Marriageable age (or marriage age) is the age at which a person is allowed to marry, either as a right or subject to parental or other forms of consent. Age and other requirements vary between countries, but generally is set at 18, although most jurisdictions allow marriage at slightly younger ages with parental and/or judicial approval, or in case of pregnancy. The marriage age should not be confused with the age of majority or the age of consent, or the actual age at first marriage in a particular society. Because child marriage is so widespread in the developing world, many of the official age prescriptions listed below are only meant to be attainable guidelines.
55 countries are parties to the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage, and Registration of Marriages, which requires them to specify a minimum marriage age by statute law, thus overriding customary, religious and tribal laws.
When the marriageable age under a law of a religious community is lower than that of the state ("country"), the state law prevails. However, some religious communities do not accept the supremacy of state law in this respect.
Read more about Marriageable Age: History and Social Attitudes, By Country
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