As of 2025, Sri Lanka had the lowest divorce rate in the world, with 0.15 divorces per 1,000 population. Vietnam and Guatemala followed with 0.2 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants.

In 2023, the European country with the highest divorce rate per 100 marriages was Finland, with more than 55 divorces. At the bottom of the list was Ireland with only 15.5 divorces per 100 marriages.

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.

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.

China Population: Divorce Rate data was reported at 0.256 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.204 % for 2022. China Population: Divorce Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 0.097 % from Dec 1978 (Median) to 2023, with 46 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.336 % in 2019 and a record low of 0.018 % in 1978. China Population: Divorce Rate 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.

Albania Vital Statistics: Divorces: per 100 Marriages data was reported at 15.800 % in 2021. This records a decrease from the previous number of 24.400 % for 2020. Albania Vital Statistics: Divorces: per 100 Marriages data is updated yearly, averaging 13.972 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2021, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 26.100 % in 2019 and a record low of 5.900 % in 1997. Albania Vital Statistics: Divorces: per 100 Marriages data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Institute of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.G003: Vital Statistics.

Portugal was the European country with the highest divorce rate in 2020, counting almost 92 divorces per 100 marriages. However, in 2023, the divorce-marriage ratio decreased to 47 percent. In 2020, the ratio peaked because of the drop in marriages during the coronavirus (COVID-19) related lockdown. Pandemic years registered the lowest numbers of marriages and divorces since 2010 Until 2019, the annual divorce rate in Portugal had been relatively stable at around two divorces per 1,000 residents. Nevertheless, during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the lowest divorce rate so far was recorded at 1.7, which may be explained by the restrictions imposed by lockdowns and the delays in administrative and bureaucratic services. Still, and due to the same reasons, the number of marriages also suffered a steep decline in 2020 to around 18,900, more than doubling in 2022 and surpassing 2011 figures. First marriages and motherhood occur later in life in Portugal The mean age on first marriage of both men and women in Portugal has been increasing at an almost constant pace for years. 2021 marked an inversion of this tendency, with the mean age of men when marrying for the first time decreasing to 34.3 years of age and the mean age of women decreasing to 32.9 years. However, the rising trend in age was quickly reestablished, as 2022 recorded the highest mean age on first marriage for both sexes. Under the same inclination is the average age of women when giving birth to their first child, which was at 30.9 years in 2021, increasing two years of age in relation to 2010.

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.

Qatar had the lowest marriage rate in the world as of 2018, with 1.4 marriages per every 1,000 population. French Guiana followed with one marriage more than Qatar (2.4). Thereafter, Peru and Venezuela counted 2.5 and 2.6 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants, ranking third and fourth, respectively. By contrast, West Bank and Gaza, Fiji, and Egypt had the highest marriage rates worldwide in that same year.

In 2023, *** marriages were registered per 1,000 inhabitants in Russia, compared to *** divorces per 1,000 population. The marriage rate in the country saw an increase compared to the previous year. In 2011, *** marriages were registered per 1,000 Russians, which was the highest number recorded over the period under consideration. What do marriage and divorce rates mean? The crude marriage rate refers to the number of marriages per one thousand population, according to the United Nations Population Division. In total, around ******* marriages were registered in Russia in 2023, while the country’s population was estimated at ***** million in that year. Another indicator relevant to Russian demographics is the crude divorce rate, which is the number of divorces recorded in a year per 1,000 population, as defined by the United Nations Population Division. In total, nearly ******* divorces were registered in Russia in 2023. What do Russians think of marriage? In every age category, most Russians believed that being married and living in a family was most preferable in the society. However, the share of family and marriage supporters was the lowest among 18-to-24-year-olds, measuring at ** percent. Both for men and women, the ideal age to get married was considered in a person’s twenties.

Hong Kong Divorce Statistics: Divorce Decrees data was reported at 19,394.000 Unit in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 17,196.000 Unit for 2016. Hong Kong Divorce Statistics: Divorce Decrees data is updated yearly, averaging 13,129.000 Unit from Dec 1981 (Median) to 2017, with 37 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22,271.000 Unit in 2013 and a record low of 2,060.000 Unit in 1981. Hong Kong Divorce Statistics: Divorce Decrees data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census and Statistics Department. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR – Table HK.G013: Vital Statistics: GHS: RPA: Marriages.

Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 45 - 49 data was reported at 7.700 NA in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.400 NA for 2016. Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 45 - 49 data is updated yearly, averaging 5.650 NA from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.500 NA in 2013 and a record low of 2.100 NA in 1980. Singapore Male Divorce Rate: Per 1000 Married Resident Males: 45 - 49 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.

In 2023, the divorce rate in Poland amounted to *** per **** people. It is a slight decrease compared to the previous year. The highest divorce rate per **** people in Poland was recorded in 2006 at ***. Marriages in Poland In 2023, the number of marriages in Poland amounted to *******, marking a decrease compared to the previous year. The lowest number of marriages was recorded in 2013 at ***** thousand. In 2023, marriage rate per 1,000 inhabitants was measured at *** — thus, an increase compared to 2020. At its highest, this indicator was set in 2008, when it amounted to ***. The number of divorces in Poland has been systematically decreasing since 2011, reaching ****** cases in 2023. For a broader perspective, the figures have increased by over ** percent since 1995. The highest number of divorces in the country happened in 2006 (******). On the other hand, the number of marriages concluded over the same period has decreased by nearly ** percent. Government support program for families "500 plus" Family 500+ program is a systemic support for Polish families. From 1 July 2019, all children up to the age of 18 are entitled to the benefit regardless of income received by the family:- the program offers support for every family, also for single-parents.- the funds are paid out regularly, every month until the child completes 18 years of age. In 2018, the government in Poland spent over ** billion zlotys under the "Family 500+" program, of which the most funds were transferred to families in the Mazowieckie Voivodeship. This program enjoys the support of almost half of the society in Poland. The funds transferred to the families in 2019 were most often spent on clothes and shoes, art articles for school, and additional extracurricular activities. A measurable effect of this assistance was the possibility to develop children's interests by participating in extra activities.

The number of divorces between partners of different genders in Denmark decreased slightly since 2014, when it amounted to over 19,000. It was at its lowest in 2019, with just above 10,000 divorces. In 2023, nearly 12,700 divorces between partners of different genders were registered in Denmark. Spouses in Denmark may divorce if either one or both parties do not wish to continue being together. If one does not agree, they can be divorced after a period of six months of separation. Most Danes have never been married; the number of never married inhabitants was around 2.9 million in 2023.

 Divorces between same-sex partners

Since June 2012, partners of the same gender are allowed to marry in Denmark; the same-sex marriage law was enacted that year. In the period from 2013 to 2021, the number of divorces between women was constantly higher than between men. In 2022, 96 divorces between women and 42 between men were registered in Denmark.

Norway and Sweden

In the past years, the number of divorces in Norway decreased overall from 2010 to 2021. The lowest number during the last decade was registered in 2021. By comparison, the number of divorces in Sweden peaked in 2013, reaching almost 27,000. After that, there was a decreasing trend in the country, the number dropping below 22,000 in 2022 and 2023.

West Bank and Gaza had the highest marriage rate in the world as of 2018, with 10 marriages per every 1,000 population. Fiji followed directly with 9.8 marriages. Thereafter, Egypt and Bahamas counted 9.6 and 9.5 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants, ranking third and fourth, respectively. By contrast, Qatar, French Guiana, and Peru had the lowest marriage rates worldwide in that same year.

2021 saw the highest level of divorce cases registered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2009. Since 2009, divorce figures in the country primarily hovered around *************, peaking at around ***** and ***** in 2014 and 2015, respectively. 2012 saw the lowest number of divorces, with approximately ***** cases. Marriage in the UAE has a pragmatic legal system governing issues such as divorce. Due to its high expat non-Muslim population, it has adapted its judicial system to better serve its diverse communities. Previously, both Muslim and non-Muslim residents were subject to the country’s Islamic courts in matters pertaining to divorce. This changed with the new federal Civil Personal Status Law, which came into effect in *************. The recent rise in divorce cases is in line with the overall trend of divorce cases in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). This trend is understandable, as the number of marriage contracts in the UAE has also increased significantly in the past few years. Social change in the region Social dynamics in the region are seeing visible changes. Recently, countries in the GCC have gradually loosened restrictions traditionally placed on women. The UAE was already at the forefront of this transition, with women playing an active role in both the public and private sectors. More recently, countries like Saudi Arabia have seen a notable increase in the participation of women in the economy. This, however, presents new challenges, such as a discrepancy in average wages between men and women which, as in many other developed economies, remains a lingering issue.

Content

Marriage

This folder contains data behind the story Marriage Isn’t Dead — Yet.

Source for all data is Decennial Census (years 1960 to 2000) and American Community Survey (years 2001-2012), via IPUMS USA.

Except in the divorce file, figures represent share of the relevant population that has never been married (MARST == 6 in the IPUMS data). Note that in the story, charts generally show the share that have ever been married, which is simply 1 - n. In the divorce file, figures are share of the relevant population that is currently divorced, conditional on having ever been married.

Variable names are as follows. Number in variable names are age ranges, so all_2534 is the marriage rate for everyone ages 25 to 34.

Context

This is a dataset from FiveThirtyEight hosted on their GitHub. Explore FiveThirtyEight data using Kaggle and all of the data sources available through the FiveThirtyEight organization page!

• Update Frequency: This dataset is updated daily.

Acknowledgements

This dataset is maintained using GitHub's API and Kaggle's API.

This dataset is distributed under the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1,000 Married Resident Males Aged 20 & Over data was reported at 6.500 NA in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.600 NA for 2016. Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1,000 Married Resident Males Aged 20 & Over data is updated yearly, averaging 6.500 NA from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.800 NA in 2003 and a record low of 3.800 NA in 1988. Singapore Female Divorce Rate: Per 1,000 Married Resident Males Aged 20 & Over 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.

Turkey Vital Statistics: Registry: Crude Divorce Rate data was reported at 1.599 ‰ in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.591 ‰ for 2016. Turkey Vital Statistics: Registry: Crude Divorce Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 1.585 ‰ from Dec 2001 (Median) to 2017, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.696 ‰ in 2014 and a record low of 1.343 ‰ in 2007. Turkey Vital Statistics: Registry: Crude Divorce Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Turkish Statistical Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Turkey – Table TR.G003: Vital Statistics.

In 2022, the marriage rate in the United States stood at *** per 1,000 people of the population. This is a decrease from 1990 levels, when the marriage rate was *** marriages per 1,000 people. Marriage Marriage is a union that can legally, culturally, and financially bind two people. Marriage occurs between all genders, races, and cultures, and is often drastically different all around the world, due to the diversity of cultures and religions. Marriage can be recognized by a state, religious authority, or an organization. Typically viewed as a contract, it brings people together through a multitude of avenues. A part of marriage is the wedding, for which couples can decide to partake in or not. Weddings are also incredibly diverse and vary in time, money, and customs. Marriage in the United States Marriage in the United States is viewed differently across all 50 states. The number of married couples in the United States has been steadily increasing since 1960. On the other hand, the divorce rate in the United States has decreased since 1990. Nevada was the state in 2021 that had the highest marriage rate in the United States, due to easy accessibility to get married there. In 2021, Nevada was also the state with the highest divorce rate in the country.