What is the youngest legal age around the world?
Asked by: Edison Gaylord | Last update: September 1, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (57 votes)
Age of consent laws vary considerably worldwide. Most countries require young people to be at least 14 before having sex. But there are exceptions. Angola and the Philippines both set the age of consent at 12, which is the lowest in the world.
What country has the youngest legal age?
The lowest age of consent is in Nigeria (11), followed by the Philippines and Angola (12). The age of consent is 13 in three countries – Niger, Comoros, and Burkina Faso. The countries where the age of consent is 14 include a number of South American countries: Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
Is the age of consent 12 in Japan?
Japan also raised the legal age of consent, so that sexual intercourse with someone under 16 is now considered rape. For a long time, the country had one of the lowest age of consent among developed countries.
Where is the age of consent 7?
In 1880, the ages of consent were set at 10 or 12 in most states, with the exception of Delaware where it was 7. The ages of consent were raised across the U.S. during the late 19th century and the early 20th century.
Is the age of consent 14 in Germany?
All Member States establish a minimum age for sexual consent. Most Member States set this between 14 and 16 years. The lowest minimum age is 14 years, set in seven Member States: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Portugal. The highest is set at 18 years – in Malta.
What is the legal Age of Consent around the world?
Is the age of consent 14 in Portugal?
The age of sexual consent in Portugal is, in principle, 14 years of age. The participation of underage persons in pornographic scenes is subject to stricter standards, however, because they are subject to the general regime of adulthood, which was set by the Civil Code at the age of 18.
What is the age of consent in Russia?
Age of sexual consent is 16 years.
What is the age of consent in Africa?
In Comoros, the age of consent is 13 years, and it is 18 years in countries like Kenya, Uganda, Swaziland and Tanzania. In Namibia, it is 14 years, and it is 16 years in countries such as Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and South Africa (Kangaude and Skelton 2018) .
What is the age of consent in Jamaica?
Children under sixteen years of age cannot in law give consent to sexual intercourse and a wide range of other sexual activities. They are however vulnerable to sexual violence and sexual exploitation. It is a criminal offence for anyone to have sexual intercourse with a child who is under sixteen years of age.
What is the age of consent in Pakistan?
Age of Consent: 18 years Pakistan Penal Code Child Abuse Amendment Act Art. 377A.
What is the age of consent in Italy?
Italy. The age of consent in Italy is 14 years, with a close-in-age exception that allows those aged 13 to engage in sexual activity with partners who are less than 3 years older than them.
What is the legal age in the Philippines?
Unless otherwise provided, majority commences at the age of eighteen years."
What country is 13 the legal drinking age?
Around the world, the age when it's legal to purchase or be served most alcohol products varies from 13 in Burkina Faso to 25 in Eritrea. Here's a brief look at how not only the legal drinking age but the culture and parenting around alcohol consumption varies across countries.
What is the age of consent in Ukraine?
In Ukraine, the age of sexual consent is 16 years old.
This means that a person under 16 years old cannot give consent to sexual intercourse, even if such intercourse is voluntary.
What is the age of consent in Islam?
No age limits have been fixed by Islam for marriage according to Reuben Levy, and "quite young children may be legally married". The girl may not live with the husband however until she is fit for marital sexual relations.
Where is the lowest age of consent?
Under 16. The lowest age of consent is in Nigeria (11), followed by the Philippines and Angola (12). The age of consent is 13 in three countries – Niger, Comoros, and Burkina Faso.
Can a 30 year old date a 16 year old in South Africa?
According to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act (2007), the age of consent for both boys and girls is 16 years of age.
What is the age of consent in Korea?
South Korea used to have one of the world's lowest ages of consent at 13. It's now 16. (And in North Korea, it's 15.)
What is the legal age in Japan?
The legal age of adulthood in Japan is 20 years old as of 2020. After long discussions in the Diet, however, it was decided that the age of majority will be lowered to 18 in 2022.
What is the age of consent in India?
The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860 both peg the age of consent at 18 years. This means that all persons under the age of 18 years are uniformly defined as children and the consent of any child, so defined, is deemed irrelevant in law.
What is the legal age in Germany?
From the 18th birthday, a person is considered an adult in Germany. Therefore, they can purchase and consume any alcoholic beverages freely.
Which country has 12 age of consent?
Most countries require young people to be at least 14 before having sex. But there are exceptions. Angola and the Philippines both set the age of consent at 12, which is the lowest in the world.
What is the age of consent in Ireland?
According to Irish law, the legal age for consenting to sexual acts is 17. This means that it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with anyone under 17 and for a person in a position of authority, it is illegal to engage in sexual activity with anyone under 18.
What is the age of consent in Saudi Arabia?
Age of Consent
There is no age of sexual consent as sex is only permitted in marriage. The legal age of marriage is set at 18 years for boys and 16 years for girls. The national legislation does not provide for a close-in-age exemption.