Statistics and indicators on women and men

 
Table 2b. Indicators on marriage
Last update: June 2009
Country or area
Year
Source
Albania
2001
9.6
 
0.9
 
23
27
CEN
 
Algeria
1992
3.6
 
...
 
26
...
SRV
 
Argentina
1991
12.4
 
2.7
 
23
26
CEN
 
Armenia
2001
7.9
 
0.8
 
23
27
CEN
 
Australia
2001
0.5
 
0.1
 
29
31
EST
 
Austria
2001
1.2
 
0.3
 
29
32
CEN
 
Azerbaijan
1999
12.8
 
2.5
 
24
27
CEN
 
Bahamas
1990
3.7
 
0.9
 
27
29
CEN
 
Bahrain
2001
4.2
 
0.3
 
26
30
CEN
 
Bangladesh
2004
47.9
 
...
 
19
...
DHS
 
Barbados
1990
0.6
 
0.2
 
32
34
CEN
 
Belarus
1999
6.3
 
1.0
 
23
25
CEN
 
Belgium
2001
0.1
 
...
 
30
...
CEN
 
Belize
1991
7.9
 
1.4
 
26
28
CEN
 
Benin
2001
23.9
 
1.3
 
20
26
DHS
 
Bhutan
1990
26.6
 
7.9
 
20
24
SRV
 
Bolivia
2003
12.4
 
4.0
 
23
24
DHS
 
Botswana
2001
4.4
 
1.0
 
27
32
CEN
 
Brazil
2000
16.6
 
3.6
 
23
26
CEN
 
Brunei Darussalam
1991
8.0
 
1.2
 
25
27
CEN
 
Bulgaria
2001
10.0
 
2.0
 
24
28
CEN
 
Burkina Faso
2003
32.3
 
1.1
 
19
26
DHS
 
Burundi
1990
7.0
 
0.8
 
22
26
CEN
 
Cambodia
2000
12.9
 
...
 
22
...
DHS
 
Cameroon
2004
33.2
 
...
 
20
...
DHS
 
Canada
2004
2.9
 
0.9
 
27
29
EST
 
Cape Verde
1990
6.7
 
1.1
 
26
28
CEN
 
Central African Republic
1995
42.3
 
8.1
 
19
24
DHS
 
Chad
2004
45.3
 
1.1
 
18
24
DHS
 
Chile
1992
11.7
 
5.3
 
23
26
CEN
 
China
2000
1.2
 
0.3
 
23
25
CEN
 
China, Hong Kong SAR
1996
1.7
 
0.8
 
29
31
CEN
 
China, Macao SAR
1991
2.3
 
0.8
 
26
28
CEN
 
Colombia
2005
17.2
 
...
 
23
...
DHS
 
Comoros
1996
11.5
 
3.1
 
24
28
DHS
 
Costa Rica
2003
11.5
 
3.2
 
23
27
EST
 
Croatia
2001
2.4
 
0.3
 
26
30
CEN
 
Cyprus
2001
2.8
 
0.7
 
25
29
CEN
 
Czech Republic
2004
0.4
 
0.1
 
28
30
EST
 
Denmark
2005
0.2
 
0.0
 
31
33
CEN
 
Dominican Republic
2002
24.6
 
4.6
 
21
26
CEN
 
Ecuador
2001
22.0
 
7.0
 
22
25
CEN
 
Egypt
2000
11.9
 
...
 
23
...
DHS
 
El Salvador
2000
15.9
 
4.5
 
22
25
CEN
 
Eritrea
2002
31.0
 
...
 
21
...
DHS
 
Estonia
2001
1.4
 
0.4
 
28
30
CEN
 
Ethiopia
2000
30.0
 
3.4
 
21
26
DHS
 
Fiji
1996
10.3
 
1.8
 
23
26
CEN
 
Finland
2004
0.5
 
0.1
 
31
32
EST
 
France
2003
0.3
 
0.0
 
31
33
EST
 
French Guiana
1999
0.8
 
0.0
 
32
34
CEN
 
French Polynesia
1996
1.5
 
0.3
 
30
32
CEN
 
Gabon
2000
22.4
 
4.0
 
22
26
DHS
 
Gambia
1993
38.8
 
1.7
 
20
28
CEN
 
Georgia
1999
15.8
 
...
 
22
...
CEN
 
Germany
2001
0.3
 
0.0
 
30
33
EST
 
Ghana
2003
13.7
 
1.0
 
22
27
DHS
 
Greece
2001
3.6
 
0.8
 
27
31
CEN
 
Guadeloupe
1999
0.8
 
0.2
 
32
34
CEN
 
Guam
1990
5.8
 
2.1
 
24
27
CEN
 
Guatemala
1998
26.0
 
...
 
20
...
DHS
 
Guinea
1999
46.1
 
2.4
 
19
28
SRV
 
Guyana
1991
6.9
 
0.9
 
28
30
CEN
 
Haiti
2000
19.4
 
...
 
22
...
DHS
 
Honduras
1996
30.5
 
...
 
20
...
NEFHS
 
Hungary
2003
1.1
 
0.2
 
28
31
EST
 
Iceland
2003
1.4
 
0.3
 
28
29
EST
 
India
1998
30.0
 
4.1
 
20
25
NFHS
 
Indonesia
2003
14.6
 
...
 
22
...
DHS
 
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
1996
17.9
 
2.6
 
22
25
CEN
 
Iraq
1997
11.6
 
2.2
 
25
28
CEN
 
Ireland
2002
0.3
 
0.1
 
31
32
CEN
 
Israel
2003
2.7
 
0.2
 
26
29
EST
 
Italy
2002
0.7
 
0.1
 
29
32
EST
 
Jamaica
2001
0.5
 
0.2
 
33
35
CEN
 
Japan
2000
0.9
 
0.5
 
29
31
CEN
 
Jordan
2002
6.2
 
...
 
26
...
DHS
 
Kazakhstan
1999
7.4
 
1.4
 
23
26
CEN
 
Kenya
2003
20.3
 
1.9
 
21
26
DHS
 
Kuwait
1996
13.2
 
1.3
 
25
30
EST
 
Kyrgyzstan
1999
11.5
 
1.2
 
22
25
CEN
 
Latvia
2005
1.0
 
0.2
 
28
30
EST
 
Lesotho
1986
18.1
 
1.6
 
21
25
CEN
 
Liberia
1986
36.0
 
...
 
20
...
DHS
 
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
1995
1.0
 
0.1
 
29
32
MCHS
 
Lithuania
2005
1.8
 
0.4
 
26
28
EST
 
Luxembourg
2001
1.4
 
0.3
 
28
31
CEN
 
Madagascar
2004
33.0
 
6.5
 
20
24
DHS
 
Malawi
2000
36.8
 
4.0
 
19
24
DHS
 
Malaysia
2000
4.9
 
1.1
 
25
29
CEN
 
Maldives
2000
12.0
 
1.3
 
22
26
CEN
 
Mali
2001
48.6
 
6.2
 
18
25
DHS
 
Martinique
1999
0.4
 
0.1
 
33
36
CEN
 
Mauritania
2001
27.8
 
0.5
 
22
29
DHS
 
Mauritius
2000
9.8
 
0.6
 
23
29
CEN
 
Mexico
2000
17.1
 
5.9
 
23
25
CEN
 
Mongolia
2000
5.6
 
1.3
 
24
26
CEN
 
Montenegro*
2002
5.3
 
1.0
 
26
30
CEN
 
Morocco
2004
11.0
 
...
 
26
...
DHS
 
Mozambique
2003
43.3
 
...
 
19
...
DHS
 
Myanmar
1991
10.7
 
3.3
 
25
26
PCFS
 
Namibia
2000
6.1
 
2.5
 
28
30
DHS
 
Nepal
2001
40.3
 
11.3
 
19
23
DHS
 
Netherlands
2005
0.5
 
0.0
 
31
33
EST
 
Netherlands Antilles
2001
0.8
 
0.2
 
30
33
CEN
 
New Caledonia
1996
1.2
 
0.1
 
30
32
CEN
 
New Zealand
2001
0.8
 
0.5
 
30
32
CEN
 
Nicaragua
2001
30.4
 
...
 
20
...
DHS
 
Niger
1998
61.9
 
4.2
 
18
24
DHS
 
Nigeria
2003
33.3
 
1.1
 
21
28
DHS
 
Norway
2004
0.4
 
0.1
 
32
34
EST
 
Occupied Palestinian Territory
2000
13.4
 
0.6
 
23
27
EST
 
Oman
1995
15.5
 
1.3
 
22
26
FHS
 
Pakistan
2001
14.1
 
2.8
 
22
26
SRV
 
Panama
2000
22.0
 
4.8
 
22
26
CEN
 
Paraguay
2002
12.0
 
2.0
 
23
27
CEN
 
Peru
2000
11.3
 
...
 
24
...
DHS
 
Philippines
2003
9.4
 
2.4
 
23
26
DHS
 
Poland
2002
1.6
 
0.2
 
25
28
CEN
 
Qatar
2004
3.6
 
2.3
 
26
28
CEN
 
Republic of Korea
2000
0.7
 
0.3
 
27
30
CEN
 
Republic of Moldova
1997
12.0
 
...
 
21
...
RHS
 
Réunion
1999
1.2
 
0.2
 
31
33
CEN
 
Romania
2003
4.3
 
0.2
 
25
29
EST
 
Russian Federation
2002
7.7
 
1.6
 
24
26
CEN
 
Rwanda
2000
7.2
 
1.5
 
23
26
DHS
 
Saint Lucia
2001
6.8
 
1.3
 
23
28
CEN
 
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2002
16.7
 
4.5
 
21
28
EST
 
Samoa
1999
8.3
 
1.1
 
24
27
CEN
 
Sao Tome and Principe
1991
19.9
 
1.9
 
18
23
CEN
 
Saudi Arabia
1999
5.9
 
0.3
 
26
29
EST
 
Senegal
1997
29.0
 
...
 
22
...
DHS
 
Serbia*
2002
5.3
 
1.0
 
26
30
CEN
 
Sierra Leone
1992
47.4
 
6.0
 
20
28
DSMS
 
Singapore
2000
1.0
 
0.1
 
27
30
CEN
 
Slovakia
2003
1.8
 
0.9
 
26
29
EST
 
Slovenia
2003
0.2
 
0.0
 
30
32
EST
 
Solomon Islands
1986
19.1
 
3.1
 
21
25
CEN
 
South Africa
1996
3.4
 
0.8
 
28
30
CEN
 
Spain
2001
1.2
 
0.4
 
29
32
CEN
 
Sri Lanka
1993
7.1
 
...
 
25
...
DHS
 
Sudan
1993
20.6
 
1.8
 
23
29
CEN
 
Swaziland
1991
9.1
 
1.0
 
26
29
CEN
 
Sweden
2003
0.5
 
0.1
 
32
35
CEN
 
Switzerland
2001
0.7
 
0.1
 
29
32
EST
 
Tajikistan
1989
11.6
 
1.3
 
21
23
CEN
 
Thailand
2000
11.2
 
3.4
 
24
27
CEN
 
TFYR Macedonia
1994
9.1
 
1.5
 
23
27
CEN
 
Togo
1998
19.9
 
2.4
 
21
27
DHS
 
Tonga
1996
5.0
 
1.7
 
26
28
CEN
 
Trinidad and Tobago
1990
9.0
 
1.2
 
27
30
CEN
 
Tunisia
1994
3.0
 
0.0
 
27
30
CEN
 
Turkey
2001
12.9
 
2.2
 
23
26
CEN
 
Turkmenistan
2000
5.9
 
...
 
23
...
DHS
 
Uganda
2002
29.7
 
6.4
 
20
24
CEN
 
Ukraine
2001
7.7
 
1.1
 
23
26
CEN
 
United Arab Emirates
1987
18.5
 
2.5
 
23
26
AHS
 
United Kingdom
2001
1.4
 
0.5
 
30
32
CEN
 
United Republic of Tanzania
2004
27.9
 
1.3
 
20
25
DHS
 
United States of America
2005
2.8
 
1.3
 
27
29
CPS
 
United States Virgin Islands
1995
3.2
 
4.0
 
30
32
EST
 
Uruguay
1996
12.8
 
3.5
 
23
26
CEN
 
Uzbekistan
1996
13.0
 
...
 
21
...
DHS
 
Vanuatu
1989
11.9
 
2.4
 
23
25
CEN
 
Venezuela
2001
17.1
 
5.1
 
23
26
CEN
 
Viet Nam
2002
4.2
 
...
 
23
...
DHS
 
Yemen
1997
26.9
 
...
 
21
...
MCH
 
Zambia
2002
27.0
 
1.8
 
21
25
DHS
 
Zimbabwe
1999
22.6
 
0.6
 
21
26
DHS
 

Sources:

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2007), World Marriage Data 2006. Datasets in Excel Format (POP/DB/Mar/Rev.2007).

Footnotes:

Not available.
* Refers to Serbia and Montenegro.
AHS Arab-Gulf Family-Child Health Survey.
CENSUS Population and Housing Census.
CPS Current Population Survey.
DHS Demographic and Health Survey.
DSMS Demographic and Social Monitoring Survey.
EST Estimate.
FHS National Fertility, Family Planning or Health Survey.
MCH Maternal and Child Health Survey.
MCHS Maternal and Child Health Survey.
NEFHS National Epidemiologic and Family Health Survey.
NFHS National Family Health Survey.
NDS National Demographic Survey.
PCFS Population Change and Fertility Survey.
RHS Reproductive Health Survey.
SRV Survey.

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Technical notes:

The percentage of ever married women and men in the age group 15 to 19 years refers to the percentage of women and men in that age group who are currently married and those who had been married in the past and are currently divorced or widowed. In general, these percentages are derived from census or survey data on the population classified by their current marital status, sex and age group. The indicator is a useful measure of the prevalence of marriage at young ages.

The singulate mean age at marriage is an estimate of the average number of years lived prior to first marriage by a hypothetical cohort, if they marry before age 50. The singulate mean age at marriage is calculated on the basis of a single census or survey according to procedures described by Hajnal in "Age at marriage and proportions marrying" (Population Studies, vol. 7, No. 2. 1953). The singulate mean age at marriage is a summary measure of differences in the timing of first marriage among women and men.