Belgian divorcees stay married for nearly 16 years

Belgian couples who divorce were married for an average of 15.7 years before getting a divorce, according to statistics from the FPS Economy, reports Het Laatste Nieuws.

In 2013 in Belgium, 24,872 marriages ended in divorce. Five years ago, 36,366 divorces were recorded in the country, but the number of marriages is also on the decline. In 2013, for example, there were 10.3% fewer marriages than in 2012.

On average, Belgians who divorce do so after 15.7 years of marriage, with other peaks noted after the third and seventh years of marriage. Beyond 50 years of marriage, the divorce rate drops dramatically.

The statistics also show that first marriages generally tend to last longer than second marriages.