Marriages and divorces, 2012

The increase in the number of contracted marriages from 2011 to 2012 does not seem to be in a specific age group. The marriage rate for first marriages increased in all age groups over 25 years for both men and women. The marriage rate in 2012 was, as previous years, highest for both males and females in the age group 30-34 years. Compared to 2011, the marriage rate increased most in the age groups 30-34 years and 50-54 years for males, and for women the rate increased most in the age groups 30-34 years and 40-44 years.

In 2012, the average age for first marriages was 34.1 years for men and 31.3 years for women; an increase of 0.1 and 0.2 years respectively from 2011.

Most marriages on Midsummer’s Eve

Forty-six per cent of all marriages in 2012 took place during the summer months June, July and August. The most popular day to get married in 2012 was Midsummer’s Eve; Saturday 23 June, with 829 contracted marriages. Wednesday 12 December 2012 was the fourth most popular day to get married in 2012, with 633 marriages.

Dates with most contracted marriages since year 2000:

• 7 July 2007 (1418 marriages)
• 8 August 2008 (1051 marriages)
• 24 June 2000 (995 marriages)
• 23 June 2001 (994 marriages)
• 22 June 2002 (856 marriages)
• 8 August 2009 (847 marriages)
• 23 June 2012 (829 marriages)
• 1 July 2000 (828 marriages)
• 5 August 2000 (828 marriages)
• 23 June 2007 (807 marriages)

A total of 269 couples of the same sex got married in 2012; 102 male couples and 167 female couples. The annual numbers of marriages between persons of the same sex have remained more or less the same since the new Marriage Act was introduced in 2009.

Most common with divorce in age group 40-44 years

The divorce rate; divorces per 1 000 married and separated, was highest for both men and women in the age group 40-44 years in 2012. From 2011 to 2012, the rate decreased for males in all five-year age groups from 25-59 years. For females, the rate decreased in all age groups over 25 years except for the group 30-34 years.

Broken down by county, the divorce rate among men was highest in the county of Finnmark, with 14.6 divorced men per 1 000 married and separated men. This was followed by the county of Oslo, with 13.3. Sogn og Fjordane had the lowest figure, with 7.3.

Most of the marriages of couples divorcing in 2012 had lasted 10-14 years; an average of 12.9 years.

Calculations of the divorce pattern for 2012 reveal that 40.9 per cent of all married couples have a risk of getting divorced. In 2004, this percentage was 50.4, which is the highest ever. From 1960 to 1994, this percentage increased from 9.5 to 47.4, and decreased somewhat in 1998 before peaking in 2004. Since then, the percentage has decreased again.

In 2012, 9 600 children under 18 years of age were involved in divorces and 11 900 children under 18 had parents who separated. That is 70 and 520 fewer respectively than in 2011. In 4 400 of the divorces there were no common children involved. Likewise, there were 4 500 separations without common children.

Of the children whose parents divorced, 19 per cent were aged 0-5 years, 48 per cent aged 6-12 years and 33 per cent aged 13-17 years.

In 2012, 57 same sex married couples separated; 18 male couples and 39 female couples. At the same time, 23 same sex married couples divorced; 6 male couples and 17 female couples.