In a time when the civilized world is slowly progressing towards equal rights for gays and lesbians, it is interesting to look at this map and see what world regions have the harshest penalties for homosexuality.


Source: Wikipedia


It's striking to see how many countries have penalties as harsh as death, or life in prison. In much of the Caribbean, the penalty is 10 years. In Jamaica, it is "10 years of hard labor".

Fascinatingly, the South African Republic is an exception - same-sex civil marriage has been legal there since 2005.