Have you ever stopped to think that age may be a relative thing, and that it is sometimes more closely related to culture than to biology? After all, if your biological was that definite, the drinking age, for example, would be the same everywhere in the world. But that is not exactly the case. Although in most countries the legal drinking age is 18, like in Brazil, this isn’t always the case.
Check out how old you need to be to buy alcoholic drinks in some countries in the Americas:
• Canada: 18 or 19 years old, depending on the province.
• Cuba: 16 years old.
• Paraguay: 20 years old.
• USA: 21 years old.
How old do you need to be to work?
• Australia: It depends on the state or territory, but in general you need to be 13 to work with some restrictions. However, there’s no age limit to work in a family business or the entertainment industry.
• France: You need to be 16 to work.
• Taiwan: You can work legally only at the age of 18.
• UK: You can work part time at the age of 13. But children under that age may ask for a performance license to be allowed to work in the television, theater or modeling industry.
How old do you need to be to drive?
• Colombia: You need to be 16 years old to drive.
• Ireland: You can drive at the age of 17, but 16-year-olds can drive agricultural vehicles that reach up to 45kph.
• Italy: The minimum driving age is 18 years old, but 17-year-olds can drive with supervision.
• Mexico: Although, in general terms, the minimum driving age is 18, 15-year-olds can drive with supervision of a parent, and 16-year-olds can drive with parental consent.
How old do you need to be to get married?
• New Zealand: You need to be 18 to get married without parental consent, but if you have your parents’ approval, you can get married at the age of 16.
• Greece: You can get married at the age of 18. However, there are special conditions, as pregnancy, for example, that would allow marriage to take place before that.
• Israel: 17-year-olds can get married even without parental consent.
• South Africa: 21-year-olds can get married without their parents’ authorization. However, if parents give their consent, girls can get married at the age of 15, and boys 18.
