Decrease in number of new marriages

In comparison with the previous year, there were 332 new marriages fewer in 2016, while the total number of marriages in Republika Srpska was 5,563.

Nuptiality rate was lower than in the previous year, and it is directly influenced by the number of new marriages, which means that in those years for which a lower number of marriages is recorded, the nuptiality rate will be lower too, and vice versa. According to the latest available data provided by Eurostat, for 2011, the nuptiality rate in the EU-28 was 4.2 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants, while in Republika Srpska in 2016 the nuptiality rate was 4.8 marriages per 1,000 inhabitants.

The highest number of marriages was concluded between citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The same trend as in previous years was continued in 2016, which means that the highest number of marriages was concluded between grooms and brides who were citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2016 there were 5,142 marriages concluded by couples in which both groom and bride were citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and these amounted to 92.4% of the total number of marriages. Out of the total number of new marriages in 2016 in Republika Srpska, 393 or 7.1% were concluded by couples in which the bride was a foreign citizen and the groom was a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Out of the total number of brides who were foreign citizens, approximately 71.0% were citizens of one of the former republics of Yugoslavia. On the other hand, there were 27 grooms who were foreign citizens and who married brides who were citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 59.3% of these grooms were citizens of one of the former republics of Yugoslavia.

Grooms older than brides

Average age of groom at marriage was 31.9 years and it increased by 0.1 years compared to the previous year. Average age of groom at first marriage was 29.9 years. During the period between 1998 and 2016, age of groom at first marriage increased by 1.3 years.

Total average age of bride at marriage increased in comparison with the previous year and it amounted to 28.3 years, while age of bride at first marriage in 2016 remained at the same level as in the previous year, 26.7 years. Average age of bride at first marriage increased by approximately two years during the period 1998-2016.

Brides in Republika Srpska marry at a younger age than grooms. In the age group between 15 and 19 years, there were around nine times more brides than grooms.

In Republika Srpska, both brides and grooms evidently postpone marriage. It can be concluded that the Western European marriage pattern characterised by later entry into marriage and postponement of marriage is becoming more popular, which leads to decreased natality and therefore to more frequent occurrence of negative natural increase and decrease in number of inhabitants in certain areas.

Divorces

In 2016 in Republika Srpska there were 1,025 divorces. According to the last common habitual residence of partners, the highest number of divorces was recorded in Banja Luka 294, followed by Bijeljina 120, Prijedor 68, Doboj 59 аnd Gradiška 49. Compared to the latest available data provided by Eurostat, referring to the divorce rates in the EU-28 (2011), Republika Srpska was below the average. Divorce rate in the EU-28 (2011) was 2.0 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants, while in Republika Srpska 0.9 divorces were recorded per 1,000 inhabitants. There were 184.3 divorces per 1,000 marriages. One in five marriages in Republika Srpska ended in divorce.

Average length of marriage prior to divorce was 12.7 years

Out of the total number of couples that got divorced, 22.0% got a divorce between the first and fifth year of marriage, 22.4% got a divorce between 5 and 9 years of marriage, while approximately 5.2% of couples got divorced during the first year of marriage. The percentage of divorces of couples who were married for 25 years or longer was 13.2%.

Average age of husband at divorce was by approximately four years higher than that of wife

Average age of husband at divorce was 41.7 years, while average age of wife was 38.0 years.

Approximately 21.6% of divorces occurred between partners with no children, approximately 21.8% between partners with one child, and approximately 26.7% between partners with two children. The highest number of divorces occurred between partners with no dependent children, approximately 25.7%, followed by divorces between partners with one child with 21.6%, while 19.1% of divorces occurred between partners with two or more children.

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