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Marriageable ages vary greatly worldwide due to customs, economics, and religion. In the US, social status and location affect age at marriage, while in India and Africa, economic factors force early marriages. Scandinavian countries have the highest median age at marriage, while Eastern Europe has the lowest. China and Japan have high averages, but young couples are more likely to divorce.
It is literally impossible to find a common denominator when it comes to marriageable ages around the world. Factors such as customs and economic issues play an important role in deciding the average age of marriage in different countries. In some areas, religion is also an important component when deciding the age of marriage. The differences can be staggering.
In the United States, for example, the median age at marriage varies based on social status, family traditions, and even geographic location. In general, people in big cities tend to marry later and wait longer to have children, usually well into their 30s. People who grew up in rural communities are likely to get married for the first time in their twenties. In developed countries, the average age of marriage has also been pushed back because many couples now choose to live together for years before even considering marriage. In the 1920s, when housesharing before marriage wasn’t the standard, people were getting married younger.
In countries like India and Pakistan, where it is traditional for parents to arrange marriages, the average age at marriage is 17, with many brides getting married as soon as they turn 15. This is also the case in many African countries, where economic factors force parents to marry off their daughters at an early age. Nigeria has some of the lowest averages in Africa, with most men marrying around age 23 and most women at 17.
The median age is highest in Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, where the number is 30.2 for women and 32.5 for men. Sweden, Finland and Norway follow closely. In continental Europe, the average age at marriage is lowest in Eastern countries, where the numbers are just 23 for women in Poland and 26 for men in Romania.
China and Japan have joined European countries in their high averages, which are around 30 for both men and women. This is especially true for large metropolitan areas, but rural areas are rapidly catching up. It is important to note that, in many countries, marriage age is closely related to the number of divorces that occur each year. Young couples are almost three times more likely to divorce than people who marry after age 27.
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