Which countries have legalised same sex marriage? Estonia becomes first Baltic nation
Previously, couples were only allowed to have civil unions
Same-sex marriage has been legalised in Estonia
/ Wallace Araujo / Pexels“Everyone should have the right to marry the person they love and want to commit to,” said Prime Minister Kaja Kallas in a statement.
“With this decision, we are finally stepping among… all the rest of the democratic countries in the world where marriage equality has been granted.”
Previously, gay couples were only able to have civil union ceremonies. The new law will come into effect from 2024.
Which countries have legalised same-sex marriage?
Same-sex marriage is legal in much of Western Europe, North America, and South America, as well as Australia, and New Zealand.
It is legal in the following countries:
- Andorra (2023)
- Argentina (2010)
- Australia (2017)
- Austria (2019)
- Belgium (2003)
- Brazil (2013)
- Canada (2005)
- Chile (2022)
- Colombia (2016)
- Costa Rica (2020)
- Cuba (2022)
- Denmark (2012)
- Ecuador (2019)
- Finland (2010)
- France (2013)
- Germany (2017)
- Iceland (2010)
- Ireland (2015)
- Luxembourg (2015)
- Malta (2017)
- Mexico (2022)
- Netherlands (2001)
- New Zealand (2013)
- Norway (2009)
- Portugal (2010)
- Slovenia (2022)
- South Africa (2006)
- Spain (2005)
- Sweden (2009)
- Switzerland (2022)
- Taiwan (2019)
- United Kingdom (2014/2020)
- United States (2015)
- Uruguay (2013)
Which countries still don’t allow same-sex marriage?
Same-sex marriage remains illegal throughout much of Eastern Europe, Africa (except for South Africa), and Asia (except for Taiwan).
What percentage of marriages in the UK are same-sex?
Same-sex marriage was legalised in England and Wales in March 2014, Scotland in December 2014, and Northern Ireland in 2020.
According to Pew Research Center, in 2020, same-sex marriages accounted for 3.3 per cent of marriages in England and Wales, 3.5 per cent in Scotland, and 4.2 per cent in Northern Ireland.
In 2021, 0.2 per cent of people in the UK were in a same-sex marriage and 0.1 per cent were in a same-sex civil partnership, according to ONS figures reported by the Guardian.