Laws in Ethiopia
How Ethiopia is classified on 30 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal (limited) Abortion is permitted on limited grounds such as a risk to health.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 21+ Minimum age to gamble: 21.
Daily Life
- Public Smoking Bans
- Partial ban Ethiopia's 2019 law bans smoking in all indoor workplaces and on public transport.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- No ban No ban on testing cosmetics on animals.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Voluntary Voting is voluntary.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
- Same-Sex Activity
- Illegal Same-sex sexual activity is a criminal offence.
- Age of Consent
- 18+ The age of consent is 18.
- Sex Work
- Legal & regulated Selling sex is legal in Ethiopia, while procuring and brothel operation remain illegal.
- Pornography
- Illegal Making, importing, possessing, and distributing obscene or indecent publications are punishable by imprisonment or fine.
- Divorce
- Legal Divorce is legal and generally available, including unilaterally without fault.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Holocaust Denial
- No specific law No specific law against Holocaust denial.
- Flag Desecration
- Criminal offense Defacing the national flag is prohibited under the Federal Flag Proclamation.
- Conversion Therapy
- No ban No legal ban on conversion therapy.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Retained / in use Retained in law and used.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
Substances
- Cannabis
- Illegal Cannabis is illegal for all purposes.
- Drinking Age
- 21+ Minimum age to buy alcohol: 21.
- Smoking Age
- 18 Minimum age to buy tobacco: 18.
- Khat
- Legal Khat is legal and widely cultivated; it is one of Ethiopia's major export crops.
- E-Cigarettes
- Sales banned E-cigarette sales are prohibited.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.