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Published: 6 May 2009

Number of marriages and divorces increased

According to Statistics Finland’s data on population changes, 31,014 marriages were entered into in Finland in 2008, which is 1,517 more than in the year before. In 2007, the number of new marriages was 29,497. More marriages than in 2008 were last entered into in 1976. The number of marriages entered into has varied rather strongly from year to year in the 2000s.

In 2008, the average age of women who entered into their first marriage was 30.2 years and that of men 32.5 years. In the year before, the corresponding figure for women was 29.9 and that for men 32.3 years.

In 2008, 13,471 marriages ended in divorce, which is 247 more than one year previously. During the past few years the number of divorces has changed very little from year to year.

In 2008, the number of registered same-sex partnerships was 249. Of them, 91 were male couples and 158 female couples. In 2007, a total of 213 same-sex partnerships were registered. A total of 45 registered same-sex partnerships ended in divorce. Of them, 13 were of male couples and 32 of female couples. In 2007, a total of 67 registered same-sex partnerships ended in divorce.

Changes in marital status and mean age of men and women at first marriage in 2000–2008

Corrected on 4 May 2011. The correction is indicated in red. Was previously 7.
	Year
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Contracted marriages	26 150	24 830	26 969	25 815	29 342	29 283	28 236	29 497	31 014
Divorces	13 913	13 568	13 336	13 475	13 234	13 383	13 255	13 224	13 471
Woman's mean age at first marriage	28,6	28,7	29,1	29,2	29,7	29,6	29,7	29,9	30,2
Man's mean age at first marriage	30,9	31,0	31,3	31,5	32,1	31,8	32,1	32,3	32,5
Registered partnerships	.	.	446	190	186	200	191	213	249
Divorces from registered partnerships	.	.	2	6	15	31	30	67	45

Source: Population and Cause of Death Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Timo Nikander (09) 1734 3250, vaesto.tilasto@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Tables

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Appendix tables

• Marriages and divorces 1965 - 2008 (6.5.2009)

Figures

• Mean age of women by first live birth and first marriage 1982 - 2008 (6.5.2009)
• Marriages and divorces 1965 - 2008 (6.5.2009)
• Accumulated divorces by the end of 2008 from marriages entered into in different years (6.5.2009)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, changes in marital status (6.5.2009)

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Updated 6.5.2009