Countries where same-sex marriage is legal

France became the 14th nation to legalize gay marriage when President Francois Hollande signed the bill into law on May 18. While the United States debates the issue, the law has been on the books for more than a decade in some countries. And, like the movement in American states, there has been an acceleration worldwide in equal marriage laws.

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France

French President Francois Hollande signed into law a bill approving gay marriage and single-sex adoption on May 18. The move followed its approval by lawmakers on April 23. Supporters celebrate after the April 23 decision.

Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP/Getty Images

Uruguay

Uruguay's president, Jose “Pepe” Mujica, on May 3 signed a law legalizing gay marriage. The law, which takes effect Aug. 1, followed approval by lawmakers in the South American nation on April 10.

Matilde Campodonico / AP

Denmark

Denmark, the first country to recognize civil unions for gay couples, in 1989, approved same-sex marriages in 2012. Stig Elling and Steen Andersen, partners for 24 years, married days after the parliamentary vote.

Dige Jens / AP

The Netherlands

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalize gay marriage. In the photo, Mayor Job Cohen of Amsterdam unveils a plaque commemorating the first same-sex marriage in the city, which took place just after midnight on April 1, 2001.

Robin Utrecht / AFP/Getty Images

Belgium

In 2003, Belgium became the second country to recognize same-sex marriage, although the law applied only to foreign couples whose countries recognized such unions. The next year, the government passed a law that allowed any couple to marry in the country. The photo shows Marion Huibrecht and Christel Verswyvelen, who became the first homosexual couple to marry in Belgium, celebrating 16 years of official partnership with wedding vows during their civil ceremony in Antwerp.

Mark Renders / Getty Images

Spain

Spain legalized same-sex marriage in 2005 after a hard campaign by the government led by Jose Luis Zapatero. In the photo, people celebrate the approval in parliament of a law allowing homosexuals to marry and adopt children in Spain. The country, which has about 4 million homosexual people, according to gay associations, became Europe's third nation to legalize same-sex marriage.

Pedro Armestre / AFP/Getty Images

Canada

Canada became the fourth country to legalize same-sex marriage after it enacted the Civil Marriage Act in 2005.

Phill Snel / Getty Images

South Africa

In 2006, the South African Parliament approved new legislation recognizing gay marriages, in an unprecedented move on a continent where homosexuality is taboo.

Denis Farrell / AP

Norway

In 2009, Norway's parliament adopted a new marriage law that allows homosexuals to marry and adopt children, and permitted lesbians to be artificially inseminated. In the photo, Kristin Halvorsen of the Socialist Left party stands next to wedding figurines outside the House of Parliament in Oslo, where she celebrated the passing of the same-sex marriage law.

Poppe Cornelius / AFP/Getty Images

Sweden

The Swedish parliament voted to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009, making Sweden the seventh country to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.

Larseric Linden / AFP/Getty Images

Portugal

After neighboring Spain legalized same-sex marriage in 2005, gay rights campaigners put pressure on the Portuguese government to do the same. After passing a bill in 2010, Portugal became the eighth country to legalize same-sex marriage.

Francisco Leong / AFP/Getty Images

Iceland

Iceland's Parliament voted unanimously to pass legislation allowing same-sex marriage in 2010. After passage of the law, Iceland’s prime minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, pictured here, married her longtime partner, making her the firstly openly gay head of state.

Halldor Kolbeins / AFP/Getty Images

Argentina

Argentina became the first country in Latin America to legalize same-sex marriage, after President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner signed the bill into law in 2010.

Daniel Garcia / AFP/Getty Images

New Zealand

The country on April 17 became the first Asia-Pacific nation to legalize same-sex marriages. Here, supporters celebrate at a bar in Wellington.

Marty Melville / AFP/Getty Images

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