Countries With Highest Divorce Rate In The World 2024: Top 14

Countries With Highest Divorce Rate In The World 2024: It is said that the society is a community made up of families. That is to say; that the family is the bedrock of every society. The family however is an association of persons or group of people related by blood. Family relation is a direct consequence of marriage.

The Institution of marriage a noble and more often considered as a sacred. This is because of its religious affiliation. Marriage is an Institution or union between a man and a woman who decides to cohabit, forsaking and giving up some degree of identity, entitlements and rights. In such situation, the man and the woman agrees to a new life style and identity which in a way fuses the rights and liabilities of both parties both in law and in the eyes of the general public. The concept of marriage has gained a level of recognition in our laws aside the religious affiliation and support it enjoys. The Institution of marriage is universal and so, it is obtainable and validly recognized worldwide. A marriage can be brought to an end (divorce) where it is considered to have broken down irretrievably.

The exception and window for divorce has been maximally explored by impatient couples and parties to a failing marriage. Divorce on its own is the legal breakup or complete severance of the marrital union between a man and a woman who were lawfully married. The annulment of a marriage is a complete severance and relieve from every form of obligation cast upon the parties either on themselves or third parties by law. The marriage thereby comes to a lawful end with parties stripped of their titles, rights and obligations that arose as a result of the marriage.

The availability of the option of divorce has been utilized over the years by couples who believe their marriage has irretrievably broken down and the couples could no longer tolerate each other.

The concept of divorce came as a tool of emancipation and relief from a crumbling marriage. However, one important fact to note is that, a lot of marriages have witnessed divorce and that the level of divorce seem to be on the increase in modern times than before. The actual cause for this uptrend might not be the subject of discussion in this article, but it is sure a topical issue as it has become more prevalent around the world and even more so in some.

In this article, we are about to see some of the countries in the world that are experiencing a high level of divorce compared to their contemporaries around the globe.

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Top 14 Countries With Highest Divorce Rate In The World 2023

1. MALDIVES: The Maldives being an Islamic republic runs a legal system patterned according to the Islamic region which equally include the family courts The Islamic law applicable in the country maintains supremacy over other applicable laws and does not give credence to any contrary law.

Divorce Rate By Country
Divorce Rate By Country

The Maldives has been listed as one of the countries in the world with the highest divorce rate. Divorce is not an end to marital issues but a means to rediscover purpose and identity when the relationship becomes too bleak for the parties. The upheaval in divorce rate in the Maldives has been attributed to the flexible divorce policies and seamless court procedures when it comes to divorce cases compared to other countries with stringent divorce condition and court process.

There is also the theory of unclear boundaries with regards to the division of properties when divorce has been granted to the parties.  These factors are quite critical and leaving it unchecked has contributed a great deal to the rate at which couples file for divorce in the country. With about a half of every 100 marriages divorced yearly, Maldives seem to be on the map as the country with the highest divorce rate in the world.

2. KAZAKHSTAN: The Kazakhstan being a predominantly Islamic in the Muslim Central Asia, is known for its high rate of marriages and marriage ceremonies. Most notable is the fact that over 60 percent of the marriages are among young people. These young people hurriedly get married for different reasons however, religious belief tend to play a role in influencing an early marriage amongst the Muslim community.

Global Divorce Statistics of 2023
Global Divorce Statistics of 2023

One of the negative impact of such early marriages is that it is usually short-lived and divorce follows shortly after. This trend has brought the country to record an alarming increase of divorce compared to other western Countries and thereby pegging them as one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world.

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3. RUSSIA: The rate at which married couples file divorce shortly after their marriage was at 3.9% of every 100 marriages entered in 2021. This is over 30% of total marriages yearly in the country.  It is important to note how the rate of marriage in the country saw an uptrend in 2021 for some reasons after the heat of the pandemic the previous year.

Which country has the highest rate of separations and divorces?
Which country has the highest rate of separations and divorces?

The divorce rate saw no downtrend either as the rate of divorce saw a massive increase compared to the previous years. Some of the basic factors contributing to these high number of divorce includes social infrastructural deficit and poverty amongst newly married couples.

The legal system regulating dissolution of marriage also makes it less rigorous for consenting couples to obtain a divorce. Russia has been labelled one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world.

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4. BELGIUM: With an alarming rate of 3.7% of every 100 marriages being divorced annually in Belgium, the country has been considered as one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world. The country acknowledges two kinds of divorce. First is divorce on grounds that the marriage has broken down irretrievably breakdown and then, divorce based on mutual consent of the parties.

The World's 10 Most and Least Divorced Nations in 2023
The World’s 10 Most and Least Divorced Nations in 2023

While that of the parties mutually consenting to a divorce when they consider cohabitation practically impossible can be construed with less difficulty, divorce based on the marriage being broken down irretrievably is a question of law and what the law considers as a state of affair where the marriage is broken down irretrievably.

Some of the major factors considers by the law includes intolerable, and cruel behaviors from both or either of the parties, when one of the party stands the risk of being in danger or life threatening state if cohabitation or the marriage continues.

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5. BELARUS: The country has been often referred to as LAND OF BROKEN MARRIAGE due to the divorce rate in the country. With about 3.7% of every 100 marriages being divorced as a result of financial challenges, the fact that most of their women prefer foreigners and other factors, Belarus is one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world.

Countries With Highest Divorce Rate In The World
Countries With Highest Divorce Rate In The World

6. MOLDOVA: The country has its own share of the negative social disposition over the years and has maintained a rate of about 52.56% of every 100 marriages ending up being divorced.

Divorce Rates by Country 2023
Divorce Rates by Country 2023

The Republic of Moldova is considered one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world.

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7. CHINA: The world most populous country in the world seem to have shown a great uptrend when it comes to the divorce rate in the country. With over 4 million divorce cases been recorded in 2021 and have shown no downtrend, it stands out as one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world with over 3.2% out of 100 marriages being divorced.

Divorce rate in UK
Divorce rate in UK

8. CUBA: The rate of divorce in Cuba has shown massive increase over the years and this has been attributed to the low cost of obtaining divorce in the country.

Divorce rates in Europe 2019, by country (per 100 marriages)
Divorce rates in Europe 2019, by country (per 100 marriages)

Cuba has been considered as one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world. With as low as 4 dollars, a couple could obtain a divorce in Cuba.

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9. UKRAINE: Notwithstanding the fluctuation of divorce rate in Ukraine over the period of 1999 to 2018, it has maintained a very alarming rate of divorce cases compared to other countries.

Divorce demography
Divorce demography

Between 2018 and present day, the rate is quite worrisome as over 60% of 100 marriages face divorce yearly. Ukraine remain one of the countries with the highest divorce rate in the world.

10. DENMARK: Not disputing the fact that Denmark is one of the countries in the world with relatively low crime rate, the marriage Institution in Denmark has shown a negative disposition between 2014, to 2019, the divorce rate had witnessed a downturn however, it had risen afterwards and stands at an alarming rate since 2021 with over 2% of every 100 marriages being divorced.

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11. UNITED STATES – 4.34 DIVORCES PER 1,000 PEOPLE: The United States tops our list of nations with the highest divorce rate. There are two categories of reasons for divorce in the US: at-fault and no-fault. When a couple experienced disagreements, the only method to dissolve a marriage was through an at-fault divorce, which also prevented both parties from legally remarrying. With some defenses, fault divorces can be avoided though. Contrarily, no-fault divorces do not call for accusations or placing the blame on either partner. Irreconcilable differences, compatibility issues, and marriage dissolution due to no fault of either party are frequent causes that fall under this category.

U.S. divorce rate
U.S. divorce rate

In the US, one of the most prevalent causes of this divorce is financial issues. Divorce can be influenced by a number of factors, including financial instability, instability in the home, resentment, and excessive labor. According to statistics, one of the main causes of marital conflicts and significant disagreements is money. Fights over money may have gotten worse in recent decades as a result of greater pressure on families to make money, gender pay disparities, and the recession. According to research, financially secure, well-educated spouses are more likely to remain married in the United States.

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12. GUAM – 4.2 DIVORCES PER 1,000 PEOPLE: Surprisingly, Guam is ranked number two on our list of the nations with the highest divorce rates. The catholic churches have resolved to increase their efforts to assist couples stay married in light of the increasing divorce rate in the country. You can apply for either a fault-based divorce or a no-fault divorce in Guam.

A no-fault divorce typically results from irreconcilable disagreements and leaves out any discussion of your spouse’s role in the breakdown of the union. If your partner is at fault for the breakdown of your marriage, you will get a fault-based divorce. This is frequently caused by a number of circumstances, including: Extreme brutality, adultery, and a lack of ability to support the family.

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13. Estonia: 3.65 Divorces per 1,000 People
In Estonia, six out of every ten marriages end in divorce, bringing the overall divorce rate up to 58%. Divorce has long been allowed in this state, which was formerly a part of the Soviet Union. As a result, it is readily accepted by society.

Which European country has the most divorces?
Which European country has the most divorces?

The number of marriages in the nation has likewise dramatically declined. Additionally, taxes over breaks for married couples is implemented in Estonia.

14. Puerto Rico: 3.61 Divorces per 1,000 People: According to psychologist Silma Quiones’ most recent book, “GPS del Amor,” at least half of marriages in Puerto Rico end in divorce as a result of wrong choices in a spouse (GPS of Love). In an interview with Efe Quiones, known for appearing on the television show “Battle of the Sexes,” claimed that as many as three out of every four married couples on the island might be divorcing since the proper method is so rarely applied when choosing a spouse.

Divorce demography
Divorce demography

Furthermore, the Wall Street Journal reported that in 2022, there were 3.6 divorces for every 1,000 people living in Puerto Rico. With respect to divorce rates among US states, Puerto Rico falls somewhat in the middle. Before you can apply for divorce, either you or your spouse must have lived in Puerto Rico for at least a year.

Adultery is one of the fault-based grounds that are recognized in Puerto Rico for divorce. Additionally, it recognizes the accepted mutual consent (or standards no-fault) ground for divorce that is used in Puerto Rico. Since no-fault grounds don’t need you to demonstrate that you deserve a divorce and frequently result in quicker and less expensive divorces, they are more common.

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In conclusion, marriage is a union worthy of being sustained. Every couple should be able to make up their mind after proper observation and understudy of their prospective partners before getting married, it will curb the rate aSt which couples get divorced.