EDGE San Francisco

The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) has released the fourth edition of its massive "State Sponsored Homophobia" report.

The most significant change in the 2010 edition: One-sixth of the world’s gays and lesbians were emancipated when India’s Delhi High Court legalized gay sex last July.

Compared to last year’s report which listed 77 countries prosecuting people on ground of their sexual orientation, this year you will find ’only’ 76 in the same list, including 5 that put people to death for their sexual orientation: Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen [plus some parts of Nigeria and Somalia].

One country less compared to the 2009 list may seem little progress, until one realizes that it hosts one-sixth of the human population, as the country in question is India.

ILGA said the 76 nations criminalize "consensual sexual acts between persons of the same sex in private over the age of consent."

When traveling abroad this year, check this list before visiting these 76 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

In addition, gay sex is illegal in the Cook Islands (a self-governing democracy in free association with New Zealand), the Gaza Strip in Palestine, and Northern Cyprus, which is recognized only by Turkey.

To see the full report and maps as well as details on gay equality around the world, visit: ILGA Report: Lesbian and Gay Rights in the World.