Singapore — Marriage and divorce rates decreased last year according to latest figures released by the Singapore Department of Statistics (Singstat).
In 2018, there were 27,007 registered marriages as compared to the 28,212 registered marriages in 2017. The 4.3 percent decline is attributed to the decrease in civil and Muslim marriages.
Fewer Singaporeans tied the knot last year. Singstat reported that the general marriage rate for males was 43.3 marriages per thousand unmarried males (aged 15 to 49 years) in comparison to 45.7 percent in 2017. For females, the 2018 rate was 40.8 marriages per thousand unmarried females (aged 15 to 49 years) compared to 42.8 percent in 2017.
On the other hand, the divorce rates declined as well. Divorces decreased 3.1 percent in 2018 with 7,344 marriages ended in a divorce or an annulment compared to 7,578 in 2017.
Additionally, the median age for first-time marriages increased from 2008 to 2018. The median age of first-time grooms and brides rose from 29.8 years to 30.2 years and from 27.3 years to 28.5 years respectively.
Interestingly, people were getting divorced at an older age as well. The median divorce age for males was at 43.2 years while for females it was 38.9 years in 2019 in comparison to 39.9 years and 36.3 years respectively in 2008.
Singstat added that inter-ethnic marriages continued on an upward trend. In 2018, inter-ethnic marriages comprised 22.4 percent of total marriages compared to 16.7 percent in 2008.
In response to the Singstat report, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said he was “encouraged” by the decline in divorce rates and promised to “continue to strengthen support for divorcing families.”
Read the full report Statistics on Marriages and Divorces, 2018 on the Singstat website. -/TISG
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