A look at the countries where gay marriage is legal and at those that are on the way to making it legal.

Yesterday marked the first step towards full legal recognition of same-sex marriage in England and Wales.

With this in mind, Left Foot Forward looked around the world at those countries where same-sex marriage is already legal, at the countries where progress is being made towards same-sex marriage, and finally, at those parts of the world where life is harder for the LGBT community.

The pioneers

Eleven countries allow same-sex couples to marry. Those are:

Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden.

Bills legalizing same-sex marriage have been proposed, are pending, or have passed at least one legislative house in 10 countries:

Andorra, Colombia, Finland, France, Luxembourg, Nepal, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay.

The hall of shame

Laws against homosexual activity are on the books in at least 78 countries:

Africa

1 Algeria

2 Angola

3 Benin

4 Botswana

5 Burundi

6 Cameroon

7 Comoros

8 Egypt

9 Eritrea

10 Ethiopia

11 Gambia

12 Ghana

13 Guinea

14 Kenya

15 Lesotho

16 Liberia

17 Libya

18 Malawi (enforcement of law suspended)

19 Mauritania

20 Mauritius

21 Morocco

22 Mozambique

23 Namibia

24 Nigeria

25 Sao Tome

26 Senegal

27 Seychelles

28 Sierra Leone

29 Somalia

30 South Sudan

31 Sudan

32 Swaziland

33 Tanzania

34 Togo

35 Tunisia

36 Uganda

37 Zambia

38 Zimbabwe

Asia, including the Middle East



39 Afghanistan

40 Bangladesh

41 Bhutan

42 Brunei

43 Iran

44 Kuwait

45 Lebanon

46 Malaysia

47 Maldives

48 Myanmar

49 Oman

50 Pakistan

51 Palestine/Gaza Strip

52 Qatar

53 Saudi Arabia

54 Singapore

55 Sri Lanka

56 Syria

57 Turkmenistan

58 United Arab Emirates

59 Uzbekistan

60 Yemen

In Iraq, there is no law against homosexual acts, but sharia judges have reportedly imposed sentences for homosexual behavior.

In India, enforcement of the law against homosexual activity has been suspended by court action.

Americas

61 Antigua & Barbuda

62 Barbados

63 Belize

64 Dominica

65 Grenada

66 Guyana

67 Jamaica

68 St Kitts & Nevis

69 St Lucia

70 St Vincent & the Grenadines

71 Trinidad & Tobago

Oceania

72 Cook Islands

73 Indonesia (Aceh Province and South Sumatra)

74 Kirbati

75 Nauru

76 Palau

77 Papua New Guinea

78 Samoa

79 Solomon Islands

80 Tonga

81 Tuvalu

Europe

82 Northern Cyprus

Yesterday Left Foot Forward looked back at a history of parliamentary anti-gay bigotry in the UK.

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