Which countries have legalised same-sex marriage? Ten years since UK's first same sex marriage

Ten years ago on March 29, 2014 the first same sex marriage took place in the UK. In Scotland the date for the first same-sex marriage was December 16.

Northern Ireland followed after regulations were signed off by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Julian Smith, on December 19, 2019 and came into effect on January 13, 2020.

According to the United Kingdom census of 2021, there were 268,522 married same-sex spouses and 133,618 people in same-sex civil partnerships in England and Wales.

Brighton and Hove had the greatest percentage of same-sex marriages of any city in England and Wales.

Last year, Estonia became the first Baltic nation to legalise same-sex marriage and Greece became the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage.

In Greece, same-sex couples are also now able to lawfully adopt children.

Which other countries have also legalised same-sex marriage? Here’s everything we know.

Which countries have legalised same-sex marriage?

Same-sex marriage is allowed 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)

• Estonia (2024)

• Finland (2010)

• France (2013)

• Germany (2017)

• Greece (2024)

• 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, in Scotland in December 2014 and Northern Ireland in 2020.

According to the US based 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.