Home > Statistics > Changes in marital status > 2009 > Fewer marriages were entered into, number of divorces almost unchanged

Published: 6 May 2010

Fewer marriages were entered into, number of divorces almost unchanged

According to Statistics Finland’s data on population changes, 29,836 marriages were entered into in Finland in 2009, which is nearly 1,200 fewer than in the year before. In 2008, the number of new marriages was 31,014. The number of marriages entered into has varied fairly strongly from year to year since the late 1990s. Despite the yearly variation, the number of new marriages has been on the rise in recent years.

Marriages and divorces in 1965–2009

The average ages of the men and women who entered into marriage remained unchanged. In 2009, the average age of women who entered into their first marriage was 30.2 years and that of men 32.5 years. During the 2000s, the average age of both men and women at the time of entering into their first marriage has gone up by 1.6 years.

In 2009, 13,527 marriages ended in divorce, which is 56 more than one year previously. In 2008, the number of divorces granted was 13,471. For two decades now the number of divorces has varied very little by year.

In 2009, the number of registered same-sex partnerships was 246. Of them, 91 were male couples and 155 female couples. In 2008, a total of 249 same-sex partnerships were registered. A total of 53 registered same-sex partnerships ended in divorce. Of them, 19 were of male couples and 34 of female couples. In 2008, a total of 45 registered same-sex partnerships ended in divorce.

Changes in marital status and mean age of men and women at first marriage in 2000–2009

Corrected on 4 May 2011. The correction is indicated in red. Was previously 7.
	Year
	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Contracted marriages	26 150	24 830	26 969	25 815	29 342	29 283	28 236	29 497	31 014	29 836
Divorces	13 913	13 568	13 336	13 475	13 234	13 383	13 255	13 224	13 471	13 527
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	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	32,5
Registered partnerships	.	.	446	190	186	200	191	213	249	246
Divorces from registered partnerships	.	.	2	6	15	31	30	67	45	53

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 - 2009 (6.5.2010)
• Marriages contracted by month 1998 - 2009 (6.5.2010)

Figures

• Mean age of women by first marriage and first live birth 1982 - 2009 (6.5.2010)
• Accumulated divorces by the end of 2009 from marriages entered into in different years (6.5.2010)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description, changes in marital status (6.5.2010)

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Updated 6.5.2010