Where In The World Is Same-Sex Marriage Legal?
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- As America awaits the Supreme Court decision on whether to legalize same-sex marriage in the United States, other countries around the world have already approved so-called 'freedom to marry' legislation. Here is a list:
Ireland (2015) Ireland was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote.
Finland (2014) A same-sex marriage was passed in 2014 and takes affect in 2017. Finland was the last of the Nordic countries to legalize same-sex marriage.
Luxembourg (2014) Same-sex partnerships were legalized in Luxembourg in 2004 giving couples the certain fiscal rights but not the right to adopt children.
United Kingdom: England, Wales, Scotland (2013) The Queen of England gave her royal assent to a same-sex marriage bill on July 17, 2013 but would take several months for lawmakers in each country to cast their votes authorizing same-sex couples to actually begin marrying one another. The first same-sex marriages in Scotland began on December 31, 2014.
New Zealand (2013) The Legalise Love campaign was one of many organized to promote same-sex marriage and adoption in New Zealand
Uruguay (2013) Uruguay was the first Latin American country to have a national civil union law and to give same-sex couples the right to adopt children.
France (2013) France's same-sex laws apply to French overseas departments and territories, as well.
Brazil (2013) Before the National Council of Justice legalized same-sex unions in 2013, the marriage laws in Brazil varied from one jurisdiction to another.
Denmark (2012) In 1989, Denmark was the first country to pass a law giving same-sex couples the same rights as married couples. The country's gender-neutral marriage bill was passed decades later.
Argentina (2010) Argentina was the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage.
Iceland (2010) Iceland was the first country to elect an openly gay head of state, Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir.
Portugal (2010) Same-sex couples have the right to marry in Portugal, but they do not have the right to adopt children.
Sweden (2009) Same-sex partnerships were made legal in Sweden in 1995. The 2009 law made same-sex marriages legal.
Norway (2009) Norway's Parliament voted 84-41 to approve a gender-neutral bill that ended the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
South Africa (2006) South Africa was the only nation in Africa to legalize same-sex marriage. French territories such as Mayotte and Reunion are exceptions.
Canada (2005) Passage of The Civil Marriage Act created a gender-neutral definition of marriage.
Spain (2005) Despite opposition from the Catholic Church, the Spanish Parliament voted 187-147 to legalize same-sex marriage.
Belgium (2003) The original bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Belgium was amended in 2006 making it legal for gay and lesbian couples were allowed to adopt children.
Netherlands (2001) The Dutch were the first to legalize same-sex marriage with a Parliamentary vote of 107-33.
Missing from this list is Slovenia, where a marriage bill approved by that country's Parliament is heading to the president for final signature.
