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HCI 2017

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Most Homophobic Countries 2024

The acceptance and tolerance of homosexual and LGBTQ+ individuals varies widely from one country to another. Some countries are considered quite gay-friendly and offer significant LGBTQ+ rights and protections to their LGBTQ+ populations—for instance, a growing number of countries have made gay marriage legal.

Other countries are less welcoming. In these countries, not only is gay marriage unlawful, but simply being a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be considered a crime—punishable by death in some cases. Countries that follow Sharia law are particularly likely to view homosexuality as a sin worthy of the death penalty. Moreover, even in countries in which homosexuality and other LGBTQI+-adjacent activities are legal, society at large may discriminate against the LGBTQI+ community, even to the point of subjecting LGBTQI+ individuals to violence. Brazil and Iran are often cited as examples of such a scenario.

Creating a list of which countries are the most homophobic is a challenging process due to the facts that homophobia is both difficult to quantify and takes on a myriad of different forms.

The Homophobic Climate Index

Arguably the most scientifically sound measure of homophobia was published in October 2018 by the European Journal of Public Health. This report collected and compiled many data points that fit into one of two categories: institutionalized or social homophobia. Institutionalized homophobia involved the presence and level of enforcement of laws that criminalize or protect same-sex relationships and activities. By comparison, social homophobia tracked the acceptance, tolerance, violence against, and justifiability of homosexuality within society as a whole.

Within this framework, researchers analyzed data from a wide range of sources, such as the Pew Research Center, the World Justice Project, Gallup World Poll, the IMF World Population Outlook, and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Population Division. This data was then compiled into a single number between 0.000 (absolute acceptance) and 1.000 (complete homophobia), titled the Homophobic Climate Index (HCI).

Top 20 Most Homophobic Countries (Homophobic Climate Index 2017):

Country
HCI 2017
Sudan0.957
Afghanistan0.935
Saudi Arabia0.926
South Sudan0.905
Qatar0.897
Nigeria0.884
Guinea0.88
Iraq0.878
Burundi0.873
Chad0.87
Tunisia0.87
Senegal0.867
Morocco0.864
Malawi0.863
Mauritania0.863
Uganda0.861
Eritrea0.858
Sierra Leone0.856
Togo0.853
Angola0.85

The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index

Another respected measure of global homophobia was conceived by the travel website Asher & Lyric, which compiled nearly a dozen data metrics from a myriad of sources to create the LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index. This index tracks country-by-country data for factors ranging from the legality of same-sex marriage and protections against LGBTQI+ discrimination to murder rates of transgender individuals and (where applicable) the legal punishment for same-sex relationships. Like the HCI, the LGBTQ+TSI uses statistical mathematics to combine its various data points into a single score, which in 2022 varied from a low of -200 (most homophobic and unsafe) to a high of 383 (safest and least homophobic).

Top 20 Most Homophobic—and Dangerous for LGBTQI+ People to Visit—Countries (2022 LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index):

Country
Travel Safety Index '22
Canada383
Sweden378
Netherlands374
Malta369
Portugal358
United Kingdom347
Belgium343
Norway343
Spain341
France338

Countries in Which Same-Sex Encounters Are Punishable by Death

Homophobia and general intolerance of LGBTQI+ people takes on extreme forms in some countries. In a small handful of countries, an individual can be put to death for practicing their homosexuality. Each of countries is Muslim-ruled and has a legal system heavily influenced by Sharia law, which does not explicitly mention same-sex relations, but which some Muslims believe can be interpreted as prohibiting same-sex interactions.

Afghanistan

Most LGBTQI+ individuals in this Taliban-ruled country keep their sexuality and gender identity secret out of fear of being harrassed, persecuted, subjected to violence, or executed. Because the ban on homosexuality is rooted in a strict interpretation of Muslim religious law, advocating for LGBTQI+ causes or even discussing the issue is forbidden, which impedes progress.

Brunei

Brunei passed a new penal code in April 2019, which confirmed that the penalty for LGBTQI+ activity was death by stoning. However, after much international push-back, the Sultan announced that the government would not seek to enforce that portion of the law. However, the law was not amended to remove the death penalty. Moreover, while the moratorium on the death penalty remains in place as of late 2022, the alternative punishment of one year in prison or 100 lashes for men (women are subject to any two of 10 years in prison, 40 lashes, or a hefty fine) is also considered a violation of human rights. The 2022 Travel Safety Index declared Brunei to be the most dangerous country in the world for LGBTQI+ tourists.

Iran

As in many countries ruled by Sharia law, any sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage is forbidden in Iran. People found guilty of same-sex intercourse suffer punishments ranging from 31 lashes (for same-sex interactions that fall short of intercourse) to 100 lashes to the death penalty. However, gender reassignment surgery is widely accepted and partially state-funded, which has made Iran one of the world's leaders in gender-reassignment surgeries.

Mauritania

Like many LGBTQI+-unfriendly countries, Mauritania features asymmetrical penalties for same-sex activity. Women who have sex with one another face possible fines and prison terms ranging from three months to two years. Men who engage in same-sex relations, by comparison, can be put to death by stoning. However, the law seems to go largely unenforced and it is believed that no LGBTQI+ person has been sentenced to death for their sexuality since at least 1986.

Nigeria

Same-sex acts can be given the death penalty in Nigeria's Muslim-ruled northern states (though some will give women up to 50 lashes instead) and can lead to 14 years in prison in the mostly Christian southern states. Same-sex PDA is forbidden, as is any conversation centered around LGBTQI+ rights and issues. Nigeria was designated as the second-most-dangerous travel destination in the world for LGBTQI+ people by the 2022 Travel Safety Index.

Pakistan

While current punishments for homosexual activity in Pakistan stop short of the death penalty, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom points out that the country's Hadood Ordinances, which were implemented to bring the country's legal system more in-line with Sharia law, could be interpreted as calling for the death penalty for LGBTQI+ activities.

Qatar

While there have been no known executions for homosexuality in Qatar, the death penalty remains a legal possibility for Muslims. Homosexuality and cross-dressing are viewed quite negatively by Qatari society and the government neither recognizes same-sex marriages nor allows LGBTQI+ advocacy. The website Human Rights Watch has reported that police in Qatar are known to arrest and abuse members of the LBGTQI+ community.

Saudi Arabia

The fourth-most-dangerous destination for LGBTQI+ travelers, Saudi Arabia punishes homosexual activity with sentences that could include public whippings, life in prison, deportation, chemical castration, and death. Illegal same-sex activities include transgendered relations, cross-dressing, and same-sex partnerships or marriage. Nor is hostility toward LGBTQI+ individuals limited to the legal system, as reports exist of the general public inflicting violence upon LGBTQI+ people.

Somalia

Homosexual activity in this war-torn country can result in the death penalty in the region of Jubaland, as well as areas controlled by terrorist al-Shabab forces. The government is known to actively prosecute LGBTQI+-related offenses. Furthermore, the Somali people are reported to be largely unsympathetic to LGBTQI+ individuals and rights, which often results in discrimination and violence from the private community as well.

United Arab Emirates

Much like the United States, each emirate in this Middle Eastern country has its own laws regarding homosexuality and the treatment of LGBTQI+ people. However, emirates including Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi are known to be quite intolerant. Moreover, amendments to national law in November 2021 introduced harsh penalties for actions such as sodomy, extramarital sex, cross-dressing, as well as vaguely defined offenses such as acts which "offend the modesty and public morals" or "incite a life of sin." While the death penalty is not known to have been invoked in recent years, the legal possibility remains.

Yemen

Another country divided by civil war, Yemen is believed to have never adminstered the death penalty as punishment for LGBTQI+ activity. However, current Yemeni law allows for the death penalty for married men convicted of homosexual activity, alongside lesser-but-still-severe punishments including imprisonment and up to 100 lashes for unmarried people.

At least two women or at least two men who engage sexually with one another could receive as much as a three-year prison sentence. For imitating someone of the opposite sex, the government could impose a one-year jail sentence. This country’s laws forbid LGBTQ+ organizations from visiting. It’s labeled the “5th worst” risky place to travel and one of the most homophobic countries.

*Table Notes:

  • In the Homophobic Climate Index (HCI), lower scores are preferable. Therefore, Sweden ranks as the least homophobic country among the 158 countries surveyed, with Sudan ranking as the most homophobic. Also note that HCI data excludes several countries, some of which, such as North Korea and Somalia, which would likely rank high for homophobia.
  • The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index is compiled by the travel website Asher & Lyric. Lower numbers indicate more dangerous conditions.
  • Data on the criminalization of same-sex conduct is sourced from Human Rights Watch and the LGBTQI+ advocate website 76 Crimes and is up to date as of September 2022."
Note: See above for related details about this table.

Download Table Data

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Country
HCI Rank 2017
HCI 2017
Travel Safety Index '22
Criminalized
Notes
SyriaYes
"Unnatural" sexual intercourse may earn its participants up to three years in prison.
Taiwan188No
Somalia-150Yes
Punishment for homosexuality varies by region, but can include death.
Cuba176No
Palestine-106Yes
Homosexual acts may receive up to 10 years in prison.
Puerto Rico210No
Equatorial Guinea40No
Homosexuality is legal, though homosexual marriages are unrecognized.
Fiji86No
Bhutan16No
Bhutan decriminalized same-sex relations In February 2021.
Solomon Islands-85Yes
Buggery and other "indecent acts" may be punished with up to 14 years in prison.
Macau40No
Luxembourg269No
Montenegro141No
Maldives-100Yes
Punishable by up to eight years in prison or 100 lashes.
Brunei-200Yes
Updated Sharia code enacted in April 2019 introduced harsh punishments for gender nonconformity and ...
Belize-12No
Iceland330No
Samoa48Yes
Homosexual intercourse between men may be punished with up to five years in prison.
Curacao50No
Saint Lucia-75Yes
Buggery (anal sex) is punishable by 10 years in prison (consensual), 5 years (attempted), or life (n...
Guam289No
Kiribati-70Yes
Homosexual acts between males may be punished by up to 14 years in prison.
Grenada33Yes
"Unnatural or indecent" acts are punishable with a prison sentence of up to ten years.
Micronesia100No
Tonga-155Yes
Male homosexuality carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Seychelles75No
Aruba138No
Andorra175No
Dominica-57Yes
Homosexual intercourse can result in four to ten years in prison and admission into a psychiatric ho...
Cayman Islands59No
Northern Mariana Islands85No
Saint Kitts and Nevis-52No
Legal provisions that criminalized same-sex relations were struck down by the Eastern Caribbean Supr...
Sint Maarten75No
Marshall Islands110No
Liechtenstein217No
Monaco61No
San Marino238No
PalauNo
Cook IslandsYes
The penalty for anal intercourse between males is a prison term of five to seven years.
NauruNo
Tuvalu-75Yes
Homosexual practices between males may result in up to 14 years in prison.
Sudan10.957-109Yes
Five years in prison for the first two offenses, life for the third.
Afghanistan20.935-147Yes
Same-sex relations are forbidden by Sharia law, which is followed by the ruling Taliban, and punisha...
Saudi Arabia30.926-177Yes
Follows Sharia law, in which homosexual acts are punishable by whipping, banishment, or death.
South Sudan40.905-126Yes
Punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Qatar50.897-137Yes
Follows Sharia law. Homosexual acts are punishable with prison, floggings, or death.
Nigeria60.884-190Yes
Homosexuality is punishable by prison or death. Discussion of LGBTQI+ rights is also illegal.
Guinea70.88-80Yes
Punishment for homosexuality is six months to three years imprisonment.
Iraq80.878-28No
Technically legal, but LGBTQI+ people are often treated unfairly, even violently by non-state actors...
Burundi90.873-45Yes
Homosexual acts are punishable by three months to two years imprisonment as well as fines.
Tunisia100.87-91Yes
Punishment for homosexual activity is three years imprisonment.
Chad110.87-58Yes
Punishment for homosexual acts ranges from three months to two years in prison, as well as fines.
Senegal120.867-67Yes
Homosexual acts may be punished by fines and up to five years in prison.
Morocco130.864-89Yes
Punishable by six months to three years in prison as well as fines.
Mauritania140.863-96Yes
Punishable by imprisonment or death, though the latter is rarely used.
Malawi150.863-163Yes
Homosexuality is punishable by prison, which may be supplemented with corporal punishment such as wh...
Uganda160.861-92Yes
Homosexuality was decalred illegal in May 2021, punishable by life in prison.
Eritrea170.858-75Yes
Punishment for homosexual acts is five to seven years in prison.
Sierra Leone180.856-63Yes
Buggery (anal sex) may be punished with 10 years to life in prison.
Togo190.853-45Yes
Same-sex relations may be punished with fines and up to three years in prison.
Angola200.85213No
Decriminalized same-sex conduct and prohibited discrimination based upon a person's sexual orientati...
Yemen210.848-128Yes
Punishments for homosexuality include 100 lashes, prison, and (for married men) death by stoning.
Gambia220.842-139Yes
Homosexuality can be punished by life in prison.
Zimbabwe230.841-52Yes
Homosexual acts are punishable by up to one year in prison.
Ghana240.838-49Yes
Homosexual acts are punishable with up to three years in prison.
Cameroon250.835-54Yes
Homosexual conduct may earn one both fines and six months to five years imprisonment.
Iran260.835-104Yes
Punishments range from 31 lashes to 100 lashes to death.
Kenya270.834-87Yes
Punishment for homosexual acts between males ranges from five to 14 years, depending upon severity.
Libya280.832-150Yes
Punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
Egypt290.832-96Yes
Punishable by fines and up to three years in prison, as well as admission to a "special reformatory"...
Niger300.8314No
Algeria310.823-75Yes
Homosexual acts, including possession of homosexual materials, are punishable by up to two years in ...
Ethiopia320.823-93Yes
Prison terms of up to 15 years can result.
Liberia330.823-39Yes
Homosexual activity can earn one up to a year in prison.
Tanzania340.822-120Yes
Punishable by five years to life in prison.
Zambia350.821-104Yes
Homosexual acts may receive prison terms of seven years to life.
Comoros360.817-56Yes
Unnatural or indecent "acts against nature" may be punished with fines and prison sentences of two t...
Madagascar370.81626No
Guinea Bissau380.814No
Papua New Guinea390.807-80Yes
Homosexuality may be punished with up to 14 years in prison.
Central African Republic400.799-52No
Myanmar410.797-118Yes
Homosexual relations can earn a punishment of 20 years in prison.
Jordan420.794-30No
Although homosexuality is legal, public acts deemed immodest can be punished with up to 6 months in ...
Kuwait430.794-180Changing
In February 2022, the Kuwaiti Constitutional Court declared a law criminalizing “imitating the oppos...
Turkmenistan440.79-65Yes
Homosexual acts may be punished by up to two years in prison.
Ivory Coast450.785-25No
Benin460.78110No
Gabon470.77920No
Gabon's lawmakers criminalized same-sex conduct in July 2019, but revoked the law in July 2020.
Eswatini480.778-46Yes
Uzbekistan490.777-65Yes
Homosexual acts between males can be punished with up to three years imprisonment.
Azerbaijan500.776No
Armenia510.77564No
Rwanda520.771-29No
Haiti530.76988No
Burkina Faso540.76523No
Homosexuality is legal, though homosexual marriages are unrecognized.
Republic of the Congo550.76416No
Lebanon560.763-58Yes
Punishments for homosexuality include up to one year in prison.
Malaysia570.75-165Yes
Homosexual acts are punishable by prison, whipping, and fines. Non-cis gender expressions are prohib...
Turkey580.74640No
United Arab Emirates590.738-134Yes
Prohibited in all emirates, particularly Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.
Laos600.73545No
Lesotho610.73180No
Oman620.731-145Yes
Homosexual contact and "imitating the opposite sex" (a category trans people would fall into) can ea...
Guyana630.729-175Changing
A Guyana law prohibiting some forms of gender expression was declared invalid by the Caribbean Court...
Mali640.72512No
DR Congo650.725-27No
Tajikistan660.72225No
Suriname670.71171No
Russia680.709-2No
Pro-LGBTQI+ groups are often met with legal challenges and are prohibited from promoting alternate s...
Pakistan690.708-93Yes
Possible punishments range from two years in prison and a fine to life in prison. The country's Shar...
Sri Lanka700.708-91Yes
Homosexual acts are punishable by two to 10 years in prison, depending upon severity.
Kyrgyzstan710.70732No
Indonesia720.7063Yes
Illegal in the semi-autonomous Aceh province.
Kazakhstan730.7013No
Pro-LGBTQI+ groups are banned although homosexuality itself is not.
Cambodia740.794No
South Korea750.69997No
Nepal760.699181No
Djibouti770.69715No
Homosexuality is legal, though marriages between homosexuals are not.
Belarus780.69253No
Namibia790.68748Yes
While same-sex relations remain prohibited, the government in 2021 also outlawed discrimination agai...
China800.6831No
Paraguay810.67929No
Singapore820.67618Changing
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s announced in August 2022 that Singapore would decriminalize same-se...
Botswana830.66998No
The Botswana High Court struck down laws in June 2019 that prohibited same-sex conduct.
India840.66377No
Same-sex relations were legalized in India in September 2018.
Georgia850.658122No
Barbados860.645-93Yes
Homosexual acts can result in 10 years to life in prison.
Timor Leste870.64310No
Moldova880.643110No
Same-sex marriages are still illegal, though foreign same-sex marriages are recognized.
Bangladesh890.642-9Yes
Although rarely levied, punishment for homosexuality is up to 10 years in prison.
Mongolia900.636117No
Jamaica910.635-132Yes
Homosexuality is punishable by years in prison, sometimes including hard labor.
Mauritius920.63215Yes
Anal sex is punishable by two to five years in prison.
Bahrain930.612-15No
While homosexuality has been decriminalized, Pro-LGBTQI+ groups are prohibited.
Vietnam940.6154No
Peru950.607207No
North Macedonia960.602113No
Ukraine970.60280No
Bosnia and Herzegovina980.601123No
Venezuela990.59934No
Bulgaria1000.584128No
Hong Kong1010.58299No
Dominican Republic1020.5791No
Albania1030.577141No
Japan1040.57683No
Panama1050.57253No
Panama legalized same-sex adoption in March 2021.
Latvia1060.565109No
Bahamas1070.56250No
Poland1080.54682No
Thailand1090.533131No
Guatemala1100.533-6No
Honduras1110.53115No
Has one of the highest rates of trans murder in the world.
Mozambique1120.52887No
Homosexuality was decriminalized in 2014, though pro-LGBTQI+ organizations are still prohibited.
El Salvador1130.51118No
Philippines1140.50547No
Nicaragua1150.501122No
Bolivia1160.489223No
Serbia1170.482172No
Estonia1190.472206No
Lithuania1200.472145No
Decriminalized, though actions that fall outside of "established family values" may still be legally...
Italy1210.455168No
Cyprus1220.45192No
Costa Rica1230.444197No
Legalized same-sex marriage in May 2020.
Romania1240.443137No
Israel1250.443220No
Croatia1260.442254No
Legalized same-sex adoption in May 2021.
Chile1270.434312No
Legalized same-sex marriage and adoption in 2021.
Czech Republic1280.429185No
Slovakia1290.429186No
Greece1300.409189No
Ecuador1310.4228No
Germany1320.373259No
Hungary1330.369136No
Though homosexuality is legal, as of May 2020, Hungary offers no way for individuals to change their...
Mexico1340.369173No
United States1350.36267No
Homosexuality is still prohibited by some state laws, though national law legalizing it renders the ...
Austria1360.357305No
South Africa1370.352292No
Australia1380.343307No
Protections against violence and discrimination vary by state and territory.
Brazil1390.338223No
While homosexuality is legal, LGBTQI+ individuals (trans people in particular) are often the victims...
Ireland1400.327294No
Colombia1410.321241No
Argentina1420.298260No
Switzerland1430.288325No
Same-sex marriage effecitvely legal as of July 2022.
Slovenia1440.285242No
Malta1450.284369No
Portugal1460.282358No
New Zealand1470.26323No
Canada1480.252383No
United Kingdom1490.206347No
Uruguay1500.189306No
France1510.18338No
Belgium1520.177343No
Finland1530.168299No
Spain1540.163341No
Norway1550.14343No
Denmark1560.137307No
Netherlands1570.131374No
Sweden1580.112378No
showing: 198 rows

Which country is the most homophobic?

Sudan is currently the country that is most homophobic toward its citizens, but it is dangerous for LGBTQI+ people to even visit the country of Brunei.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources