. Armenia 2003
  28. Austria 1971
  29. Azerbaijan 2000
  30. Belarus 1994
  31. Belgium 1944
  32. Bosnia and Herzegovina 1991
  33. Bulgaria 1968
  34. Croatia 1977
  35. Cyprus 1998
  36. Czech Republic 1962
  37. Denmark 1933
  38. Estonia 1992
  39. Finland 1971
  40. France 1791
  41. Georgia 2000
  42. Germany 1994
  43. Greece 2015
  44. Hungary 1961
  45. Iceland 1940
  46. Ireland 1993
  47. Italy 1890
  48. Kosovo 1994
  49. Latvia 1992
  50. Liechtenstein 1989
  51. Lithuania 1993
  52. Luxembourg
  53. Malta 1973
  54. Moldova 1995
  55. Monaco 1793
  56. Montenegro 1977
  57. Netherlands 1945
  58. North Macedonia 1996
  59. Norway 1972
  60. Poland 1970
  61. Portugal 1982
  62. Romania 2001
  63. San Marino 1865
  64. Serbia 1994
  65. Slovakia 1961
  66. Slovenia 1977
  67. Spain 1979
  68. Sweden 1944
  69. Switzerland 1991
  70. Turkey 1858
  71. Ukraine 1991
  72. United Kingdom 2000
  73. Vatican City 1929
  74. North America (19)
  75. Antigua and Barbuda 2022
  76. Bahamas 1991
  77. Barbados 2022
  78. Belize 2016
  79. Canada 1969
  80. Costa Rica 1971
  81. Cuba 1979
  82. Dominica 2024
  83. Dominican Republic 1822
  84. El Salvador 1974
  85. Guatemala 1871
  86. Haiti 1791
  87. Honduras 1985
  88. Mexico 1929
  89. Nicaragua 2007
  90. Panama 2008
  91. Saint Kitts and Nevis 2022
  92. Trinidad and Tobago 2018
  93. United States 2003
  94. Africa (23)
  95. Angola 2019
  96. Benin
  97. Botswana 2019
  98. Burkina Faso
  99. Cape Verde 2004
  100. Central African Republic
  101. Côte d’Ivoire
  102. Democratic Republic of the Congo 1940
  103. Djibouti
  104. Equatorial Guinea 1968
  105. Gabon 2020
  106. Guinea-Bissau
  107. Lesotho 2012
  108. Madagascar 1972
  109. Mauritius 2023
  110. Mozambique 2015
  111. Namibia 2024
  112. Niger
  113. Republic of the Congo
  114. Rwanda
  115. Sao Tome and Principe 2012
  116. Seychelles 2016
  117. South Africa 1998
  118. Oceania (8)
  119. Australia 1997
  120. Federated States of Micronesia
  121. Fiji 2010
  122. Marshall Islands 2005
  123. Nauru 2016
  124. New Zealand 1986
  125. Palau 2014
  126. Vanuatu
  127. South America (11)
  128. Argentina 1987
  129. Bolivia 1832
  130. Brazil 1830
  131. Chile 1999
  132. Colombia 2000
  133. Ecuador 1997
  134. Paraguay 1997
  135. Peru 1991
  136. Suriname 1910
  137. Uruguay 1933
  138. Venezuela
  139. Antarctica (1)
  140. Antarctica

Male illegal, female legal

Homosexual activity is male illegal, female legal in 15 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Turkmenistan 1999
  3. Uzbekistan 1994
  4. North America (3)
  5. Grenada 1987
  6. Jamaica 1864
  7. Saint Lucia 2005
  8. Africa (4)
  9. Eswatini 1907
  10. Ghana 1960
  11. Sierra Leone 1861
  12. Zimbabwe 2006
  13. Oceania (5)
  14. Kiribati 1977
  15. Papua New Guinea 2002
  16. Samoa 1961
  17. Tonga 1988
  18. Tuvalu 2017
  19. South America (1)
  20. Guyana 1893

Illegal (imprisonment as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (imprisonment as punishment) in 31 regions.

  1. Asia (10)
  2. Brunei 2019
  3. Iraq 2024
  4. Kuwait 1960
  5. Malaysia 1871
  6. Maldives
  7. Myanmar 1861
  8. Oman 1974
  9. Qatar
  10. Sri Lanka 1885
  11. Syria 1949
  12. North America (1)
  13. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1990
  14. Africa (19)
  15. Algeria 1966
  16. Burundi 2009
  17. Cameroon 1967
  18. Chad 2017
  19. Comoros 1982
  20. Eritrea 1957
  21. Ethiopia
  22. Guinea 2016
  23. Kenya 1930
  24. Liberia 1978
  25. Libya 1953
  26. Malawi 1930
  27. Mauritania 1987
  28. Morocco 1962
  29. Senegal 1966
  30. South Sudan 2011
  31. Togo 1980
  32. Tunisia 1913
  33. Zambia 2018
  34. Oceania (1)
  35. Solomon Islands 1978

Illegal (up to life in prison as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (up to life in prison as punishment) in 5 regions.

  1. Asia (2)
  2. Bangladesh 1860
  3. Pakistan 1862
  4. Africa (3)
  5. Gambia 2014
  6. Sudan 2020
  7. Tanzania 1998

Illegal (death penalty as punishment)

Homosexual activity is illegal (death penalty as punishment) in 7 regions.

  1. Asia (5)
  2. Afghanistan 1976
  3. Iran 1979
  4. Saudi Arabia
  5. United Arab Emirates 1999
  6. Yemen 2014
  7. Africa (2)
  8. Somalia 2012
  9. Uganda 2023

Varied, unclear, or unknown laws

Data on homosexual activity is unclear, not applicable, or missing in 6 regions.

  1. Asia (3)
  2. Indonesia Varies by Region
  3. Lebanon Ambiguous
  4. Palestine Varies by Region
  5. Europe (1)
  6. Russia Varies by Region
  7. Africa (2)
  8. Egypt Ambiguous
  9. Nigeria Varies by Region

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