2nd September, 2009

The number of Australians getting married has hit a 20 year high while the number of divorces continue to fall.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released figures showing there were 118,756 registered marriages in 2008, an increase of 2.1 per cent on the previous year, while the number of divorces dropped 1.6 per cent to 47,209.

While the number of registered marriages were at a 20 year high, the ABS noted that the crude marriage rate has fallen to 5.5 marriages per 1000 Australians in 2008, from 7 in 1989.

The number of divorces granted, meanwhile, is at the lowest point since 1992 with the crude divorce rate - 2.2 per 1000 Australians - is the lowest in 20 years.

Other findings show 65 per cent of couples chose a civil celebrant to officiate their marriage and that 77 per cent of couples lived together prior to their wedding.

November was the most popular month to marry in 2008, followed by March and October. August saw 44 per cent more marriages than the previous year due to the large increase in the number of marriages performed on 8.8.08.

The median age at divorce for females reached 41.4 and 44.1 for males.

~ www.abs.gov.au

- DAVID ADAMS