Because You Asked

This table lists different countries around the world, and shows the ages at which people of different sexualities can legally have sex.

This table should only be used as general guide - please also read the notes at the bottom of this page.

Country		Male-Female Sex	Male-Male Sex	Female-Female Sex
Afghanistan		18/Married	Illegal	Illegal
Albania		14	14	14
Algeria		16	Illegal	Illegal
American Samoa		15?	15?	15?
Andorra		16	16	16
Angola		12/15	Illegal	Illegal
Antigua and Barbuda		16	16	16
Argentina		13/16	13/16	13/16
Armenia		16	16	16
Aruba		16	16	16
Australia	ACT	16	16	16
Australia	NSW & Norfolk Is.	16	16	16
Australia	NT	16	16	16
Australia	Queensland₁	16/18	18	16
Australia	SA	17	17	17
Australia	Tasmania	17	17	17
Australia	Victoria	16	16	16
Australia	WA	16	16	16
Austria₂		14/16	14/16	14/16
Azerbaijan		16	16	16
Bahamas		16	18	18
Bahrain		16/Married	Illegal	Illegal
Bangladesh		?	Illegal	Illegal
Barbados		16	Illegal	Illegal
Belarus		16/18	16	16
Belgium		16	16	16
Belize		16	?	?
Bermuda		16	18	16
Benin		?	Illegal	Illegal
Bhutan		18	Illegal	?
Bolivia		14f/16m	?	?
Bosnia		16	16	16
Botswana		16f/14m	Illegal	?
Brazil₃		14/18	14/18	14/18
Brunei		14/16	Illegal	Illegal
Bulgaria		14	14	14
Burkina Faso		13	13	13
Burma/Myanmar		?	Illegal	?
Burundi		18	Illegal	?
Cambodia (Kampuchea)		16	?	?
Cambodia		16	?	?
Cameroon		Must be married	Illegal	?
Canada₄		16/18	18	16
Cape Verde		?	?	?
Cayman Islands		?	?	?
Central African Republic		?	?	?
Chad		?	21	21
Chile		14	18	18
China		14	14	14
China - Hong Kong		16	16	16
China - Macao		16/17	?	?
Colombia		14	14	14
Cook Islands		16	Illegal	16
Costa Rica		18	18	18
Cote D'Ivoire		15	15?	15?
Croatia		14	14	14
Cuba		16	16	16
Cyprus		13/17	17 (Illegal in north)	17
Czech Republic		15	15	15
Democratic Republic of the Congo		?	Illegal	?
Denmark₅		15	15	15
Dominica		16	?	?
Dominican Republic		18	18	18
Dutch Antilles		16	16	16
Ecuador		14	14	14
Egypt		18	Illegal	18
El Salvador		18	?	?
Equatorial Guinea		?	?	?
Eritrea		18	Illegal	Illegal
Estonia		14	14	14
Ethiopia		15	Illegal	Illegal
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)		16	16	16
Faroe Islands		15	15	15
Fiji		16	16 (unofficial)	16
Finland₆		16	16	16
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia		16	16	16
France		15	15	15
French Guiana		15	15	15
French Polynesia (Tahiti)		16	16	16
Gabon		18	18	18
Gambia		16	Illegal	?
Georgia (country)		16	16	16
Germany₇		14/16	14/16	14/16
Ghana		16	Illegal	Illegal
Gibraltar		16	18	16
Greece		15	15/17	15
Greenland		15	15	15
Grenada		17	Illegal	17
Guam		16	16	16
Guadelope		15	15	15
Guatemala		18	18	18
Guernsey		16	16	16
Guinea		15	Illegal	Illegal
Guyana		16	Illegal	16
Haiti		18	18	18
Honduras		14/17	14	14
Hungary		14	14	14
Iceland		15	15	15
India₈		14/16	18	18
Indonesia		16f/19m	18	18
Iran		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Iraq		18	?	?
Ireland		17	17	17
Isle of Man		16	16	16
Israel		14-16	14-16	14-16
Italy		14	14	14
Jamaica		16	Illegal	16
Japan₉		13-18	13-18	13-18
Jersey		16	16	16
Jordan		16	16	16
Kazakhstan		18	?	?
Kenya		18	Illegal	18
Kuwait		Must be married?	Illegal	Illegal
Kyrgyzstan		?	?	?
Laos		15	?	?
Latvia		14/16	14/16	14/16
Lebanon		15/18/Married	Illegal	Illegal
Lesotho		?	?	?
Liberia		16	Illegal	Illegal
Liechtenstein		14	14	14
Lithuania		14	14	14
Luxembourg		16	16	16
Madagascar		21?	21	21
Mali		16	?	?
Malta		18	18	18
Malaysia		16/Married	Illegal	16
Marshall Islands		16	16	16
Martinique		15	15	15
Mauritius		15	Illegal	Illegal
Mexico₁₀		12-18	12-18	12-18
Moldova		14	14	14
Monaco		15	15	15
Mongolia		16	?	?
Montenegro		14	14	14
Morocco		15	Illegal	Illegal
Mozambique		?	Illegal	?
Namibia		16	Illegal	16
Nepal		16	?	?
Netherlands		16	16	16
Netherlands Antilles		16	16	16
New Caledonia		16	16	16
New Zealand		16	16	16
Nicaragua		?	?	?
Niger		?	21	21
Nigeria		13	Illegal	Illegal
North Korea		Undefined	Undefined	Undefined
Norway		16	16	16
Oman		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Pakistan		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Panama		18	18	18
Papua New Guinea₁₁		16f/14m/Illegal	Illegal	16
Paraquay₁₂		14/16	16	16
Peru		14	14	14
Philippines₁₃		12/18	12/18	12/18
Poland		15	15	15
Portugal₁₄		14/16	14/16	14/16
Puerto Rico ¹		14	14	14
Qatar		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Reunion		16	16	16
Romania		15	15	15
Russia		16	16	16
Rwanda		18	18	18
San Marino		14/16	14/16	14/16
Saudi Arabia		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Senegal		?	Illegal	Illegal
Serbia		14	14	14
Singapore		16	Illegal	16
Slovakia		15	15	15
Slovenia		15	15	15
Somalia		?	Illegal	Illegal
South Africa ²		16	16	16
South Korea		13	13	13
Spain		13	13	13
Sri Lanka		16	Illegal	16
St. Kitts and Nevis		14/16	?	?
St. Lucia		16	16	16
St. Martin		?	?	?
Sudan		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Suriname		16	18	18
Sweden		15	15	15
Swaziland		18	Illegal	Illegal
Switzerland		16	16	16
Syria		13/15	Illegal	Illegal
Taiwan		16	16	16
Tajikistan		17	?	17
Tanzania		18	Illegal	Illegal
Thailand₁₅		15/18	15/18	15/18
Togo		14	Illegal	Illegal
Tonga₁₆		16/Illegal	Illegal	16
Trinidad & Tobago		16	Illegal	Illegal
Tunisia		20	Illegal	Illegal
Turkey		18	18	18
Turkmenistan		16	Illegal	16
Tuvalu		?	Illegal	?
Uganda		18	Illegal	18
Ukraine		16	16	16
United Arab Emirates		18/Married	Illegal	Illegal
United Kingdom		16	16	16
Uzbekistan		16	Illegal	16
Uruguay		15	15	15
Vanuatu		16	16	16
Vatican State		12	?	?
Venezuela		16	16	16
Vietnam		18	18	18
Western Samoa		16	Illegal	Illegal
Yemen		Must be married	Illegal	Illegal
Zambia		?	Illegal	?
Zimbabwe		12/16	Illegal	12/16
USA	Alabama	16	16	16
USA	Alaska	16	16	16
USA	Arizona	18	18	18
USA	Arkansas₁₇	14/16	14/16	14/16
USA	California	18	18	18
USA	Colorado₁₇	15/17	15/17	15/17
USA	Connecticut	16	16	16
USA	D.C.	16	16	16
USA	Delaware₁₇	16/18	16/18	16/18
USA	Florida₁₇	16/18	16/18	16/18
USA	Georgia	16	16	16
USA	Hawaii	16	16	16
USA	Idaho	18	18	18
USA	Illinois	17	17	17
USA	Indiana₁₇	14/16	14/16	14/16
USA	Iowa₁₇	14/16	14/16	14/16
USA	Kansas	16	16	16
USA	Kentucky	16	16	16
USA	Louisiana₁₇	17	17	17
USA	Maine	16	16	16
USA	Maryland	16	16	16
USA	Massachusetts	16	16	16
USA	Michigan	16	16	16
USA	Minnesota	16	16	16
USA	Mississippi	16	16	16
USA	Missouri	17	17	17
USA	Montana	16	16	16
USA	Nebraska	17	17	17
USA	Nevada	16	16	16
USA	New Hampshire	16	16	16
USA	New Jersey	16	16	16
USA	New Mexico	17	17	17
USA	New York	17	17	17
USA	North Carolina₁₇	16	16	16
USA	North Dakota	18	18	18
USA	Ohio	16	16	16
USA	Oklahoma	16	16	16
USA	Oregon	18	18	18
USA	Pennsylvania	16	16	16
USA	Rhode Island	16	16	16
USA	South Carolina	16	16	16
USA	South Dakota	16	16	16
USA	Tennessee	18	18	18
USA	Texas₁₇	17	17	17
USA	Utah₁₇	16/18	16/18	16/18
USA	Vermont	16	16	16
USA	Virginia	18	18	18
USA	Washington₁₇	16/18	16/18	16/18
USA	West Virginia	16	16	16
USA	Wisconsin	18	18	18
USA	Wyoming₁₇	16/18	16/18	16/18
USA	Travelling citizens₁₈	12/16	12/16	12/16
USA	Military personnel₁₉	16	Illegal	Illegal
Average age*		16	16	16

General notes

If more than one age is given then the law within that country or state varies according to region or circumstances. In particular, some countries have regional laws that may overrule the federal law. Also in some cases the age of consent is lower when partners are of a similar age. Where the symbol ? is used, information is either incomplete or unavailable.

In some countries the age of consent is higher for those taking part in commercial sex. In many countries the age of consent is higher when one partner is in a position of trust with regard to the other, or when one partner takes advantage of the other's immaturity. Age of consent laws often do not apply when the partners are married.

In this table, male-female sex is defined as vaginal or anal sex, and male-male sex is defined as anal sex. In some places the age of consent law applies to any sexual contact.

* The average age of consent does not include countries where it is illegal.

Footnotes

In Queensland, the legal age of consent for anal intercourse is 18 (regardless of gender), while for vaginal intercourse it is 16.
Although the Austrian age of consent is basically 14, it is illegal to have sex with someone under 16 by "exploiting their lack of maturity".
In Brazil, authorities may not choose to prosecute if the younger partner is aged 14 to 17 and does not lodge a complaint.
In Canada, unmarried persons under 18 cannot legally consent to anal sex according to national law, although provincial laws may vary.
In Denmark, sexual intercourse is legal from the age of 15 in most cases. An exception is when the younger partner is an adopted child, step-child, foster child or the older person is entrusted with the education or upbringing of the younger person. In this situation, the younger partner must be over 18.
In Finland, sex with someone under 16 is not deemed sexual abuse of a child if "there is no great difference in the ages or the mental and physical maturity of the persons involved." Similarly in Norway, a prison sentence may not be imposed "if those who have committed the act of indecency are about equal in age and development." In both countries, lesser punishments may nevertheless be imposed.
In Germany, sexual intercourse is legal from the age of 14 in most cases. An exception is when the older partner is aged over 18 and is "exploiting a coercive situation" or offering compensation, in which case the younger partner must be over 16. In addition, it is illegal for someone aged over 21 to have sex with someone under 16 if they "exploit the victim's lack of capacity for sexual self-determination".
India's age of consent for heterosexual sex is 16 except in Manipur, where it is 14. If the partners are married then a lower age of consent applies (13 in Manipur and 15 elsewhere). A law banning "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" was overruled in a Delhi High Court ruling, meaning that consensual homosexual activities between adults are now legal. A full copy of the descision can be found on the Naz Foundation
Although the age of sexual consent in Japan is 13 years of age, prefecture law usually overrides federal law, raising the age up to 18.
In Mexico the federal law varies according to the age gap between partners and is often overruled by regional laws.
In Papua New Guinea, anal sex is illegal in all cases. The age of consent for vaginal sex is 16 for females and 14 for males.
Paraguay sets the age of consent at 14 within marriage and 16 outside of marriage.
The age of sexual consent in the Philippines is 12 for all, but contacts with minors (under 18) are an offence if the minor consents to the act for money, gain or any other remuneration or as the result of an influence of any adult person.
In Portugal it is illegal to perform a sexual act with a minor between 14 and 16 years old "by taking advantage of their inexperience".
Although Thailand's age of consent is usually said to be 15, the laws can be interpreted to allow prosecution for sex with someone under 18.
Anal sex is illegal in Tonga regardless of age and gender.
In some U.S. states a lower age applies when the age gap between partners is small, or when the older partner is below a certain age (usually 18 or 21).
It is illegal for an American citizen or resident to have sex in another country with someone aged under 16, unless the age difference is less than 4 years, in which case the minimum age is 12.
Under some circumstances it is possible for members of the U.S. military to also be charged under state laws.

Disclaimer

We rely on the help of our readers to keep this table as accurate and up-to-date as possible. If you know that the age of consent in your country differs from that given above, and if you can supply good references to prove it, then please contact us. Please note that AVERT will not answer personal enquiries about age of consent.

This page is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used to inform personal decisions. If you are in any doubt about the age of consent law in your region then please seek expert legal advice.

Where Next?

Main sources:

Interpol, ILGA and verified information from our correspondents.

References

Código Penal De Puerto Rico (2004)
Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act(pdf) (2007)

Last updated April 06, 2010

Provided by info@avert.org - website - http://www.avert.org/

Monday, June 28, 2010