Belgian people are getting married increasingly later and divorce less and less

Population
Mariages, divorces

Marriages and divorces in 2017

23,059 divorces were registered in 2017. The number of divorces has decreased by 2.2 % compared to 2016, according to the new figures of Statbel, the Belgian statistical office. Besides, 44,319 marriages took place in 2017, i.e. a small decrease (-0.9 %) compared to 2016.

Other results:

  • The average age at first marriage has further increased: 33.7 years old for the first spouse and 31.4 years old for the second. The age difference between the newlyweds remains relatively stable: 2.3 years old.
  • 108 couples have divorced after more than 50 years of marriage.
  • The months of July and September are the most popular to get married. Since 2014, the number of marriages taking place during these two months has increased, to the detriment of August.
  • The number of marriages between persons of the same sex remains stable at 2.5 % of the total number of marriages. There are as many marriages between women as marriages between men. In same-sex divorces, there are slightly more divorces between women, but their number is decreasing, while the number of divorces between men is increasing.