The History of same-sex marriages

Denmark was the first country to legitimize civil union in 1989. They could not get married but they were registered as a couple.
In 1993 Norway also legitimized civil union. Two years later Sweden also legitimized civil union. In 1996 Iceland did same. And again after two years in 1998 Netherland legitimized civil unions. France was just after Netherland and I 1999 civil unions.
Nether land was the first land to legitimize same-sex marriages. That happened in 2000. In 2001 same-sex couples in Netherland were allowed to make an adoption.
In 2001 a lot of countries legitimized civil unions. The countries was Finland, Germany and Portugal.
The first same-sex couples got married in USA in 2001.
In the time from 2002 – 2009 lands are expanding their rules for same-sex marriages. In 2006 it is legal for same sex couples to get married in South Africa.

Question:
1 it surprise me that civil union are legal in South Africa.

2 I think that same-sex marriage should be legal as opposite-sex marriages. I do not think that it matter anything if it are two men or women instead of a man and a woman. If they love each other they should have the ability to marriage each other.

3 In Middle east are the hardest punishment agents I think that it is because they are so religious.