The age of majority

Have you heard of ‘the age of majority’? In most countries, like the United Kingdom, if you are 18, you are legally an adult. Laws are different in different countries. For example, the age of majority in Indonesia is 15. That means a 16-year-old is not a child any more.

When people reach the age of majority, they are allowed to do what adults can do. For example, they can get married, get a driving licence, vote, etc. But laws about these are different too. In the United States, the age of majority in most states is 18, but you can get a driving licence at 14 in some parts of the country. This difference is true about marriage in some countries. In Scotland, people can get married at the age of 16, while the age of majority is 18.

Another interesting age in law is the school-leaving age! In a lot of countries around the world, you have to study until a certain age. For example, in Ukraine, you cannot leave school unless you are 17 years old.

Some people celebrate reaching the age of majority by doing the things that are allowed or by throwing big parties and inviting all the family. In some cultures, there are special ceremonies for children who have just reached the age of majority. For a lot of people, reaching the age of majority is as important as their first birthday. The difference is that they will remember this birthday!