Please Note: Latest data can be found in Marriages, Australia, 2006 which was released on 4 October 2007.


NOTES ABOUT REISSUE

Errors were detected in Marriages, Australia, 2005 (cat.no. 3306.0.55.001) published on 13 December 2006.The publication has been reviewed and the following is a summary of the changes contained in this reissue of the publication:


Age

Errors were identified in the derivation of 2005 age data. The main effect of the faulty derivation was that there were fewer brides and grooms in the younger age groups than there should have been in the 2005 data. Age data appear in Tables 1, 5, 6, 9 and 12. All affected data have been corrected in this issue. Age data for all years except 2005 are not affected.


Type of celebrant

A number of data items relating to Total civil celebrants and Total ministers of religion in Tables 9 and 11 were understated.
Other civil celebrants for Queensland and Australia were overstated in Table 11. All these data items have been corrected and the celebrant data items in Tables 1, 5 and 6 are not affected.


Previous marital status

Data items relating to previous marital status for South Australia and Australia in Table 12 were understated. These data items have been corrected and the data items relating to previous marital status in all other tables are not affected.


Duration of residence

The data items relating to the Median duration of residence by bride's country of birth in Table 6 were incorrect. These data items have been corrected and the matching data in Table 5 for bridegrooms are not affected.

No other data are affected.

These revisions will be reflected in all future products from Marriages, Australia, 2005.



ABOUT THIS PRODUCT

This electronic product, Marriages, Australia 2005 (cat. no. 3306.0.55.001) provides information on marriages registered in Australia during the 2005 calendar year. Key indicators of marriages at the national and state level are included in the analytical commentary below. Detailed marriage tables are available in a data cube. The 2005 data cube can be accessed through the 'Details' tab at the top of this page. Explanatory notes, abbreviations and a glossary of terms can be accessed through the 'Explanatory Notes' tab.

Information on marriages from 2002 onwards is available in the electronic product, Marriages, Australia (cat. no. 3306.0.55.001), free on the ABS website. Information on marriages for years prior to 2002 is available in the publication, Marriages and Divorces, Australia (cat. no. 3310.0), available for free on the ABS website. Information on divorces from 2002 onwards is available in the electronic product, Divorces, Australia (cat. no. 3307.0.55.001). Contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or email <client.services@abs.gov.au> for further information.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or send an email to client.services@abs.gov.au.


SUMMARY COMMENTARY


REGISTERED MARRIAGES

In 2005, there were 109,323 registered marriages, representing a slight decrease of 1,635 (1.5%) from 2004. This decrease in registration numbers is consistent across all states and territories, with the exception of Western Australia which rose by 4.9% (523) in 2005. New South Wales was the largest contributor to the decline in registrations at a national level, reporting a drop of 1,504 (4%) marriages from 2004 to 2005. A similar pattern also occurred but to a lesser degree for both Victoria and South Australia with registration declines of 321 (1.3%) and 253 (3.2%) respectively. The number of registrations for Tasmania has remained steady over the last 10 years. Similarly, but over a longer time period, the number of marriages registered for Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory has remained steady since 1985.

CRUDE MARRIAGE RATE

The crude marriage rate (per 1,000 of population) decreased to 5.4 in 2005, down from 5.5 in 2004. Over the past twenty years the crude marriage rate has been in decline, although it has shown little movement since 2001. The crude marriage rate for Australia in 2005 is 1.9 lower than it was in 1985 (7.3 per 1,000 population), and 0.7 lower than in 1995 (6.1).

At a state and territory level, the crude marriage rate decreased in 2005 in all states and territories except Western Australia where it rose 0.2, from 5.3 in 2004 to 5.5 in 2005.

Queensland recorded the highest crude marriage rate for 2005 (6.1 per 1,000 population). This has been the case for the last 10 years. Over the last 20 years, the Northern Territory has consistently recorded the lowest crude marriage rate in Australia. In 2005 the rate was 3.8 per 1,000 population, 1.6 below the rate for Australia.



AGE AT MARRIAGE

Median Age at Marriage

The trend towards older age at marriage continued in 2005. The median age of bridegrooms at marriage was 31.5 years, rising from 27.0 years in 1985. The median age of brides rose to 29.3 years in 2005 from 24.5 years in 1985.

The median age has increased from 27.0 years in 1985 to 29.2 years in 1995 and to 31.5 years in 2005 for bridegrooms. Similarly, in the past 20 years, the median age of brides at marriage has increased from 24.5 years in 1985, 26.8 years in 1995, up to 29.3 years in 2005.

The median age of bridegrooms at marriage exceeded 30 years of age (30.1 years) for the first time in 1999. In comparison, the current (2005) median age of brides is still under 30 years of age (29.3). The age difference between bridegrooms and brides at marriage has been approximately 2 years for the past 20 years.

In 2005, bridegrooms and brides in Northern Territory were the oldest at time of marriage with a median age of 33.2 years and 30.5 years respectively and this continued the trend of the past 20 years.




The median age at first marriage also increased. In 2005, the median age was 29.5 years for bridegrooms and 27.6 years for brides. In 1985, the respective median ages at first marriage were 25.4 years and 23.2 years.



Age-specific marriage rates

In 2005, the largest age group of bridegrooms and brides at marriage was 25-29 years. There were 45.6 marriages of bridegrooms and 50.9 marriages of brides in that age group for 1,000 estimated resident population of the same age. The age specific marriage rates have also demonstrated the trend towards older age at marriage, over the past 20 years. In 1985, the largest age group was 20-24 years for bridegrooms (56.8 marriages) and brides (76.6 marriages). In 1995 the peak age group for bridegrooms was 25-29 (51.8) followed by 20-24 (31.7), while for brides the peak group was 20-24 (51.2) followed closely by the 25-29 age group (47.9).

Of most interest, is the continued marriage rate decline for both bridegrooms and brides in the younger age groups. More specifically, in 2005 the age specific marriage rate for bridegrooms 19 years and under was 0.7 marriages and 3.3 marriages for brides in that age group per 1,000 estimated resident population. This was a decline from 2004 and was the lowest rates for this age group to date. Similarly, marriage rates fell in both the 20-24 age group, and 25-29 age group for both bridegrooms and brides.


MARITAL STATUS AT MARRIAGE

Marriages registered where the bridegroom and bride had either been previously widowed or divorced decreased in 2005. This downward trend can be seen since 2000 in both cases. The greatest decline has been in the number of 2005 brides that had previously been widowed, showing a decline from 2004 of 9.7% (down to 2,069 marriages), whilst the number of bridegrooms previously widowed also declined (by 3.4%, down to 1,924 marriages). The number of previously widowed bridegrooms and brides remarrying is the lowest it has been since 1985, continuing the downward trend of widows remarrying over the past 20 years.

A decrease in the number of divorced brides and bridegrooms remarrying was strongest in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. New South Wales reported the largest decline from 2004, with the number of divorcee's remarrying dropping by 7.7% (622) for bridegrooms and 5.3% (389) for brides from 2004.

Bridegrooms and brides who are remarrying after a divorce are also older than in previous years. In 2005, the median age of bridegrooms remarrying after divorce was 44.5 years, an increase of 0.2 years from 2004 and 7.0 years from 1985. Similarly, the median age of brides remarrying after divorce was 41.2 years, compared with 40.7 years in 2004 and 34.2 years in 1985.


First marriages and remarriages

In 2005, 68.0% of all marriages registered were first marriages for both parties. A further 17.9% were marriages in which one partner had been previously married, and 14.1% were remarriages for both partners. These proportions have remained constant over the last 20 years.

Bridegrooms who were marrying for the first time are older. The median age of bridegrooms marrying for the first time in 2005 was 29.5 years, an increase from 29.4 years in 2004. In 1985, the median age of bridegrooms marrying for the first time was 25.4 years. The median age of brides marrying for the first time also increased to 27.6 years in 2005, from 27.5 years in 2004 and 23.2 years in 1985.

Overall, bridegrooms had a shorter interval between previous and current marriage than brides. In 2005, the median interval to remarriage was 3.5 years for bridegrooms compared with 4.2 years for brides. The median interval to remarriage varied by marital status. Previously widowed bridegrooms and brides had a longer interval to remarriage (4.0 and 6.4 years respectively) than previously divorced bridegrooms and brides (3.5 and 4.0 years respectively).


COHABITATION PRIOR TO MARRIAGE

Of the 109,323 couples who registered a marriage in 2005, 75.9% indicated that they had cohabited prior to registering their marriage. This proportion has been increasing consistently since 2000, when 71.3% of couples reported they had cohabited prior to marriage. Cohabitation before marriage was most likely for those who married in Tasmania (83.9% of all marriages) in 2005, and least likely in New South Wales (69.3% of all marriages).

In 2005, 81.0% of bridegrooms in the 35-39 years age group cohabited before marriage compared with 56.3% of bridegrooms aged 19 years and under. Brides in the 30-34 years age group were most likely to cohabit (82.1%) while brides aged 19 years and under were the least likely (58.6%).


MARRIAGE CELEBRANTS

In 2005, marriages performed by civil celebrants again outnumbered marriages performed by ministers of religion. This trend began in 1999 when 51.3% of all marriages were performed by civil celebrants. By 2005, the proportion had increased to 59.6%. In comparison, in 1985 only 40.0% of marriages were performed by civil celebrants.

Couples who cohabit before marrying are more likely to marry in a civil ceremony (66.7%) than those who do not (33.3%) and account for 85.1% of civil ceremonies.

In 2005, the highest proportion of civil marriages was in the Northern Territory (74.4%). The Northern Territory has had the highest proportion of civil marriages for the past twenty years. New South Wales had the lowest proportion of civil marriages (54.8%), whilst South Australia experienced the largest increase in civil marriages from 55.2% in 2004 to 58.7% in 2005.

Of the 44,218 marriages performed by ministers of religion in 2005, the most common rites used were Catholic (32.7%) followed by Anglican (18.8%). Catholic rites were most common in all states except Tasmania, where Anglican rites accounted for 28.9% of religious ceremonies and Catholic rites for 24.4%.

Anglican rites were the second most common in all states except Tasmania and South Australia. In South Australia, there were 19.3% Uniting Church rites and 14.4% Anglican rites.


COUNTRY OF BIRTH

In 2005, 61.4% of marriages were of Australia-born couples. A further 8.7% were marriages of couples born in the same overseas country, and 29.9% were marriages of bridegrooms and brides from different countries. In 1985, the comparative proportions were 64.8%, 6.5% and 28.7% respectively.

In 2005, the median age at marriage for bridegrooms born in Australia was 31.1 years and the median age for Australian-born brides was 28.9 years.

Bridegrooms born in Greece and Italy had the highest median age at marriage, 43.3 years and 41.9 years respectively. In contrast, grooms born in China and India had the lowest median age at marriage (both at 28.4 years). For brides, those born in Italy had the highest median age at marriage (40.3 years) followed by those born in the United Kingdom (35.3 years). In contrast, brides born in Lebanon had the lowest median age at marriage (24.8 years).


INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON

Of the countries selected for comparison (refer data cube Table 2) Viet Nam had the highest crude marriage rate (12.1 per 1,000 population), followed by Iran (8.9), Mauritius (8.8) and the United States of America (7.8). Australia falls in the mid range with 5.4. The lowest crude marriage rate was recorded by Venezuala (2.8), followed by Panama (3.3), Chile (3.6) and France and Italy (4.3).

Selected marriage indicators(a), Australia - Selected years - 1985-2005
				1985	1995	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005
ALL MARRIAGES
Marriages registered			no.	115 493	109 386	113 429	103 130	105 435	106 394	110 958	109 323
Crude marriage rate(b)			rate	7.3	6.1	5.9	5.3	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.4
Previous marital status
	First marriage both partners		no.	77 439	73 846	75 503	68 987	69 861	70 644	74 581	74 303
	First marriage one partner		no.	21 482	19 898	21 185	18 889	19 462	19 678	19 994	19 573
	Remarriage both partners		no.	16 572	15 642	16 741	15 254	16 112	16 072	16 382	15 447
Marriages performed by
	Ministers of religion
		Number	no.	69 284	na	53 521	48 372	47 400	46 187	45 857	44 218
		Proportion	%	60.0	na	47.2	46.9	45.0	43.4	41.3	40.4
	Civil celebrants
		Number	no.	46 209	na	59 908	54 758	58 035	60 207	65 100	65 104
		Proportion	%	40.0	na	52.8	53.1	55.0	56.6	58.7	59.6
Relative birthplace of bridegroom and bride(c)
	Both born in Australia		no.	74 853	na	72 122	64 373	65 020	65 436	68 639	67 085
	Both born in the same overseas country		no.	7 500	na	9 262	8 611	9 210	9 502	9 686	9 546
	Born in different countries		no.	33 099	na	32 032	30 130	31 184	31 444	32 630	32 640
Cohabitation prior to marriage
	Number		no.	na	na	80 893	74 244	77 024	79 311	83 728	83 002
	Proportion		%	na	na	71.3	72.0	73.1	74.5	75.5	75.9
na not available
(a) See glossary for definitions of terms used.
(b) Per 1,000 estimated resident population.
(c) Excludes marriages where country of birth of one or both partners is not stated.