Divorce Rates by Country

Marriage remains a key cultural and societal reality in every corner of the world. Each culture may view marriage through a unique lens, but across all societies, the dissolution of these unions, or divorce, is an equally crucial facet to explore. Divorce rates can serve as a lens to analyze societal norms, family structures, gender equality, and a nation's legal framework around the institution of marriage.

Key findings from the data include:

• The Maldives has the highest divorce rate per 1,000 people, at 5.52, followed by Kazakhstan, Russia, Belgium, and Belarus.
• The United States comes in midway, with a divorce rate of 2.7 per 1,000 people, equal to Denmark, Lithuania, and Latvia.
• European countries generally occupy the upper and lower echelons of the list, with higher divorce rates in Eastern Europe and lower divorce rates in the Mediterranean region.
• Asian countries have a wide range of divorce rates. For instance, China is much higher on the list, with a rate of 3.2, while Sri Lanka exhibits one of the lowest divorce rates at 0.15 per 1,000 people.
• On a global scale, the generally lower divorce rates observed in Middle Eastern and North African countries than in Western countries are potentially due to cultural, religious, and legal factors unique to these regions.

In terms of divorce rates, the top ten countries in the world are the Maldives, Kazakhstan, Russia, Belgium, Belarus, Moldova, China, Cuba, Ukraine, and the United States. Leading the list is the Maldives, with a divorce rate of 5.52 per 1,000 people. It is followed closely by Kazakhstan, which has a divorce rate of 4.6 per 1,000 people. 

Next on the list is Russia with a divorce rate of 3.9 per 1,000 people, identical to the rates reported in both Belgium and Belarus. The country of Moldova is sixth on the list, with a divorce rate of 3.3 divorce cases per 1,000 people. It is followed by China, with a divorce rate of 3.2 per 1,000 people.

On the eighth and ninth places, we have Cuba, with a rate of 2.9 divorces per 1,000 people, and Ukraine, with a slightly lower rate of 2.88 divorces per 1,000 people. Finally, rounding up the top ten is the United States with a divorce rate of 2.7 per 1,000 people.

10 Countries with the Highest Divorce Rates per 1,000 people:

1. Maldives - 5.52
2. Kazakhstan - 4.6
3. Russia - 3.9
4. Belgium - 3.7
5. Belarus - 3.7
6. Moldova - 3.3
7. China - 3.2
8. Cuba - 2.9
9. Ukraine - 2.88
10. United States - 2.7

The countries with the lowest divorce rates are Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Vietnam, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Peru, South Africa, Saint Lucia, Malta, Qatar, and finally Panama.

Sri Lanka has the lowest divorce rate, with only 0.15 divorces per 1,000 people. Guatemala and Vietnam followed shortly after, with just 0.2 divorces per 1,000 people. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines see an average of 0.4 divorces per 1,000 people.

Peru falls in the fifth position with 0.5 divorces per 1,000 people, while South Africa's divorce rate is 0.6. Saint Lucia, Malta, Qatar, and Panama, although not as low as Sri Lanka, still have relatively low divorce rates, with 0.7 divorces per 1,000 people.

Countries with the lowest divorce rates (per 1,000 people):

1. Sri Lanka - 0.15
2. Guatemala - 0.2
3. Vietnam - 0.2
4. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 0.4
5. Peru - 0.5
6. South Africa - 0.6
7. Saint Lucia - 0.7
8. Malta - 0.7
9. Qatar - 0.7
10. Panama - 0.7