According to the 2020 UNIDOMO questionnaire, Portugal clearly led the list of European countries with the highest divorce rate per 100 marriages. With 91.5 divorces the Portuguese Republic led the list, followed by Spain and Luxembourg. All three countries boast a significantly higher share than the other European countries, each reporting a divorce rate over 80 divorces.

A different way to look at Portugal

While Portugal clearly has the most divorces per 100 marriages, looking at divorce rates per 1.000 inhabitants in other European countries alters the picture of the country as one unsettled by significant numbers of divorces. With nearly 1.7 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants Portugal has roughly the same divorce rate as Germany and the Netherlands. Interesting is furthermore that although marriages in Portugal tend to result in divorce lightly more often as in Luxembourg (80.3%), the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg experienced a 0.6 point higher divorce rate.

What about the rest of the World?

While compared with Latin American countries like Guatemala or Peru, ranked among the countries with the lowest divorce rates in the world, Luxembourg’s divorce rate seems excessive. However, when compared with divorce rates (per 1.000 inhabitants) of countries like the United States (2.7) or China (3.5) divorce rates from Luxembourg and Europe are not out of the ordinary.

As of 2020, Sri Lanka had the lowest divorce rate in the world, with only 0.15 divorces per 1,000 population. Vietnam and Guatemala followed with 0.2 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants. On the other hand, West Bank & the Gaza Strip had the highest marriage rate in the world that year.

Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Per 1000: Divorce Rate data was reported at 1.700 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.730 % for 2016. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Per 1000: Divorce Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 1.280 % from Dec 1947 (Median) to 2017, with 71 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.300 % in 2002 and a record low of 0.730 % in 1963. Vital Statistics: Japanese Only: Per 1000: Divorce Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Japan – Table JP.G005: Vital Statistics.

As of 2023, the divorce rate in China decreased to 2.6 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants. Before 2020, this number had been constantly increasing since 2002. Divorce rate in Asian countries The divorce rate in China soared from around 0.96 divorces per 1,000 people in 2000 to 3.36 divorces in 2019. This is a quite high value compared to the divorce rate of countries in the Asia Pacific region. However, China shares the fate of a growing divorce rate with many other developing countries, while in most developed countries, the number of divorces per 1,000 inhabitants is either stable or falling. For example, the divorce rate in Singapore has been manly stable at 1.9 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants in the last ten years and the divorce rate in South Korea has fallen from 2.5 in 2009 to 1.8 in 2023. In comparison, the U.S. divorce rate has been falling since 1992 from 4.8 divorces per 1,000 people to 2.4 divorces in 2022. Dating scene in China For the younger generations, dating and marriage happens (if at all) at a much later life stage compared to their parents. The fact that China has the highest working hours in the region does not ease the dire situation for singles in China, most of them being employed as professionals or employed in the media sector, where long working hours and high work pressure are quite common.

Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 35 - 39 data was reported at 11.500 NA in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.800 NA for 2016. Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 35 - 39 data is updated yearly, averaging 8.950 NA from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.800 NA in 2016 and a record low of 4.400 NA in 1980. Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 35 - 39 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G007: Vital Statistics: Marriages & Divorces.

State of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bank data was reported at 1.900 NA in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.800 NA for 2016. State of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bank data is updated yearly, averaging 1.300 NA from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2017, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.900 NA in 2017 and a record low of 0.800 NA in 2002. State of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population: West Bank data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s State of Palestine (West Bank and Gaza) – Table PS.G002: Vital Statistics.

Armenia Vital Statistics: Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population data was reported at 1.500 Person in 2024. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.500 Person for 2023. Armenia Vital Statistics: Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.100 Person from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2024, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.500 Person in 2024 and a record low of 0.400 Person in 2000. Armenia Vital Statistics: Crude Divorce Rate: per 1000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Armenia – Table AM.G003: Vital Statistics.

In 2022, the divorce rate for all Benelux countries was very similar; in the Netherlands it was 1.33 percent, compared to 1.7 percent in Belgium and 1.9 percent in Luxembourg. For all countries, the divorce rate had been steadily increasing from 1950 to 1970, before fluctuating significantly in the years afterwards.

Number of divorces and divorce rate per 1,000 marriages, by duration of marriage and place of occurrence, 1970 to most recent year.

In 2020, Latvia, Denmark, and Lithuania had the highest divorce rates among countries in the European Union, at 2.7 divorces per 1,000 population. By contrast, Malta had the lowest divorce rate at 0.5 divorces per 1,000 population.

Egypt Vital Statistics: Number of Divorce Contracts data was reported at 198.269 Unit th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 192.079 Unit th for 2016. Egypt Vital Statistics: Number of Divorce Contracts data is updated yearly, averaging 70.000 Unit th from Dec 1943 (Median) to 2017, with 75 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 199.867 Unit th in 2015 and a record low of 55.000 Unit th in 1962. Egypt Vital Statistics: Number of Divorce Contracts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Egypt – Table EG.G009: Vital Statistics.

Number of divorces and various divorce indicators (crude divorce rate, divorce rate for married persons, age-standardized divorce rate, total divorce rate, mean and median duration of marriage, median duration of divorce proceedings, percentage of joint divorce applications), by place of occurrence, 1970 to most recent year.

Singapore Crude Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Residents data was reported at 1.900 NA in 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.900 NA for 2016. Singapore Crude Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Residents data is updated yearly, averaging 1.600 NA from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.000 NA in 2011 and a record low of 0.800 NA in 1980. Singapore Crude Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Residents data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G007: Vital Statistics: Marriages & Divorces.

Population: Number of Divorces: Shanghai data was reported at 42,951.000 Case in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 30,369.000 Case for 2022. Population: Number of Divorces: Shanghai data is updated yearly, averaging 46,422.000 Case from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2023, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 82,558.000 Case in 2016 and a record low of 22,595.000 Case in 1995. Population: Number of Divorces: Shanghai data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Socio-Demographic – Table CN.GA: Population: No of Marriage and Divorce.

In 2022, the divorce rate in the United States stood at 2.4 per 1,000 of the population. Divorce in the U.S. Divorce is the termination of a marital union. In the United States, as in most other countries, it is a legal process in which a judge or another legal authority dissolves the bonds of matrimony existing between two persons. The process of divorce also normally involves issues surrounding distribution of property, financial support of the former spouse, child custody and child support. A divorce also allows a person to marry again.In the United States divorce is, like marriage, a matter for state governments, not the federal government. Although divorce laws vary from state to state, for example on which terms a divorce can be arranged, a divorce must be certified by a court of law to become effective. A declining divorce rate Over the last couple of years both the marriage rate and the divorce rate have been declining in the United States. As of 2009, the average length of a first marriage in the U.S. was eight years. The average age men were at when they went through their first divorce was 32, for women this was 30. The average length of a second marriage was about 10 years.

Crude divorce rate of Chungcheongnam-do remained constant at 2.3 divorces per 1,000 population over the last 2 years.

In 2016, crude divorce rates were highest in Kazakhstan which was estimated at around three divorces per thousand people. Crude divorce rates were highest in Korea and Australia in year 2000, each amounting to around 2.6 divorces per thousand people.

Crude divorce rate of Lviv Region dropped by 13.04% from 2.3 divorces per 1,000 population in 2009 to 2.0 divorces per 1,000 population in 2010. Since the 3.85% upward trend in 2005, crude divorce rate plummeted by 25.93% in 2010.

Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Females: 40 - 44 data was reported at 8.300 NA in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.400 NA for 2016. Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Females: 40 - 44 data is updated yearly, averaging 5.950 NA from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.800 NA in 2015 and a record low of 2.200 NA in 1980. Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Females: 40 - 44 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Department of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.G007: Vital Statistics: Marriages & Divorces.