The following table illustrates the trends in divorce rates from 1988 to 2007.
Selected divorce indicators – Australia: Selected years – 1988-2007
|
|
|
|
|
|
1988
|
1998
|
2003
|
2004
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
|
|
|
Divorces granted |
no. |
41 007
|
51 370
|
53 145
|
52 747
|
52 399
|
51 375
|
47 963
|
|
Crude divorce rate(a) |
|
2.5
|
2.7
|
2.7
|
2.6
|
2.6
|
2.5
|
2.3
|
|
Divorces involving children(b) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proportion of all divorces |
% |
57.5
|
53.4
|
50.1
|
49.8
|
49.8
|
50.1
|
49.3
|
|
|
Average number of children per divorce(c) |
no. |
1.88
|
1.88
|
1.87
|
1.87
|
1.87
|
1.88
|
1.88
|
|
Median age at divorce |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Males |
years |
37.6
|
40.5
|
42.6
|
43.0
|
43.5
|
43.9
|
44.2
|
|
|
Females |
years |
34.8
|
37.8
|
39.9
|
40.3
|
40.8
|
41.1
|
41.3
|
|
Median length of marriage |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To separation |
years |
7.3
|
7.8
|
8.7
|
8.7
|
8.8
|
8.9
|
8.9
|
|
|
To divorce |
years |
10.1
|
11.2
|
12.2
|
12.3
|
12.6
|
12.5
|
12.5
|
|
Type of applicant(d) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Male |
no. |
15 280
|
16 004
|
17 229
|
16 365
|
16 020
|
15 171
|
13 216
|
|
|
Female |
no. |
21 015
|
25 380
|
22 870
|
21 614
|
21 398
|
20 574
|
18 571
|
|
|
Joint |
no. |
4 712
|
9 986
|
13 046
|
14 768
|
14 955
|
15 582
|
16 172
|
|
|
|
(a) Per 1,000 estimated resident population at 30 June. See Glossary and Explanatory Notes 26 and 31 for more information. |
(b) Unmarried children of the marriage who were aged under 18 years at the time of application for divorce. See Glossary for more information. |
(c) Excludes divorces not involving children. |
(d) Excludes divorces where type of applicant is not stated. |
DIVORCES GRANTED
The number of divorces granted in Australia have been decreasing each year since reaching a peak in 2001.
This trend continued in 2007 with 47,963 divorces granted in comparison to 51,375 in 2006, showing a decrease of 3,412 or 6.6% over this period. The number of divorces granted in 2007 was 9.8% lower than five years ago, but only 6.6% lower than 10 years ago due to a peak in the number of divorces granted in 2001.
Divorces granted: Australia – 1988-2007

|
Thank you to the Australian Bureau of Statistics for this information.
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