Maldives Records Fewest Marriages and Most Divorces in Five Years in 2025

Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics reveal that 2025 saw the lowest number of marriages and the highest number of divorces in the Maldives over the past five years. According to the Statistical Pocketbook of the Maldives, 5,148 marriages were registered in 2025, the least among the years 2021-2025. In comparison, 5,414 marriages were recorded in 2021, 5,753 in 2022, 5,373 in 2023, and 5,170 in 2024. Meanwhile, divorces reached a five-year high of 3,546 in 2025, up from 3,242 in 2021, 3,311 in 2022, 3,401 in 2023, and 3,464 in 2024. The data indicates that marriages still outnumbered divorces each year. The Maldives has one of the highest divorce rates in the world relative to its population. A 2024 study published in the Maldives National Journal of Research by the National University highlighted key factors contributing to the high divorce rate in the country. The study, conducted among divorced individuals aged 18-39 living in the Male' region, identified infidelity, dissatisfaction with marriage, financial issues, overcrowded living conditions, domestic violence, and substance abuse as major causes.