Statistics and main reasons for divorce in Russia for 2021

When Rosstat published the percentage of marriages and divorces registered in Russia in 2021, many media outlets rushed to release pessimistic publications and give disappointing forecasts. After reading such materials, you may get the impression that a strong family will soon become an exception to the general rule. Therefore, it is worth considering the percentage of divorces in Russia and find out in which regions of our country divorces occur the most and least, what prompts people to write an application for divorce, and what circumstances can help save the family.

Dynamics of marriages and divorces in the Russian Federation by year

To find out what percentage of divorces was recorded in Russia in the past year, it is worth turning to the official data of Rosstat. An analysis of statistical reports shows that in 2021, about 917 thousand new marriages were registered and about 528 thousand divorces were registered. Thus, divorce statistics in Russia 2019 (in percentage) indicate that the ratio of divorced and concluded marriages in the past year was 57.8%. This figure looks really scary (which is why it is usually cited in the media). But this does not mean that every second marriage breaks up - after all, the total number of families in the country is significantly more than 1 million. And if you compare the number of divorces with the total population of the country, it turns out that in 2021 only every 137th Russian experienced a divorce (that is, 0.72% of citizens got divorced).

To understand how much the situation is changing, it is worth considering changes in family statistics over the past 10 years. The official percentage of divorces in Russia in 2010 was 53%, and in absolute numbers both new families (1 million 215 thousand) and divorces (650 thousand) were registered more. If we consider the ratio of new and dissolved marriages, the anti-record was set in 2021, when a ratio of 68% was recorded (584 thousand divorces out of 863 thousand weddings). In absolute numbers, the anti-record was set in 2014 (694 thousand divorced marriages), but thanks to the large number of weddings (1 million 226 thousand), the percentage then amounted to 57%.

A record low percentage of divorces in Russia was recorded in 2011 (51%), and in absolute terms, the fewest marriages were dissolved in 2021 (584 thousand).

Odds and percentages

Statistics on family registration in the Russian Federation can be assessed very clearly if we consider the marriage and divorce rate data:

• The most optimal period was the 50s, when the marriage rate reached 12.5.
• Then from 1990 to 2005 it hovered around 6.4.
• Starting in 2006, the marriage rate began to rise above the number 8. But this only happened until 2014.
• Since 2015, it began to fall sharply and reached another low of 6.7, which can actually be compared to the 90s.
• But the divorce rate has been steadily growing over the past 80 years, with slight fluctuations up and down.
• The most favorable periods were the 40s and 50s.
• The peak of termination occurred in the early 2000s. It was 5.9.
• And since then it has fluctuated around the mark from 4.1 to 5. But still, in recent years there has been a decrease in their number.

Statistics of marriages and divorces by region

To better understand the situation, it is worth considering the percentage of registered divorces in Russia by region. The leaders of the anti-rating were:

• Magadan region - here there are almost 87 divorces per 100 new families.
• Leningrad region (80 divorced marriages per 100 new ones).
• Nenets Autonomous Okrug (slightly less than 80% of divorces in relation to marriages concluded in the same year).
• Bryansk region - 76 divorces per 100 weddings.
• Komi Republic (divorce rate 75%).

The lowest ratio of divorced marriages to newly concluded ones in 2019 was recorded in the following regions:

• Chechnya – for every 100 weddings, only 15 divorces were registered.
• Ingushetia (divorce rate 24%).
• Dagestan – 28 divorces per 100 new families.
• Republic of Tyva - 29 divorced marriages per 100 new ones.
• Kabardino-Balkaria (the ratio of new and dissolved marriages was exactly 50%).

It is easy to notice that the percentage of divorces that occurred in Russia in 2021 in different regions strongly depends on the economic situation and the religiosity of the population. Depressed regions, where religion has never played an important role in the lives of residents, show disastrous numbers, while relatively developed regions with very religious residents show enviable strength of family relationships.

Reasons for breaking up relationships

Family divorce statistics indicate the following reasons:

• approximately 42% of couples separated due to unpreparedness for family life (psychologically or physically). During the dates, it seemed that this would always be the case, and the union registered at the registry office would only strengthen the relationship. However, after marriage, an understanding comes of how different the spouses are. Each of them requires constant attention to itself. While reciprocity is practically absent, which leads to systemic conflicts;
• 31% of women and 23% of men say that their partner’s alcoholism or drug addiction led to divorce;
• 15% of wives and 12% of husbands demand a divorce due to the infidelity of their other half;
• 9% of women file for divorce because their partners do not help them with household chores. Although it is noted that 40% of men do this along with their wife;
• 3.1% of couples separate due to the monotony of daily life;
• 1.8% of families separate due to financial problems;
• 1.6% disagree on financial issues;
• 1.5% of spouses cannot stand their partner’s jealous suspicions;
• 0.8% disagree due to sexual dissatisfaction;
• 0.2% of couples break up due to infertility of one of the partners.

These are the main reasons for divorce according to statistics. In this case, who exactly initiated the divorce plays a big role. According to statistics, men say the following after divorce:

• 37% get divorced due to lack of close relationships;
• 29% lacked tenderness and affection;
• 14% broke up due to irregular sex life;
• 14% felt like they were in prison;
• 9% did not have enough attention and care.

Psychologists say that if spouses in a family trusted each other and were not afraid to voice their opinions, then the divorce statistics in the world would be significantly lower.

The main reasons for separation

Rosstat does not conduct surveys showing what percentage of divorces in Russia in 2021 were caused by certain life circumstances. However, other statistical companies periodically conduct such studies. Analysis of available data shows that the most popular reasons for divorce in Russia are:

• alcohol or drug addiction of the husband or wife (41% of all registered cases of termination of family relationships);
• financial and housing problems (26%);
• interference of the husband's or wife's relatives in the couple's personal life (16%);
• the impossibility or unwillingness of one of the spouses to have children together (8%);
• frequent business trips of one of the spouses (6%);
• imprisonment of husband or wife (2%);
• serious illness that makes living together impossible (1%).

Forecasts and our opinion

The forecast for marriages and divorces is doubtful. We have already shown above that Russia has problems with the institution of the family - there are many marriages, many divorces, and approximately half of the families break up. Our opinion is that if nothing global happens, the situation will worsen until it reaches the real median. The state could help in this matter, and it is trying to do this with the help of preferential mortgages and maternity capital, but, as the survey above showed, these methods do not help half of the families at all. Most likely, the situation will begin to improve when the economic situation in Russia improves - no matter what moralistic speeches about the institution of family and spirituality important people say, marriages are most often concluded with the goal of building a family with children, and children are significant expenses and state benefits these costs cannot be covered.

Who is more likely to demand a divorce?

Data from sociological surveys indicate that men and women have different attitudes towards divorce. Thus, a sample of respondents under the age of 50 showed that in 67% of cases the application for divorce was filed by the wife. Men and women over 50 years of age initiate the termination of family relationships with almost the same frequency. These results can be explained by the fact that before the age of 50, most men are passionate about their careers, while women pay more attention to household chores (and, accordingly, quickly understand the futility of further relationships). But upon reaching pre-retirement age, men begin to spend more and more time at home and, accordingly, more often notice problems existing in their relationships with their significant other.

Popular questions about divorce

Why are there so many divorces now?

It is difficult to say exactly why there are so many divorces now.
But the main reason can be called the imposition of marriage registration. Couples are forced into marriage when they are not ready. Divorce is a natural outcome of a marriage that arises due to social pressure. Why is there a cult of official marriage in Russia:

1. Tradition. Girls from an early age are taught to think that she is a future wife. If you burnt scrambled eggs, who will marry you, you don’t clean well - your mother-in-law will show you. Children literally from the sandbox are called brides and grooms.

The world is changing. Every year more and more couples choose open relationships, without obligations. But each successive older generation continues to encourage young people to register marriage. She is perceived as the apotheosis of women's dreams.

2. A beautiful event. For the wedding they take out loans, plan a grand trip, order fireworks and performances by artists. Girls dream of a bunch of photos in a wedding dress on Instagram. In fact, marriage has long been equated with a celebration. But newlyweds rarely think about what life looks like after marriage. Therefore, most of them are not ready for the test of everyday life.

3. Legitimizing personal relationships. With a stamp in their passport, the couple can finally legally move into their parents’ apartment and live as newlyweds. From this moment on, a new round of prejudice begins - when are children?

As a result, a couple who just wanted to be together becomes a unit of society. At the same time, millennials, who now make up the majority of married families, are completely unaware of how a family exists. Their parents, Generation X, were too caught up in the struggle to survive in the 90s. Therefore, raising children and instilling traditional values ​​in them came into the background.

4. State policy. To ensure that as few children as possible are born out of wedlock, the state supports official marriages. It is easier and more profitable for spouses to obtain mortgages and loans. They are eligible to receive subsidies and other types of government assistance.

Why do people get divorced after 10 years of marriage?

If we exclude traditional reasons for divorce, such as financial problems and adultery, then 10 years is a landmark date for every family.
It is at this time that families that were created for a specific purpose are divorced. The goal may be: - the appearance of a child; - mortgage payment; — getting an education; - caring for a sick relative.

At this point, the conditional “project” comes to an end, the person reaches a more mature age and decides to live for himself.

Why do people get divorced after 20 years of marriage?

Even 20 years of marriage is not a guarantee of saving the family.
Here, to the usual reasons for divorce are added: 1. The desire for self-realization. A person understands that the years are passing, but his dreams remain unfulfilled. It seems to him that the family is to blame for this. It is on her that his strength, health, and money go. Therefore, there is a need to free yourself and realize your talents.

2. Accumulated grievances. Every year, spouses accumulate negative baggage from disappointments, grievances, mistakes, and mutual reproaches. If they are not dealt with in a timely manner, one day they will lead to divorce.

Why do people get divorced after 30 years of marriage?

30 years of marriage is not a guarantee of a strong relationship.
But during this period, such banal reasons as characters not getting along are no longer valid. The main reasons for divorce after 30 years:

1. By this age, a man manages to find his place in society. Older men who have status and income are lined up with young girls. And that’s why many families cannot cross the line.

2. A woman can initiate a divorce 30 years after the wedding if she has long wanted it, but waited until her children grew up.

Why do people get divorced after having a child?

Divorce after the birth of a child occurs if one of the spouses is not ready for the arrival of a new family member.
Families formed due to pregnancy are especially susceptible to this disease. The husband and wife do not know each other yet, they have not experienced each other in everyday life, they do not understand the needs and requirements, but they are already responsible for their common child.

The Family Code specifically prohibits divorce within a year after the birth of a child. Essentially, this is to prevent the young father from running away. During this period, only the spouse can initiate a divorce.

Why do women file for divorce more often?

There are at least 5 reasons why women more often file for divorce:
1. Tolerance in society. A man filing for divorce looks extremely negative in the public eye. He immediately receives a number of unpleasant labels: alimony worker, bad father and husband. These are echoes of those times when leaving a woman was equal to her death. At the same time, women who initiate divorce are strongly supported by society and given the status of a martyr.

2. Confidence in the future. Every year, the Russian Government takes new support measures for single parents. If previously women kept families together in order to provide for the child, now this is no longer necessary. The state will provide the child with a minimum standard of living. Therefore, there is no point in tolerating a failed relationship.

3. The principle of distribution of household labor. In most families, women are still responsible for cleaning and cooking. In the event of a divorce, a woman is freed from a significant part of the household burden. And for a man, getting a divorce is completely unprofitable. After all, he will have to cook and clean up after himself.

4. Relationships with children. Every year more and more children remain with their fathers after divorce. But this is preceded by a battle with government agencies. Taking a child from its mother remains very difficult. Therefore, divorce often means for a man the loss of contact with his own children.

5. Most expenses fall on the shoulders of the man. Divorce laws are on the woman's side. The man finds himself in an extremely unfavorable situation: he will have to divide the apartment for which he earned money, pay alimony for his child and wife, and pay for additional classes.

Often, during a divorce, a man loses significantly more financially.

Why do men file for divorce?

Men rarely initiate divorces.
In most cases, this is due to adultery. This applies equally if the spouse has declared a new affair or the initiator has a new relationship. What the statistics say: 1. More than 30% of dating site users are married.

2. Every seventh divorce occurs due to communication on social networks.

3. And every third divorce is due to online romantic relationships.

Why do people get divorced

Having children is not a guarantee of a long and happy family life.
Moreover, keeping a family together for the sake of children is one of the biggest mistakes. The child feels tension between parents, and this affects his mental health. Of course, divorce will also be traumatic. But parents can soften the blow. To do this you need:

1. Talk to your child about divorce together. Explain that this is not a quarrel, that no one is to blame, that mom and dad still love him.

2. Involve a psychologist. Immediately after the news of a divorce, a child may become withdrawn, uncommunicative, and learn worse. In this situation, it is necessary to involve a psychologist. But not a school one, but a qualified specialist.

At what age do people get divorced more often?

The percentage of recorded divorces in Russia by age of spouses published by Rosstat allows us to establish the following patterns:

• the average age of a Russian who has experienced a divorce is from 30 to 34 years, regardless of gender;
• women most often leave family relationships between the ages of 25 and 29, while for men this period is from 35 to 39 years;
• the fewest families break up among people aged 55 to 59 years;
• people aged 40 to 55 years make up about 10% of all Russians who have experienced divorce.

Divorce statistics based on the years the couple lived together

To draw more complete conclusions, it is worth investigating what percentage of divorces in Russia were registered for couples who had lived together for different numbers of years. Survey results show that less than 5% of spouses end their relationship in the first year of marriage. Almost 20% of all divorces occur in the second year of marriage. Those who have lived together for 3 or 4 years make up 17% of all divorced families. The critical period for any family can be called the period between the 5th and 9th year of a relationship - during this time more than a quarter of all cases of divorce are registered. Between 10 and 20 years of family relationships, about 20% of divorces are registered. Finally, families that have existed for more than 20 years make up only 13% of all registered divorce statistics.

How many marriages break up in Russia?

The latest data in Russia is disappointing: more than 50% of marriages end in divorce. In 2021, just over 1,000,000 marriages were registered, while more than 600,000 families broke up.

The most critical age period for a family is from 5 to 9 years . Moreover, having 2 or more children, according to statistics, reduces the likelihood of divorce.

However, this is not a panacea. Sometimes neither the presence of children nor a long life together can keep the family boat afloat.

According to Rosstat, more than 60% of unions broke up in 2021: only 985,000 marriages were concluded and 608,000 divorces took place.

In 2014–2015, slightly fewer marriages broke up: 57.7% in 2014 and 52.67% in 2015.

Since the 90s in Russia, the most divorces occurred in 2002 - 854,000, and in 1998, on the contrary, the smallest number - only 502,000.

It has also been noted that couples often choose summer to get married, and spring to divorce.

The most “crisis” period for a family, according to statistics, is 5-9 years . In 2021, more than 25% of divorces took place within this age range. But even after a nine-year union, couples often break up.

In 2021, more than 19% of families whose age ranged from 10 to 20 years collapsed.

Couples who have been married for 1-2 years also often divorce . According to statistics from the same Rosstat, in 2021, about 20% of couples broke up during this period of marriage.

But in the first year of marriage, spouses rarely divorce; only 4.7% of such families are noted. Marriages that lasted more than 20 years ended in 13.2% of cases in 2021.

According to statistics, the more children in a family, the lower the likelihood of divorce . For example, in 2021, 56.7% of divorced spouses did not have children together.

Families with one child collapse less often . Only a third of divorces occur in families with one child. Spouses who have 2 or more children divorce even less often. In 2016, only 12.1% of such families (73,000 people) broke up.

Statistics of marriages and divorces in Russia by year table

— For 2003-2010. indicators were calculated using the population recalculated taking into account the results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census.

— Statistics of marriages and divorces are given taking into account data for the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Marriage statistics by age of the bride and groom by year

Factors contributing to family preservation

The above regional percentage of divorces in the Russian Federation allows us to identify the main factor that can force a couple not to divorce even if there are conflicts, namely religiosity. Regions with strong religious traditions show the lowest percentage of divorces registered in Russia, and such statistics have persisted in recent years.

Among other reasons that can encourage spouses to keep their family together, sociologists highlight:

• the presence of joint children (of the total number of divorcing couples, childless make up about 60%, another 30% are families with 1 child, and only about 10% are couples with 2 or more children);
• hope to save the family by resolving existing conflicts (practice shows that couples who are not afraid to consult a family psychologist are more likely to succeed);
• financial dependence of one spouse on the other;
• fear of loneliness;
• reluctance to spend money and time on officially ending the marriage (this situation can be called a hidden divorce).

The situation in other countries of the world

In recent years, Portugal has been distinguished by the number of divorces. If we take one hundred couples as a basis, then about sixty-seven of them get divorced. Almost the same figure is 62-65% for Spain, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. In these countries, cheating on one's partner is often the reason why a relationship ends. In European countries such as Germany, Finland, Italy, Norway, divorce cases occur in 25-40%. Eastern countries with the Islamic religion have divorce statistics no higher than 22%. Divorce rates in countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Iran vary between 14-20%.

What factors influence divorces in the world?

If we analyze world statistics, we can identify the following circumstances affecting family relationships:

• current family legislation;
• traditions, customs of the country;
• standards of living;
• religion;
• mentality.

Countries with a high level of development are less susceptible to family breakdown. Where people's lives are at a lower level, divorces are more common. This is explained by the fact that the couple cannot survive in this society and provide an adequate standard of living for their children.