There were 6,372 divorces granted by the family courts in 2021, the lowest annual number of divorces since 1979, Stats NZ said today.

“Divorces have been generally decreasing since the early 2000s, as has the divorce rate,” population estimates and projections manager Hamish Slack said.

“The divorce rate, which shows the number of divorces per 1,000 estimated existing marriages, has also dropped back to mid-1970s levels.”

In 2021, the divorce rate was 6.2 divorces per 1,000 estimated existing marriages, the lowest since the law changed in 1981 making it easier for couples to divorce. The divorce rate is similar to 1974 levels, when it was 6.4 divorces per 1,000 marriages.

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• Divorces drop to lowest number since 1979
• Marriages, civil unions, and divorces: Year ended December 2021
• CSV files for download

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