Croatians marry less, divorce more in 2009

Croatians married less frequently but got divorced more often in 2009 than in the previous year, the latest data from Central Bureau of Statistics shows.Compared to 2008, 2009 saw more separations (51) and almost 1,000 fewer weddings. In 2009, 5076 marriages fell apart while 22,382 couples took new nuptial vows.The most critical period for marriages in Croatia appears to be after the first decade that the couple spends together. On average, most divorces in 2009 took place amongst partners who were married between 10 and 14 years.There was a significant number of couples (762) who decided to go their separate ways after spending more than 25 years together.  That is 200 more than in 2000, but also five per cent less than in 2007, the daily Jutarnji List writes.Only 92 newlywed couples decided to split before their first wedding anniversary.In 40.7 per cent of the divorces, the pair had no children, while in 33.8 per cent, they had one child. Only 24.5 per cent of the divorced couples had two or more children.The most number of divorces took place in Zagreb - a statistic that is far from surprising considering that this is the capital which houses the quarter of the country's population. Generally speaking, the dwellers of the continental Croatia, Slavonia and Primorje are more inclined towards a divorce, while Dalmatians seem least prone to separations.Coastal or island cities of Cres, Crikvenica, Krk and Stari Grad na Hvaru can boast a "good marraige" climate considering that they had only two divorces in last year. The towns of Drnis and Pag had one each.The two small Dalmatian towns of Obrovac and Vrlika take the crown, however, as they are the only two places in Croatia where no one signed the divorce papers in 2009.

Source: Croatian Times Online News