MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean registered marriages almost identical to number of divorces

In 1990 marriages reached 104.740 and last year, 57.836 divorces

Marriage numbers have fallen 50% in Chile during the past 20 years, according to data made public last week by the Civil Statistical Registry.

On average, the marriage numbers in Chile have been dropping by 1,000 each year. In 1990, 104,740 marriages were registered. But only 57,836 were registered in 2009, including Chileans abroad.

On the other hand, divorce rates are at an all time high.

In 2009, 53,554 couples divorced which is a figure almost identical to the number of registered marriages.

Divorce rates in Chile have risen quickly: In 2005, the year divorce was finally made legal, there were 1,191 divorces. A year later, there were 10,119; in 2007, there were 16,051; and 22,442 in 2008.

Undersecretary of Justice Jorge Frei attributed the changing figures to the growing number of women entering the work force.

By Chastity Dillard (editor@santiagotimes.cl).-