World Ranking: Kazakhstan Exhibits Highest Divorce Rate Globally, Surpassed Only by Maldives
Kazakhstan Experiences Decrease in Marriages and Divorces in 2023
According to Ranking.kz, Kazakhstan recorded a decline in both registered marriages and divorces last year, marking an unprecedented low for the country. In 2023, 120,9 thousand marriages were registered, a 6% decrease from the previous year and surpassing the lowest number of marriages from 2008, with over 135 thousand unions formed despite the country's smaller population.
City areas accounted for 80 thousand marriages, while rural areas recorded 40,9 thousand. The number of divorces also reached a record low, with 16,8 thousand registered in 2023. Almaty recorded the highest number of marriages (13,1 thousand) and divorces (2,3 thousand), while Ulytau region had the least, with only 1,5 thousand marriages and 198 divorces.
The marriage rate dropped from 6.46 to 6.07 per 1000 people in 2023, with the highest rate in the capital and the lowest in the Turkestan region. The divorce rate decreased from 0.89 to 0.84 per 1000 people in 2023, with East Kazakhstan, Karaganda, and Pavlodar regions registering the highest divorce rates, and Turkestan region experiencing the lowest.
However, analysts at Ranking.kz caution that the divorce data may be statistically unreliable due to limitations in the data source, which excludes court-ordered divorces. They suggest that the actual divorce figures might be higher.
According to data from Petrelli Previtera, Kazakhstan ranks second in the world in terms of divorce rates, following the Maldives. Family interference, lack of moral constraints, and the ease of the divorce process are the main reasons cited by experts for high divorce rates in the country. Other factors include conflicts over gender roles, modernization, and economic stress.
Despite the high divorce rate, 82.5% of young people in Kazakhstan (aged 18-29) still envision their future in marriage and with children. Countries such as India, Mozambique, and Kenya, which have lower divorce rates, often have stricter social norms and bureaucratic hurdles to divorce.
This comes amidst a landscape of changing values and societal expectations in Kazakhstan, as modernization brings about challenges to traditional family structures and gender roles. The consequences of these shifts are reflected in the changing dynamics of marriage and divorce in the country.
[Enrichment Data Relevance and Application: The Enrichment Data highlights factors such as family interference, conflicts over gender roles, modernization, and economic stress as significant contributors to the high divorce rates in Kazakhstan. This information helps in understanding the complex socio-cultural context that shapes marriage and divorce patterns in the country.]
- The decline in marriages and divorces in Kazakhstan in 2023 might be a reflection of the country's focus on health-and-wellness and mental-health, as people prioritize personal well-being over relationships.
- The slightly lower marriage rate and divorce rate in 2023 could be an indication of a shift towards a more science-based lifestyle, as people seek out evidence-based solutions for their relationships, rather than relying on traditional family dynamics.
- The high divorce rate in Kazakhstan, despite the low numbers in 2023, could suggest that relationship expectations and dynamics, like love-and-dating, are subject to the influences of modernization and societal changes.
- As Kazakhstan experiences a change in family structures and gender roles, the trends in marriages and divorces might provide insights into the nation's lifestyle and societal values, shedding light on its unique health-and-wellness and mental-health perspectives, along with love-and-dating practices.
