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AGE OF CONSENT BY COUNTRY 2021

Age of Consent12131415161718192021
Hover overClick on a tile for details.


What is the age of consent? The age of consent is the minimum age at which a
person is considered legally competent to consent to sexual acts. As a result,
if someone older engages in sexual acts with a minor under the age of consent,
this activity may be considered statutory rape. This is because the person
younger than the age of consent cannot legally say this act was consensual.

Age of consent laws vary considerably worldwide, although most countries require
young people to be over 14 before having sex. Angola and the Philippines at 12,
and several other countries, including South Korea and Japan at 13 (although
Japan has notoriously consent laws that vary in different parts of the country).



Additionally, several countries in Asia and Africa require individuals to be
married before they can legally have sex. These include Libya, Afghanistan, and
Saudi Arabia, all of which are highly conservative on gender and sexuality
issues. While most European countries have 16-17 as the age of consent, several
other European countries, including Malta and Vatican City, also have higher
than average consent laws, requiring young people to be at least 18 before
legally having sex. Austria has Europe's lowest age of consent at 14 years old.

In North America, Aruba has the lowest age of consent at 15 years old, while in
South America, Paraguay, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador all have 14 as the
age of consent. In the United States, the age of consent varies from state to
state, from 16 to 18. Chile, Argentina, and several other countries have the
highest age of consents in the Americas at 18 years old.


AGE OF CONSENT IN JAPAN

Japan has complex laws around the age of consent that vary significantly across
the country. Three primary laws define the age of consent: the Penal Code of
Japan, the Juvenile Obscene Acts, and the Civil Codes. Each of these set out
different definitions of when sexual activity is acceptable, with some applying
to the whole of Japan and others to specific prefectures (Japan is divided into
47 administrative jurisdictions).

The Penal Code of Japan was established in 1907 and sets the age of consent at
13. Any sexual activity with a person under 13 is considered to be statutory
rape and can result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years. However, chapter 34
of the Children Welfare Act also forbids any act of 'fornication' with children
(defined as anyone under 18 years of age).

The Juvenile Obscene Acts, which take precedence over the Penal Code, set out
laws relating to the age of consent for specific prefectures. In some, sexual
activity with anyone under 15 is illegal, but in others, the age is 18. In these
prefectures, engaging in sexual activity with a person under the age of consent
can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years. Although rare, in some
prefectures, even hugging or holding hands with someone underage can be illegal.

The Civil Codes again approach the age of consent at the prefecture-level (and
sometimes municipalities within a prefecture). In Japan, anyone under the age of
20 is not considered an adult, so parental consent plays a significant role in
legal issues affecting young people under this age (for example, no one under 20
can sign a legal contract without parental consent). Concerning the age of
consent, this means that it is illegal to date a person under 20 without written
parental consent. This applies regardless of the partner's age as Japan does not
have a 'close-in-age exemption' concerning the age of consent (i.e. even if one
person is 20 and the other is 19).

Additionally, some prefectures have specific laws beyond those outlined above
that apply only to that prefecture. For example, Tokyo has a Youth Protection
Law that makes it illegal for an adult to engage in sexual activity with anyone
below 17, but this only applies in Tokyo. Although the various age of consent
laws in Japan can be somewhat confusing, the regulations mean that Japan has
among the highest age of consent laws globally, as the de facto age of consent
is widely considered 18, and in some cases, higher. This is despite the national
law putting the age of consent at 13.


AGE OF CONSENT IN GERMANY

According to the Penal Code Section 176, the age of consent in Germany is 14
years old; therefore, individuals 13 or younger in Germany are not legally able
to consent to sexual activity. Such activity can result in prosecution for
statutory rape and prison time ranging from 6 months to 10 years.

The age of consent in Germany is 14 if both partners are under 18. Sexual
activity with a person under 18 is punishable if the adult is a person of
authority over the minor in upbringing, education, care, or employment.

A person who is over 21 may engage in sexual activity with someone who is 14 or
15, so long as the younger individual's lack of capacity for sexual
self-determination is not exploited, in which case the younger individual would
need to file a complaint against the person who is over 21 for a conviction.
Lack of consent or doing so by force in any situation is illegal.

The ages of consent of 14 and 16 were established since the German Empire's
Criminal Code in 1872. When Germany split into West Germany and the Democratic
Republic of Germany after World War II, each territory established slightly
different codes concerning consent. After the reunification of Germany, the age
of consent remained at 14. Code Section 182 was established in 1994, stating
that it was illegal for a person 21 or older to engage in sexual acts with
anyone under 16.


AGE OF CONSENT IN MEXICO

The age of consent in Mexico is 17 years old; therefore, individuals 16 or
younger in Mexico are not legally able to consent to sexual activity. Doing so
can result in prosecution for statutory rape or the equivalent depending on
local law.

Each of Mexico's 20 territories has its own age of consent laws, with minimum
consent ranging from age 16 to age 18 years old.

Mexico does not have a close-in-age consent exemption. This means that two
people under 17 years old who willingly engage in sexual activity are subject to
being prosecuted for statutory rape. This also applies to one partner being 16
and the other 17.


AGE OF CONSENT IN KOREA

According to South Korea's Criminal Act Article 305, the age of consent in South
Korea is 20 years old. This is one of the oldest ages of consent in the world.
Individuals who are 19 years old or under in South Korea are not legally able to
consent to sexual activity, and doing so could result in prosecution for
statutory rape.

Previously, the age of consent in Korea was 13, one of the lowest in the world.
This was controversial and resulted in complicated cases

Note: these ages are in international age, not Korean age.


AGE OF CONSENT IN CANADA

With the Tackling Violent Crimes Act's enactment, Canada's age of consent is 16
years old. The act rose the age in 2008 from 14 to 16, in part, to help deal
with online predators. This was the first time the age was raised since 1892.
The law applies to all forms of sexual activity

The law includes a "close-in-age" exception; therefore, 14- and 15-year-olds can
legally consent to someone who is less than five years older than them, and 12-
and 13-year-olds can consent to a partner if the partner is less than two years
older than them. There must be no relationship of authority or dependency or any
exploitation of the younger person for the consent to be valid.


AGE OF CONSENT IN PAKISTAN

There is no age of consent in Pakistan. All sexual activity in Pakistan is
illegal until marriage. There is no age of consent between married individuals.
The minimum age of marriage for men is 18, and for women, it is 16. In some
instances, women are allowed to marry at 14 years old.

Consensual same-sex relations are criminalized in Pakistan.


AGE OF CONSENT IN CHINA

The age of consent in Mainland China is 14 years old. Individuals under the age
of 14 are not legally able to consent to sexual activity regardless of center or
sexual orientation. Failure to adhere can result in prosecution for statutory
rape.

China's two territories, Macau and Hong Kong, have their own local age of
consent laws. Like China, Macau's age of consent is 14 years old. The age of
consent in Hong Kong is 16 years old.


AGE OF CONSENT IN FRANCE

According to Article 227-25 of the Penal Code, the age of consent in France is
15 years old. Failure to adhere can result in prosecution for statutory rape or
local equivalent, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000
(US$83,226).

The legislation was only recently passed in April 2018 after an uproar regarding
two men accused of having sex with 11-year-old girls. The French government
decided between setting the age to 13 or 15. All ten territories of France have
also set their age of consent to 15.


AGE OF CONSENT IN RUSSIA

The age of consent in Russia is 16 years old. Individuals 15 years old or
younger cannot legally consent to sexual activity. Failure to adhere can result
in prosecution of statutory rape or local equivalent.

Russia's age of consent has changed several times. The Criminal Code of the
Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Republic (RSFSR) stated that consent was when
"sexual maturity" was reached. It was set to 16 years old in 1996 when the
Criminal Code of Russia was established, lowered to 14 years old in 1998, and
then raised again to 16 in 2003.

There is no close-in-age law in Russia. A 15-year-old cannot consent to sexual
activity with another 15-year-old or a 16- or 17-year-old.


AGE OF CONSENT IN ITALY

The age of consent in Italy is 14 years old. Individuals who are 13 or younger
are not legally permitted to consent to sexual activity. Doing so may result in
prosecution for statutory rape or local equivalent. Additionally, it is illegal
to perform sexual acts with an individual under 14 present to witness, even if
the minor does not participate.

The age of consent rises to 16 years old when one partner influences the other
partner, such as a teacher.

Italy does have a close-in-age rule where 13-year-olds can legally consent to
partners who are less than three years older.


AGE OF CONSENT IN THE PHILIPPINES

The age of consent in the Philippines is 12 years old, one of the youngest in
the world. Sexual activity with an individual 11 or under is considered
statutory rape and will result in punishment as such.

The age of consent in the Philippines stirs controversy. Many argue that an
individual of this age does not have the emotional or physical maturity to make
an informed decision about sex. Additionally, individuals under 18 cannot access
safeguards such as contraception or HIV/AIDs testing without parental consent.


AGE OF CONSENT IN AMERICA

The age of consent in the United States varies from 16 to 18 years old depending
on the state. Sexual activity with a partner under the age of consent in that
jurisdiction is considered statutory rape. It can be regarded as statutory rape
in some jurisdictions if both partners are under the age of consent.

Thirty states set the age of consent as 16; seven set it as 17, and 13 set it as
18.

Thirty states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws, or close-in-age laws, legalizing
sexual activity between two partners if they are close enough to one another in
age. The maximum gaps in these laws vary by state. For example, in Colorado, the
age of consent is 17 years old. Fifteen- and 16-year-olds are permitted to
consent to a partner who is up to 10 years older. Those less than 15 can consent
to a partner who is less than four years older.


AGE OF CONSENT IN AUSTRALIA

The age of consent in Australia varies across state and territory jurisdictions.
The age of consent is 16 years old in the Australian Capital Territory, New
South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia.
The age of consent is 17 years old in Tasmania and South Australia.

Sexually engaging with individuals less than 15 years of age can result in
prosecution for statutory rape.

Several jurisdictions have close-in-age exemptions, which can either exempt
qualifying couples from the age of consent laws or can be used as a legal
defense in the event of prosecution.


AGE OF CONSENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The age of consent in the United Kingdom and all 15 of its territories is 16
years old. Individuals 15 or younger are not considered legally old enough to
consent to participate in sexual activity. Sexual activity engaged with an
individual under 16 years old can result in prosecution for statutory rape.

The United Kingdom does not have close-in-age laws. Two individuals under the
age of consent can be prosecuted for engaging in sexual activity.


AGE OF CONSENT IN INDIA

According to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2013, India's age of consent is
18 years old. Individuals 17 or under cannot legally consent to sexual activity,
and doing so could result in prosecution for statutory rape.

In 1892, the age of consent was 10, which gradually rose over time to 18. There
are arguments to have the age of consent lowered to 16 years old, as many cases
of sexual assault reported to the police deal with individuals between the ages
of 16 and 18 who have sex that is consensual and are reported due to the
disapproval of the girl's parents.


AGE OF CONSENT IN THAILAND

As specified in Article 279 of the Thai Penal Code, the age of consent in
Thailand is 15 years old, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Individuals 14 years old or younger are not legally permitted to consent to
sexual activity. Failure to adhere to this law can result in prosecution of
statutory rape or local equivalent.

Thailand does not have a close-in-age exemption.


AGE OF CONSENT IN EUROPE

The ages of consent in Europe vary by country and territory. All ages of consent
are between 14 and 18 years old, with most countries setting theirs between 14
and 16. Only three countries have ages of consent above 16: Cyprus (17), Ireland
(17), and Turkey (18). Additionally, some countries have close-in-age exemptions
while

One should check each country's specific age of consent laws.


AGE OF CONSENT IN SWEDEN

Specified by the Swedish Penal Code, Chapter 6, the age of consent in Sweden is
15 years old. Individuals who are 14 years old and younger are not legally able
to consent to sexual activity. Failure to adhere to this law can result in
prosecution for statutory rape or local equivalent.

Sweden has a close-in-age law that may entirely exempt qualifying couples from
the age of consent law or can provide a legal defense to be used in the event of
prosecution.

Here are the 10 countries with the lowest ages of consent:

 1.  Angola (12 years)
 2.  Philippines (12 years)
 3.  Western Sahara (13 years)
 4.  Comoros (13 years)
 5.  Burkina Faso (13 years)
 6.  Niger (13 years)
 7.  South Korea (13 years)
 8.  Japan (13 years)
 9.  San Marino (14 years)
 10. Liechtenstein (14 years)




AGE OF CONSENT BY COUNTRY 2021

Show Sources
Age of Consent
IndiaNigeriaEthiopiaEgyptVietnamTurkeyTanzaniaKenyaUgandaArgentinaIraqIvory
CoastMexicoUnited StatesIndonesiaRussiaUnited KingdomSouth
AfricaSpainAlgeriaUkraineCanadaUzbekistanMalaysiaGhanaNepalVenezuelaCameroonAustraliaTaiwanSri
LankaThailandFrancePolandNorth KoreaChinaBrazilBangladeshDR
CongoGermanyItalyMyanmarColombiaPeruMadagascarJapanSouth
KoreaNigerPhilippinesAngola1212.51313.51414.51515.51616.51717.518Avg: 15.68




AGE OF CONSENT BY COUNTRY 2021

Show Sources
CSV JSON

Country Age of Consent 2021 Population
Angola1233,933,610Philippines12111,046,913Western
Sahara13611,875Comoros13888,451Burkina Faso1321,497,096Niger1325,130,817South
Korea1351,305,186Japan13126,050,804San
Marino1434,017Liechtenstein1438,250Micronesia14116,254Sao Tome And
Principe14223,368Cape
Verde14561,898Montenegro14628,053Mauritius141,273,433Estonia141,325,185Timor
Leste141,343,873Albania142,872,933Bosnia And
Herzegovina143,263,466Bulgaria146,896,663Paraguay147,219,638Serbia148,697,550Austria149,043,070Hungary149,634,164Portugal1410,167,925Bolivia1411,832,940Chad1416,914,985Ecuador1417,888,475Malawi1419,647,684Madagascar1428,427,328Peru1433,359,418Colombia1451,265,844Myanmar1454,806,012Italy1460,367,477Germany1483,900,473Dr
Congo1492,377,993Bangladesh14166,303,498Brazil14213,993,437China141,444,216,107Monaco1539,511Aruba15107,204Saint
Vincent And The Grenadines15111,263Kiribati15121,392Iceland15343,353Solomon
Islands15703,996Slovenia152,078,724Uruguay153,485,151Croatia154,081,651Costa
Rica155,139,052Slovakia155,460,721Denmark155,813,298Laos157,379,358Honduras1510,062,991Sweden1510,160,169Greece1510,370,744Czech
Republic1510,724,555Guinea1513,497,244Cambodia1516,946,438Syria1518,275,702Romania1519,127,774North
Korea1525,887,041Poland1537,797,005France1565,426,179Thailand1569,950,850Cook
Islands1617,565Palau1618,169Saint Kitts And Nevis1653,544American
Samoa1655,100Marshall Islands1659,610Dominica1672,167Andorra1677,355Antigua And
Barbuda1698,731Tonga16106,760Grenada16113,021Guam16170,179Saint
Lucia16184,400Samoa16200,149Barbados16287,711Vanuatu16314,464Bahamas16396,913Belize16404,914Brunei16441,532Suriname16591,800Luxembourg16634,814Fiji16902,906Eswatini161,172,362Trinidad
And Tobago161,403,375Latvia161,866,942Guinea
Bissau162,015,494Lesotho162,159,079Botswana162,397,241Namibia162,587,344Lithuania162,689,862Armenia162,968,127Jamaica162,973,463Mongolia163,329,289Georgia163,979,765Moldova164,024,019Mauritania164,775,119New
Zealand164,860,643Norway165,465,630Finland165,548,360Singapore165,896,686Turkmenistan166,117,924Kyrgyzstan166,628,356Togo168,478,250Switzerland168,715,494Israel168,789,774Papua
New
Guinea169,119,010Belarus169,442,862Tajikistan169,749,627Azerbaijan1610,223,342Jordan1610,269,021Cuba1611,317,505Belgium1611,632,326Zimbabwe1615,092,171Netherlands1617,173,099Senegal1617,196,301Zambia1618,920,651Kazakhstan1618,994,962Sri
Lanka1621,497,310Taiwan1623,855,010Australia1625,788,215Cameroon1627,224,265Venezuela1628,704,954Nepal1629,674,920Ghana1631,732,129Malaysia1632,776,194Uzbekistan1633,935,763Canada1638,067,903Ukraine1643,466,819Algeria1644,616,624Spain1646,745,216South
Africa1660,041,994United
Kingdom1668,207,116Russia16145,912,025Indonesia16276,361,783United
States16332,915,073Nauru1710,876Cyprus171,215,584Ireland174,982,907Mexico17130,262,216Vatican
City18800Northern Mariana
Islands1857,917Seychelles1898,908Malta18442,784Bhutan18779,898Djibouti181,002,187Equatorial
Guinea181,449,896Gabon182,278,825Gambia182,486,945Eritrea183,601,467Panama184,381,579Central
African Republic184,919,981Liberia185,180,203Republic Of The Congo185,657,013El
Salvador186,518,499Nicaragua186,702,385Lebanon186,769,146Sierra
Leone188,141,343Dominican Republic1810,953,703South
Sudan1811,381,378Haiti1811,541,685Tunisia1811,935,766Burundi1812,255,433Benin1812,451,040Rwanda1813,276,513Somalia1816,359,504Guatemala1818,249,860Chile1819,212,361Mali1820,855,735Ivory
Coast1827,053,629Iraq1841,179,350Argentina1845,605,826Uganda1847,123,531Kenya1854,985,698Tanzania1861,498,437Turkey1885,042,738Vietnam1898,168,833Egypt18104,258,327Ethiopia18117,876,227Nigeria18211,400,708India181,393,409,038Niue191,619Bahrain211,748,296





AGE OF CONSENT BY COUNTRY 2021

Show Sources
 1. Legal Ages of Consent By Country


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