Divorce Rates by Country

In every corner of the world, marriage remains a key cultural and societal reality. Each culture may view marriage through a unique lens, but across all societies, the dissolution of these unions, or divorce, is an equally crucial facet to explore. Divorce rates can serve as a lens to analyze societal norms, family structures, gender equalities, and a nation's legal framework around the institution of marriage.

This article embarks on an exploration of divorce rates across various countries, providing valuable insights into the intricacies of marital relationships on a global scale. Using the available public data, we reveal noteworthy trends and discrepancies on a country basis. 

Key findings from the data include:

• Maldives tops the list with the highest divorce rate per 1,000 people, standing at 5.52, followed by Kazakhstan, Russia, Belgium, and Belarus. 
• The United States comes in midway, with a divorce rate of 2.7 per 1,000 people, equaling countries such as Denmark, Lithuania, and Latvia.
• European countries generally occupy both the upper and lower echelons of the list, with higher divorce rates in Eastern Europe and lower divorce rates in the Mediterranean region.
• Asian countries have a wide range of divorce rates. For instance, China is much higher up the list with a rate of 3.2 while Sri Lanka exhibits one of the lowest divorce rates at 0.15 per 1,000 people.  
• On a global scale, the generally lower divorce rates observed in Middle Eastern and North African countries as compared to Western countries are potentially due to cultural, religious, and legal factors unique to these regions.

As we navigate through the complexities of divorce rates worldwide, it becomes clear that these figures reflect both societal changes and the enduring cultural and legal aspects unique to each country. Dive deeper with us as we explore the topic.

In terms of divorce rates, the top ten countries in the world are the Maldives, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belgium, Belarus, Moldova, China, Cuba, Ukraine, and the United States. Leading the list is the Maldives, with a divorce rate of 5.52 per 1,000 people. It is followed closely by Kazakhstan, which has a divorce rate of 4.6 per 1,000 people. 

Next on the list is Russia with a divorce rate of 3.9 per 1,000 people, identical to the rates reported in both Belgium and Belarus. The country of Moldova is sixth on the list, with a divorce rate of 3.3 divorce cases per 1,000 people. It is followed by China, with a divorce rate of 3.2 per 1,000 people.

On the eighth and ninth places, we have Cuba, with a rate of 2.9 divorces per 1,000 people, and Ukraine, with a slightly lower rate of 2.88 divorces per 1,000 people. Finally, rounding up the top ten is the United States with a divorce rate of 2.7 per 1,000 people.

10 Countries with the Highest Divorce Rates per 1,000 people:

1. Maldives - 5.52

2. Kazakhstan - 4.6

3. Russia - 3.9 

4. Belgium - 3.7

5. Belarus - 3.7

6. Moldova - 3.3 

7. China - 3.2 

8. Cuba - 2.9

9. Ukraine - 2.88 

10. United States - 2.7 

The countries with the lowest divorce rates are Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Vietnam, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Peru, South Africa, Saint Lucia, Malta, Qatar, and finally Panama. 

Sri Lanka has the lowest divorce rate with only 0.15 divorces per 1,000 people. Both Guatemala and Vietnam follow shortly after with just 0.2 divorces per 1,000 people. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines sees an average of 0.4 divorces per 1,000 people. 

Peru falls in the fifth position with 0.5 divorces per 1,000 people, while South Africa's divorce rate is 0.6. Saint Lucia, Malta, Qatar, and Panama, although not as low as Sri Lanka, still have relatively low rates of divorce with 0.7 divorces per 1,000 people.

The ten countries with the lowest divorce rates, per 1,000 people:

1. Sri Lanka - 0.15
2. Guatemala - 0.2 
3. Vietnam - 0.2 
4. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 0.4 
5. Peru - 0.5 
6. South Africa - 0.6 
7. Saint Lucia - 0.7 
8. Malta - 0.7 
9. Qatar - 0.7
10. Panama - 0.7

To sort the data in the table, click on the column headers.

OECD Family Database: Marriage and Divorce Rates