E6K+table+description--Li

The table compares the statistics of marriage in Australia of the year 1981 and 2002. Overall, the trend of the number of registered marriages represented a drop, while more people divorced, lived together before marriage and got married at an older age. The number of marriages declined from 113,905 of 1981 to 105,400 of 2002. In 1981, the age of brides and grooms was 23.3 and 25.9; however, these figures had risen to 29 and 31 by 2002. There were 41,412 divorces in 1981 in Australia, but it had decreased to 55, 330 by 2002. The percentage of couples who lived together before marriage was 42% in 1981 whereas it increased to 73% in 2002. There were several possible reasons for there trends. Firstly, the changing role of women in the workplace could have been the cause of the increase in the average age of brides and grooms between 1981 and 2002. Secondly, divorces and defacto relationships becoming more socially acceptable could have result in the rising number of divorces. Next, Australia society has changed and become less religious which may have led to the increasing percentage of couples who lived together before marriage. Finally, young men and women preferred to complete their education and do really hard for a career instead of marriage. This fact probably caused the age of brides and grooms rose.