Marriages and divorces, 2002

More than half of the marriages contracted last year, 12 700, were church weddings. This is the lowest proportion of church weddings since 1986. Over 7 600 couples contracted civil marriage, 30 per cent of all the contracted marriages. The proportion of marriages contracted abroad has increased steadily since 1986, but it has leveled out the last years. Almost 3 400 couples got married abroad in 2002.

Age at first marriage still increase

The increasing number of marriages contracted is mainly caused by first time marriages. The average age at first marriage was 32.2 for men and 29.5 for women. This represents an increase of 0.2 years for both sexes compared to 2001. For the last 30 years the average age at first marriage has increased. According to interview surveys the average age at first-time cohabitation or marriage has not changed or it has changed in the opposite direction. 72 per cent of the marriages contracted in 2002 were between two people marrying for the first time.

Highest marriage rate for women between 25-29 years

The highest marriage rate at first marriage was for women between 25-29 years, with 65.8 per 1000 never married. The highest rate at first marriage for men was aged 30-34, with 57.1 per 1000 never married before. During the last ten years the marriage rate for people under 30 years of age has decreased while it has increased for those over 30. The increased number of cohabitations mainly causes this development.

More unmarried men than women at the age of 50

Assuming the marriage pattern for 2002 continues, 37 per cent of all men and 34 per cent of all women will never have been married at the age of 50. From 1960 and until the beginning of the 1990s similar calculations showed an increase in the proportion of men and women who have never been married at the age of 50. From 1990 and until today, there have been few changes. This is a result of more people choosing cohabitation as a way of living.

More people married a person resident abroad

The number of people marrying a person resident abroad is steadily increasing. In 2002, 3 700 men resident in Norway married a woman resident abroad, while 1 700 women resident in Norway married a man resident in another country.

No changes in the number of partnerships

183 partnerships were contracted in 2002, two fewer than the previous year. 105 of these were between two men, and 78 were between two women. Since the Partnership Law was established in 1993, there has been a different development for men and women.

115 partnerships between two men were contracted in 1993, and this is the highest registered number. In the period 1994-2000 the number of partnerships between two men were approximately 80 per year. For the past two years the number has increased again. For women the number of partnerships contracted has increased steadily, and for the past ten years the number has almost doubled. The number has increased from about 40 partnerships in 1993 to almost 80 in 2002. .

Tables:

• Table 1 Marriages contracted. 1950-2002
• Table 2 Marriages contracted, by type of marriage. 1961-2002
• Table 3 Marriages, by previous marital status of the spouses. 1961-2002
• Table 4 Marriages, by county. 1966-2002
• Table 5 Average age at marriage. Males and females. 1961-2002. (Corrected 17 September 2004)
• Table 6 Marriage rates for first time married males and females in selected age groups. 1961-2002
• Table 7 Marriage rates for divorced males and females in different age groups. 1950-2002
• Table 8 Marriage rates for widowers and widows in different age groups. 1950-2002
• Table 9 Marriages, by marriage number of bridegroom/bride. 1966-2002
• Table 10 Marriages contracted, by month. 1976-2002
• Table 11 Marriages contracted. Citizenship of female and male. 2002
• Table 12 Partnerships contracted. 1993-2002
• Table 13 Marriages contracted, by citizenship of male and female. 2002