Countries Where Prostitution Is Legal 2024

	Afghanistan	Illegal
	Albania	Illegal
	Algeria	Limited Legality
	Angola	Illegal
	Argentina	Limited Legality
	Armenia	Illegal
	Australia	Legal
	Austria	Limited Legality
	Azerbaijan	Illegal
	Bahamas	Limited Legality
	Bahrain	Illegal
	Bangladesh	Legal
	Barbados	Illegal
	Belarus	Illegal
	Belgium	Limited Legality
	Belize	Illegal
	Benin	Limited Legality
	Bhutan	Illegal
	Bolivia	Legal
	Botswana	Limited Legality
	Brazil	Limited Legality
	Brunei	Illegal
	Bulgaria	Limited Legality
	Burkina Faso	Limited Legality
	Burundi	Illegal
	Cambodia	Illegal
	Cameroon	Illegal
	Canada	Illegal
	Cape Verde	Legal
	Central African Republic	Limited Legality
	Chad	Illegal
	Chile	Limited Legality
	China	Illegal
	Colombia	Legal
	Costa Rica	Limited Legality
	Croatia	Illegal
	Cuba	Limited Legality
	Cyprus	Limited Legality
	Czech Republic	Limited Legality
	DR Congo	Limited Legality
	Denmark	Limited Legality
	Djibouti	Illegal
	Dominican Republic	Limited Legality
	Ecuador	Legal
	Egypt	Illegal
	El Salvador	Illegal/Legal
	Eritrea	Legal
	Estonia	Limited Legality
	Eswatini	Illegal
	Ethiopia	Limited Legality
	Fiji	Limited Legality
	Finland	Limited Legality
	France	Illegal
	Gambia	Illegal
	Georgia	Illegal
	Germany	Legal
	Ghana	Illegal
	Greece	Legal
	Guatemala	Limited Legality
	Guyana	Illegal
	Haiti	Illegal
	Honduras	Limited Legality
	Hong Kong	Limited Legality
	Hungary	Legal
	Iceland	Illegal
	India	Limited Legality
	Indonesia	Legal
	Iran	Illegal
	Iraq	Illegal
	Ireland	Illegal
	Israel	Illegal
	Italy	Limited Legality
	Ivory Coast	Limited Legality
	Jamaica	Illegal
	Japan	Limited Legality
	Jordan	Illegal
	Kazakhstan	Limited Legality
	Kenya	Limited Legality
	Kuwait	Illegal
	Kyrgyzstan	Limited Legality
	Laos	Illegal
	Latvia	Limited Legality
	Lebanon	Legal
	Libya	Illegal
	Lithuania	Illegal
	Luxembourg	Limited Legality
	Macau	Limited Legality
	Madagascar	Limited Legality
	Malawi	Limited Legality
	Maldives	Illegal
	Mali	Limited Legality
	Malta	Limited Legality
	Mexico	Limited Legality
	Moldova	Illegal
	Monaco	Limited Legality
	Mongolia	Illegal
	Morocco	Illegal
	Mozambique	Legal
	Myanmar	Illegal
	Namibia	Limited Legality
	Nepal	Illegal
	Netherlands	Legal
	New Zealand	Legal
	Nicaragua	Limited Legality
	Niger	Illegal
	Nigeria	Limited Legality
	North Korea	Illegal
	North Macedonia	Limited Legality
	Norway	Illegal
	Oman	Illegal
	Pakistan	Illegal
	Palestine	Illegal
	Panama	Legal
	Papua New Guinea	Illegal
	Paraguay	Limited Legality
	Peru	Legal
	Philippines	Illegal
	Poland	Limited Legality
	Portugal	Limited Legality
	Qatar	Illegal
	Romania	Limited Legality
	Russia	Illegal
	Rwanda	Illegal
	Samoa	Illegal
	Saudi Arabia	Illegal
	Senegal	Limited Legality
	Sierra Leone	Legal
	Singapore	Limited Legality
	Solomon Islands	Limited Legality
	Somalia	Illegal
	South Africa	Illegal
	South Korea	Illegal
	South Sudan	Limited Legality
	Spain	Limited Legality
	Sri Lanka	Illegal
	Suriname	Illegal
	Sweden	Illegal
	Switzerland	Legal
	Syria	Illegal
	Taiwan	Illegal
	Tajikistan	Limited Legality
	Tanzania	Illegal
	Thailand	Limited Legality
	Timor Leste	Limited Legality
	Togo	Limited Legality
	Tunisia	Illegal
	Turkey	Legal
	Turkmenistan	Illegal
	Uganda	Illegal
	Ukraine	Illegal
	United Arab Emirates	Illegal
	United Kingdom	Limited Legality
	United States	Illegal/Legal
	Uruguay	Legal
	Uzbekistan	Illegal
	Venezuela	Legal
	Vietnam	Illegal
	Yemen	Illegal
	Zambia	Limited Legality
	Zimbabwe	Illegal

Introduction

Prostitution, known as the world's oldest profession, is a complex issue that ignites a diverse range of views globally. Present in every corner of the world, prostitution raises questions concerning legality, morality, freedom of choice, and societal norms.

Countries where prostitution is completely legal include Ecuador, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay, Turkey, Indonesia, Panama, Eritrea, Peru, Hungary, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Greece, Australia, New Zealand, Bolivia, Colombia, Cape Verde, Mozambique, and Brazil. These countries have decriminalized all aspects of sex work and do not subject it to special regulations.
Among the countries where prostitution is largely illegal are France, Oman, Russia, Palestine, Sweden, Laos, Philippines, Kuwait, Yemen, Barbados, Egypt and many others. These countries adopt the prohibitionist approach where all aspects of sex work are considered illegal.
"Limited Legality" was observed in various nations, in these countries, some activities related to prostitution are legal, but others are not.
Countries like the United States and El Salvador exhibit a mixed status — "Illegal/Legal." This situation typically arises in countries where the legality of prostitution varies from one jurisdiction to another.
Countries such as Sierra Leone have adopted a more nuanced legalization approach, accentuated by specific regulations around the sex trade.

By Region

Afghanistan

See Less

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Albania

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Algeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Angola

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Argentina

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Armenia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Australia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Austria

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Azerbaijan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Bahamas

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Bahrain

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Bangladesh

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Barbados

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Belarus

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Belgium

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Belize

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Benin

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Bhutan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Bolivia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Botswana

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Brazil

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Brunei

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Bulgaria

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Burkina Faso

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Burundi

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Cambodia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Cameroon

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Canada

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Cape Verde

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Central African Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Chad

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Chile

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

China

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Colombia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Costa Rica

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Croatia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Cuba

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Cyprus

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Czech Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

DR Congo

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Denmark

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Djibouti

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Dominican Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Ecuador

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Egypt

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

El Salvador

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal/Legal

Eritrea

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Estonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Eswatini

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Ethiopia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Fiji

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Finland

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

France

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Gambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Germany

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Ghana

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Greece

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Guatemala

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Guyana

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Haiti

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Honduras

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Hong Kong

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Hungary

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Iceland

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

India

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Indonesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Iran

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Iraq

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Ireland

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Israel

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Italy

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Ivory Coast

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Jamaica

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Japan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Jordan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Kazakhstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Kenya

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Kuwait

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Kyrgyzstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Laos

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Latvia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Lebanon

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Libya

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Lithuania

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Luxembourg

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Macau

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Madagascar

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Malawi

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Maldives

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Mali

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Malta

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Moldova

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Monaco

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Mongolia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Morocco

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Mozambique

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Myanmar

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Namibia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Nepal

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Netherlands

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

New Zealand

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Nicaragua

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Niger

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Nigeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

North Korea

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

North Macedonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Norway

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Oman

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Pakistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Palestine

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Panama

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Papua New Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Paraguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Peru

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Philippines

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Poland

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Portugal

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Qatar

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Romania

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Russia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Rwanda

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Samoa

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Saudi Arabia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Senegal

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Sierra Leone

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Singapore

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Solomon Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Somalia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

South Africa

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

South Korea

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

South Sudan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Spain

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Sri Lanka

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Suriname

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Sweden

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Switzerland

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Syria

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Taiwan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Tajikistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Tanzania

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Thailand

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Timor Leste

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Togo

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Tunisia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Turkey

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Turkmenistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Uganda

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Ukraine

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

United Arab Emirates

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

United Kingdom

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

United States

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal/Legal

Uruguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Uzbekistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Venezuela

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Legal

Vietnam

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Yemen

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Zambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Limited Legality

Zimbabwe

Metric

Value

Rank

Prostitution Legality Status

Illegal

Additional Legality Datasets