Marriages decline, divorce rates rise in Türkiye in 2025: Data

ANKARA

Marriage rates in Türkiye declined in 2025, while divorce rates continued to climb, according to newly released data on marriage and divorce statistics by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

The number of married couples fell to 552,000 in 2025, down from 570,000 a year earlier. The crude marriage rate — defined as the number of marriages per thousand people — stood at 6.43 per mille.

By contrast, divorces rose from 189,000 in 2024 to 194,000 in 2025, pushing the crude divorce rate to 2.26 per mille.

The average age at first marriage continued its upward trend for both genders. In 2025, men married for the first time at an average age of 28.5, women did so at 26, marking a 2.5-year gap between spouses.

Regionally, Gaziantep recorded the highest crude marriage rate at 7.76 per mille, followed by Osmaniye (7.68) and Şanlıurfa (7.5). The lowest rates were seen in Tunceli (4.18), Gümüşhane (4.58) and Ardahan (4.67).

Foreign nationals accounted for a modest share of marriages. In 2025, 5,300 foreign grooms — 1 percent of all grooms — married in Türkiye, with Syrians comprising 21 percent of them, followed by Germans and Afghans.

Meanwhile, foreign brides made up 5 percent of all brides; Syrians ranked first at 13.8 percent, followed closely by Uzbeks and Moroccans.

Divorce rates were highest in İzmir at 3.28 per mille, followed by Antalya (3.21) and Denizli (3.14). The lowest rates were recorded in Hakkari (0.51), Şırnak (0.52) and Bitlis (0.63).

Of all divorces finalized in 2025, 34 percent occurred within the first five years of marriage and 20.3 percent between the sixth and 10th years.

Court rulings affected 191,000 children, with custody granted primarily to mothers.

The trend unfolds against a broader demographic slowdown, with the fertility rate falling well below the replacement level. In response, authorities declared 2025 the “Year of the Family,” launching nationwide initiatives aimed at encouraging marriage and higher birth rates.