Polygamy is legal or formally recognized in almost 50 countries , mainly in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South/Southeast Asia, usually in the form of a man having multiple wives under religious or customary law.

Quick Scoop: Where Is Polygamy Legal?

In most of the world (Europe, the Americas, much of East Asia), polygamous marriage is illegal and only monogamous civil marriage is recognized.

Where it is legal or recognized, it is usually:

  • Polygyny-only (one man, multiple wives), not polyandry.
  • Grounded in Islamic law (Sharia) or customary law , and often only for certain religious or ethnic groups.
  • Subject to conditions like court permission, consent of prior wives, or proof of financial ability.

A simplified regional overview (not exhaustive):

  • Middle East & North Africa – Polygyny is generally legal under Sharia, often up to four wives:
    • Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Yemen.
* Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria (usually regulated; some require first wife’s permission or court approval).
  • Sub‑Saharan Africa – Widely allowed under customary or religious law:
    • Examples frequently cited: Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia, Gabon, Togo, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Eswatini, and others.
* In some of these, there are **dual systems** : civil law recognizes only monogamy, but customary or religious marriages can be polygynous.
  • Asia (especially Muslim‑majority or mixed systems) :
    • Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Brunei, Maldives – polygyny legal for Muslims with restrictions (e.g., court or wife consent).
* Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka – generally legal **only for Muslims** under separate personal law systems.

* Bhutan is sometimes noted: additional wives may be allowed with first wife’s consent, but not fully recognized in the same way as the first marriage.
  • Special / mixed cases :
    • Some countries (e.g., Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the Philippines) prohibit polygamy in civil law , but make exceptions or recognition under Muslim personal law for Muslims.
* A few countries outside these regions may recognize polygamous marriages **only if contracted abroad** , and only for narrow purposes like inheritance or child custody.

Countries Often Listed as “Polygamy Legal”

Sources compiling global lists typically say around 47–50 countries currently treat polygamy as legal or formally recognized in some way.

Commonly recurring examples include (non‑exhaustive):

  • Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sri Lanka, Maldives (plus a few others in similar categories).

Because laws and enforcement shift over time, especially post‑2020, exact lists vary slightly by source , and some distinguish between “fully legal,” “legal only under religious/customary law,” or “recognized if performed abroad.”

Where Polygamy Is Illegal (But Sometimes Tolerated)

  • In the United States , polygamy is illegal in all 50 states and territories, though prosecution often focuses on associated crimes (fraud, abuse) rather than the marriage structure itself.
  • In Europe and most of the Americas , only monogamous civil marriage is valid; polygamous unions, even if religious, have no legal effect.
  • Some Western countries may recognize a polygamous marriage performed abroad for specific issues like immigration or child custody, but not allow you to enter a new polygamous marriage domestically.

Legal vs. Social Reality

Even where polygamy is legal:

  • Actual prevalence varies widely; in some Gulf states, for example, under 10–15% of marriages are polygynous, and rates often decline with urbanization and education.
  • Women’s consent requirements, property and inheritance rights, and registration rules can make it either harder or easier to form additional marriages, depending on the country’s reforms.

Conversely, in countries where it is illegal, you may still find de facto polygamous households or religious ceremonies, but only one marriage has legal status in the eyes of the state.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.