One-third of marriages end in divorce

The Family Court granted 9,700 divorces in 2008, slightly below the annual average of 10,000 for the last
decade, Statistics New Zealand said today. Analysis of divorce statistics by year of marriage shows that
about one-third of New Zealanders who married in 1983 had divorced before their silver wedding
anniversary (25 years).

Half of marriages dissolved in 2008 had lasted 13.4 years or more, compared with 12.6 years for marriages
dissolved in 1998. The median age at divorce in 2008 was 44.5 years for men and 41.9 years for women.
There were 21,900 marriages registered to New Zealand residents in 2008, compared with 21,500 in 2007.
The increase was due to more first marriages, up from 14,400 to 14,800. The number of remarriages
remained at 7,100, the same as in 2007.

A further 2,000 marriages were registered to overseas residents in 2008, the same number as in each of
the previous three years. These marriages include wedding tourists and expatriates returning to celebrate
their marriage.

On leap day (29 February 2008), 230 marriages were celebrated compared with an average of 130 on other
Fridays in February. Only 13 percent of weddings occurred during the winter months of June, July and
August, but Friday 8 August 2008 (or 08/08/08) was a popular day, with 290 marriages celebrated
compared with an average of 40 on other Fridays in August.

The general marriage rate (marriages per 1,000 unmarried adults) was 13.7 in 2008, down from 15.6 in
1998. The latest rate is less than one-third of the peak level of 45.5 per 1,000 recorded in 1971.

There were 327 civil unions registered to New Zealand residents in 2008 comprising 256 same-sex unions
(111 male and 145 female) and 71 opposite-sex unions. There were 78 civil unions registered to overseas
residents, bringing the total number of registrations to 405. Up to 31 December 2008, eight civil unions had
been dissolved.

Geoff Bascand
Government Statistician
5 May 2009
END

See also the Hot Off The Press information release Marriages, Civil Unions and Divorces: Year ended
December 2008.