Fewer Wellingtonians and more Cantabrians tying the knot
4 May 2016
Fewer marriages and civil unions were celebrated in 2015, compared with 2014, Statistics New Zealand said today. The
largest decreases were in the Wellington, Auckland, Waikato, and Manawatu-Wanganui regions. New Zealand residents
registered 19,947 marriages and civil unions last year, down slightly from 20,175 from 2014, but more than the 19,425
registered in 2013.
"Wellington had the largest regional decrease in the number of marriages and civil unions celebrated in 2015, down from
2,184 in 2014, to 2,052 in 2015," population statistics manager Jo-Anne Skinner said. "Regional data is based on where
people live, not where they were married."
However, some regions saw a small increase in the number of marriages and civil unions celebrated. Canterbury, Otago,
Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, and Nelson districts had increases in 2015 compared with 2014, with the largest increase in
Canterbury. Canterbury residents celebrated 2,655 marriages and civil unions in 2015, up from 2,589 in 2014.
We have made some changes to how marriages, civil union, and divorces data are presented. With the introduction of
same-sex marriage in 2013, the number of civil unions has decreased significantly. As a result, marriages and civil
unions have been combined in most cases, and divorce data now includes the dissolution of both marriages and civil
unions.
See Marriages, Civil Unions and Divorces: Year ended December 2015 for more information.
For more information about these statistics:
ends