Small changes in divorce figures

Ten thousand marriages ended in divorce in Norway in 1997. This is about the same number as the year before. Since 1994 there has been a slight decline in the number of divorces in Norway; similarly low figures have not been seen since 1989.

Seen in comparison to the number of existing marriages the divorce numbers showed little change compared to the previous year. In all, 11.3 of 1,000 existing marriages were terminated in 1997. This is the same ratio as in 1996 and is the lowest since 1992. During the peak years of 1993 and 1994 the ratio was 12.1 and 12.2 respectively.

The number of separations went up by 300 from 1996, to 11,600. This about 1,300 fewer than in 1990. Seventeen thousand marriages were ended by the death of a spouse.

10,300 new children from broken homes

In 1997, 10,300 children under the age of 18 were affected by divorce. This accounts for just over one per cent of all children under 18. In addition, 5,800 children over the age of 18 were affected by divorce.

There were children in nearly four of five marriages ending in divorce in 1997. In just over half of the marriages the couple had two children. Twenty per cent of the divorcing couples were childless.

New Statistics
Population statistics. Divorces and separations, 1997.
The statistics are published in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics, Current Population Statistics and Official Statistics of Norway (NOS) Population Statistics. For more information, contact: kirsten.enger.dybendal@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 52 96, trude.jakobsen@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 51 39, or aslaug.hurlen.foss@ssb.no, tel. +47 62 88 54 54.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 38, 1998