Marriage Rates Dwindling In Many Countries
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Increasingly over the last quarter-century, as women in industrialized countries have sought careers, marriage rates have fallen and divorce rates have increased. The trends are particularly evident in France, Italy and Australia.
The statistics per 1,000 population:
- In France, from 1971 to 1990 the marriage rate fell from 7.9 to 4.3, while the divorce rate climbed from 0.9 to 1.9, and births fell from 16.7 (1970) to 13.4 -- during a period when the percentage of women in the work force was climbing from 50.1 percent to 59.0 percent.
- In Italy, the marriage rate over the same period fell from 7.5 to 5.4, the divorce rate advanced from 0.3 to 0.5, and births declined from 16.7 to 9.8 -- as the percentage of working women rose from 33.7 to 43.3.
- Meanwhile, in Australia, marriage rates went from 9.0 to 6.9, the divorce rate increased from 1.0 to 2.5, and births retreated from 20.6 to 15.4 -- the percentage of women working shooting up from 47.7 to 62.3.
- Over the same period, the U.S. marriage rate has gone from 10.5 to 9.8, the divorce rate from 3.7 to 4.7, births decreased from 18.2 to 16.6 -- and the proportion of working women climbing from 51.1 to 69.0.
The statistics also reveal that couples who do marry are doing so at an older age.
Source: Kevin and Margaret Andrews (Family in America magazine), "Respect for Marriage Has Been Displaced," Washington Times, October 14, 1998.
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