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Polygamy -

Polygamy is an umbrella term used when someone is married to multiple spouses at the same time. Common in some cultures and religions, polygamy is legally accepted in certain countries but restricted or prohibited in others.

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Polygyny and polyandry -

Some countries have strict laws that define whether only men or only women are allowed to marry into polygamy. When a man has more than one wife, this is called polygyny, and when a woman has multiple husbands, it is known as polyandry.

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Statistics -

Most countries that have legalized polygamy can be found in Africa and the Middle East. For some nations, polygamy is legal only for Muslims. But which countries have legalized it for (almost) everyone? Let’s take a look.

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Afghanistan -

In Afghanistan, polygamy is permitted under Islamic law and allows only men to marry up to four wives. The law mandates that all wives must receive fair treatment, which can include financial support and equal time. However, these regulations are rarely followed.

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Algeria -

Much like Afghanistan, polygyny is also legal in Algeria, and a man can take no more than four wives. To do so, he must seek permission from his current wife and obtain court approval, which is increasingly difficult.

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Bahrain -

Islamic law permits men to have up to four wives, provided each wife is treated and supported equally. Only more traditional families still hold to this, and polygamy is less common today.

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Bangladesh -

Polygamy is legally permitted in the Asian nation of Bangladesh, but it is extremely costly. Certain cities in the country have placed hefty taxes on polygamy, and a man must pay increasing taxes for each new wife he takes.

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Bhutan -

Polygamy is legal only to men in Bhutan, at least when it comes to the law. Women are allowed to marry several husbands under tradition and custom, but they cannot have more than one legal husband. Men, however, can legally marry as many times as they wish.

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Cameroon -

Men often engage in polygyny in Cameroon for the sake of nothing more than status and wealth. Polygamous unions are slowly dying out, but can be most often found in rural areas of the nation. There are no limits on how many wives a man can take.

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Central African Republic - Polygamous unions are legally recognized in the Central African Republic, but more women are becoming increasingly opposed to it. Before marrying his first wife, a man must obtain her permission to marry more wives in the future, otherwise he forfeits the right.

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Chad -

In Chad, polygamy is legally recognized and widely practiced, where about 15% of the population live in polygamous households. Interestingly, there are more Christians in polygamous relationships in Chad than Muslims.

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Djibouti -

Polygamy has been found in various cultures of Djibouti for thousands of years. The country, located in the Horn of Africa, allows only men to marry up to four wives at a time.

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Egypt -

Although polygamy is legally allowed under Islamic law, urbanization and social norms have led to decreasing practice, with less than 1% of the Egyptian population partaking in polygamous marriages. Polygamy in Egypt actually dates back thousands of years, and ancient pharaohs often had hundreds of wives.

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Eswatini -

The Southern African nation of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland) permits men to marry multiple wives, a practice that is deeply rooted in Swazi culture. However, each marriage requires separate ceremonies and obligations, which makes it incredibly costly.

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Gabon -

Gabon legally allows polygamy for men and women under its civil code, but men are usually the only ones who take multiple spouses. Before marriage, couples must state whether they intend to pursue a polygamous relationship in the future, and men are the only ones allowed to retract their decision if they change their minds.

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Gambia -

Polygyny is widely and culturally accepted in the Western African nation of Gambia, where men may marry up to four wives. Older generations in particular consider it be a sign of a man’s prosperity.

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Guinea-Bissau -

Citizens of Guinea-Bissau view polygamy in the same fashion as those in Gambia, where a man’s wealth and success is defined by how many wives he has. The local culture is heavily driven toward men taking multiple wives.

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Indonesia -

Of the 38 provinces that make up the country of Indonesia, 34 have legalized polygamy. Any man, regardless of religion, can marry multiple wives, although the practice has seen rapid decline due to the harsh penalties levied against unlawfully contracted polygamous unions.

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Iran -

Much like other nations under Islamic law, Iranian men can have up to four wives, with strict conditions for financial support and fairness. However, the divorce rate in the country is incredibly high, and can be initiated by either party.

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Iraq -

Iraq also allows polygamy under Islamic law, provided that a man can prove financial stability. Social norms and economic constraints have made the practice less common, though, especially in urban regions.

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Jordan -

Polygamy is legally allowed under Islamic law in Jordan, permitting a man up to four wives if treated equally. Over time, polygamy in Jordan has declined rapidly and is now rarely practiced.

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Kenya -

Kenya passed a bill as recent as 2014 to allow men to marry multiple wives, even though the practice was common and traditional long before then. The rights of women on the matter, however, have been greatly reduced in parliament, and they have no real control over the process.

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Kuwait -

Nearly 8% of all marriages in the Middle Eastern nation of Kuwait are polygamous. As per Islamic law, men are allowed to marry up to four wives, but the practice has seen major decline among younger generations.

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Libya -

Libyan law allows for men to marry multiple wives, but not the other way around. Under the rule of Muammar Gaddafi until 2011, men had to prove their capability in providing for their wives, but this law was overturned in February 2013.

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Maldives -

The archipelago nation of the Maldives legally recognizes polygynous marriages, but only after a court has assessed the man’s financial stability and determined him fit to have more than one wife.

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Mali -

The African country of Mali has the second-highest number of polygamous unions in the world, with 34% of the population living in such a household. Husbands are generally required to obtain permission from their first wives before marrying again, but some husbands circumvent this law with informal “religious” marriages.

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Mauritania -

Under Sharia law, polygyny is permitted in Mauritania as long as a man obtains permission from his existing wives. Mauritania is also known for child marriages, where girls as young as 15 are brought into polygamous unions.

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Morocco -

In 2004, polygamy in Morocco became exceedingly uncommon after the government introduced a law that required men to meet mandated financial qualifications before being able to take more wives. Furthermore, they are also required to obtain legal permission from their existing wives.

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Oman -

While polygyny is rare in Oman, the Middle Eastern nation’s Islamic law allows men to marry up to four wives if they are treated fairly. According to statistics, only one in 20 married men in Oman has more than one wife.

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Palestine -

Polygyny under Palestinian law is explicitly permitted, and (much like other Islamic states) it allows men up to four wives. Under the law of Israeli settlers, polygamy is illegal, while polyandry is forbidden across the board.

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Qatar -

Just like every other Islamic state on this list, Qatar permits men to have up to four wives as long as they can provide equal treatment and financial stability. The practice is less common today, with only 7.8% of marriages being polygamous.

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Republic of the Congo -

In the Republic of the Congo, women have the right to decide whether a potential husband should be allowed a polygynous union before being contracted into the marriage. However, only men are permitted more than one spouse.

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São Tomé and Príncipe -

The island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe has a widely accepted view of polygamy, and almost a quarter of women between the ages of 15 and 49 live in polygamous unions.

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Saudi Arabia -

In accordance with Islamic law, men can marry up to four wives in Saudi Arabia, granted that he shares his wealth with them equally. However, the practice has become increasingly rare in recent decades.

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Senegal -

More than a third of married women in Senegal are in polygynous relationships, since Islamic law allows men to have up to four wives with equal standing. Even the current president of the country, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has two wives (pictured).

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Somalia -

Since Somalia is primarily a Muslim nation, Islamic law allows polygamy and permits men up to four wives. In 2018, a woman (aged 30) was stoned to death in Somalia when it was discovered that she had no fewer than 11 husbands.

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South Sudan -

Polygyny is a common practice in South Sudan, and men condone it widely since the cultural ideology of the country requires families to expand. Oftentimes, this ideology causes men to be unwillingly forced into polygamous unions.

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Sudan -

Sudan also legally permits polygamy within its borders, and it is especially common in rural areas. Previous Sudanese presidents have been known to strongly advocate for polygamous unions in an effort to boost the nation’s population.

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Syria -

Many of Syria’s cities have no laws put in place against polygamy, which makes it a legal practice, but it is heavily restricted across the rest of the nation. A few cities (including Qamishli, Serekaniye, and Kobani) have implemented laws against polygamy, while others have not.

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Tanzania -

Similar to other African nations that allow polygamous marriages, Tanzania also allows men to marry 15-year-old girls. Approximately a quarter of all marriages in the country are polygamous, and men are only allowed to marry after turning 18. In tribal tradition, heterosexual women are allowed to marry each other, but this is not ingrained in the nation’s law.

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Togo -

In Togo, at the outset of their marriage a couple must choose whether they want to have a polygamous or monogamous marriage. Once a decision is made, it cannot be changed after the marriage contract is signed.

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Uganda -

Uganda is one of the few polygamous nations where there are no restrictions in place for polygamy. Men do not need permission to marry wives, and there is no limit on the number of spouses they can take. Pictured here is a man named Musa Hasahya with 10 of his 12 wives. His family also includes 102 children and 578 grandchildren.

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United Arab Emirates -

As per Islamic law, the United Arab Emirates permits men to marry up to four wives, although the practice is extremely rare in this Middle Eastern nation. Women are not allowed to engage in polyandry.

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Yemen -

It is estimated that less than 2% of Yemeni women are in polygamous marriages. Similar to other Islamic nations, Yemen permits men to take up to four wives as long as they are treated equally. Women living in rural or mountainous areas are more likely to contract a polygamous marriage than those living in urban regions.

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Zambia -

The last country on this list that allows polygamous marriages is Zambia, one of the few Christian nations to do so. First wives must consent to the practice of polygyny before they marry, otherwise the husband is not permitted to take other wives.

Sources: (World Population Review) (Refworld) (Pew Research Center) (Britannica)

See also: Things you didn't know about the origins of marriage

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