Youth Indicators 1996 / Indicator 5

Indicator 5. Marriage and Divorce Ratios

Marriage and divorce ratios in selected countries: 1960 to 1992

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       Country          1960     1970     1980     1988      1990     1992
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                          Marriages per 1,000 persons in population
United States .......     8.5     10.6     10.6      9.7      9.8      9.3
Belgium ..............    7.2      7.6      6.7      6.0      6.5      5.8
Denmark .............     7.8      7.4      5.2      6.3      6.1      6.2
France ..............     7.0      7.8      6.2      4.9      5.1      4.7
Germany, former West      9.4      7.3      5.9      6.5      6.5      5.6
Greece ...............    7.0      7.7      6.5      4.8      5.9      4.7
Ireland ..............    5.5      7.0      6.4   1/ 5.1      5.1   2/ 4.5
Italy ...............     7.7      7.3      5.7   1/ 5.5   2/ 5.6   2/ 5.3
Luxembourg ...........    7.1      6.3      5.9      5.5      6.1      6.4
Netherlands .........     7.8      9.5      6.4      6.0      6.4      6.2
Portugal .............    7.8      ---      7.4      6.9      7.3      7.1
Spain ................    7.7      7.3      5.9   1/ 5.5      5.7      5.5
United Kingdom ......     7.5      8.5      7.4      6.9      6.5      ---
                               Divorces per 1,000 persons in population
United States .......     2.2      3.5      5.2      4.7      4.7      4.8
Belgium ..............    0.5      0.7      1.5      2.1      2.0      ---
Canada ..............     0.4      1.4      2.6      ---      2.9      ---
Denmark .............     1.5      1.9      2.7      2.9      2.7      2.5
France ..............     0.7      0.8      1.5      1.9      1.9      ---
Germany, former West      0.8      1.2      1.6      2.1      1.9      ---
Italy ...............     ---      ---      0.2      0.4      0.5      ---
Japan ..............      0.7      0.9      1.2      1.3      1.3      ---
Luxembourg ...........    0.5      0.6      1.6      2.1      2.0      ---
Netherlands .........     0.5      0.8      1.8      1.9      1.9      1.8
Portugal .............    0.1      0.1      ---      0.9      0.9      ---
Sweden ..............     1.2      1.6      2.4      2.1      2.3      ---
United Kingdom3/.....     0.5      1.2      3.0      2.9      2.9      ---
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---Data not available.

/1/ Estimated.

/2/ Provisional data.

/3/ Data prior to 1988 are for England and Wales only.

NOTE: Countries collect data on marriage and divorce at different intervals. For purposes of this table, therefore, some countries do not appear on both sections. Data for divorces have been revised from previous years.

SOURCE: Statistical Office of the European Communities, Demographic Statistics, 1988, 1990, and 1994; and various national sources. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Center for Health Statistics, Monthly Vital Statistics Report, various years. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Statistical Abstract of the United States, various years. Demographic Yearbook, United Nations 1960-1992.

Indicator chart and text.

[Indicator 4. Divorce] [Indicator 6. Births]