What countries are gay marriage legal

Most nations are very firm in their outlook regarding gay marriage. Spain Europe Third country globally to legalize same-sex marriage after a vote in its closely divided Parliament. Here are the nations that have already legalized gay marriage, followed by the respective years in which same-sex marriages became legal.

This year, Thailand and Liechtenstein join the list. Fact Sheet. Same-Sex Marriage Around the World Since the first same-sex marriages were legally recognized in the Netherlands innearly 40 other jurisdictions – mostly in Europe and the Americas – have enacted laws allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Sweden Europe Gay and lesbian couples in Sweden previously had been allowed to register for civil unions since Taiwan Asia-Pacific A court ruling prompted a change in the law that made Taiwan the first jurisdiction in Asia to permit gay and lesbian couples to wed.

Thailand has become the first Southeast Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage, joining a list of nearly 40 countries and territories globally. This year, Thailand and Liechtenstein join the list. South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa Only African country where same-sex marriage is legal; several countries on the continent have passed laws in recent years that ban homosexuality.

The map above shows which countries have fully legalized same sex-marriage as of 1 Octoberbut does not show those that have alternative arrangements such as civil unions and/or domestic partnerships. Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage or same-gender marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal sex or gender.

Use the interactive table below to sort the places allowing same-sex marriages by name, region and the year legal same-sex marriage took effect.

Number of countries where

Belgium Europe Second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage after its neighbor, the Netherlands. June 2, Austria Europe A court ruling in eventually led to the change. While gay and lesbian couples can marry, there is not yet a marriage equality law on the books.

Since the first same-sex marriages were legally recognized in the Netherlands innearly 40 other jurisdictions — mostly in Europe and the Americas — have enacted laws allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Same sex marriage Wikipedia

The table also includes some key facts about the process in each jurisdiction. It came into effect in Germany Europe Legislation passed after then-Chancellor Angela Merkel said members of her ruling Christian Democratic Union should vote their conscience even though the party formally opposed same-sex marriage.

Malta Europe Parliament voted almost unanimously to legalize same-sex marriage. The most recent jurisdiction to legalize same-sex marriage is Thailand. Slovenia Europe First country in formerly communist Eastern Europe to legalize same-sex marriage.

Same-sex. As ofmarriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of billion people (20% of the world's population). Netherlands Europe First country to legalize same-sex marriage after its Parliament passed the law in December Norway Europe The law replaced a statute permitting civil unions.

Estonia Europe The law amended legislation recognizing same-sex civil unions and made Estonia the first Baltic country to legalize same-sex marriage. Table of Contents. Mexico Latin America-Caribbean Same-sex marriage eventually became legal nationally after the Supreme Court declared state bans unconstitutional in Inthe federal government directed all local governments to register same-sex marriages.

Greece Europe First majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage. Denmark Europe Same-sex marriage became legal through a separate process in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, in Ecuador Latin America-Caribbean A court ruling made Ecuador the fifth South American country to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed.

United Kingdom Europe Legal same-sex marriage took effect in Northern Ireland insix years after the change in England and Wales. Same sex marriage is legal in 38 countries which have a combined population of billion people (around 20% of the world’s population).