Nearly 2.68 million couples divorced in China in 2010, showing an increase of 8.5 percent from the previous year, according to a report released on June 14, 2011 by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Last year, 2.01 million couples filed divorce at civil affairs departments, while 668,000 couples ended their marriage in court, the report said.

The divorce rate in China has been rising continuously over the past five years. The annual growth rate averages 7 percent.

According to statistics as of May 2011, southwest China's Sichuan Province ranks the highest in the divorced population with 38,228 divorced couples, and Shandong ranks second with 29,367 couples ending their marriages,.

According to China Marriage and Family Consulting Research Center, a social group affiliated with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the increased divorced population in Sichuan and Shandong is mainly due to the migration of workers, who spread out in other places in China.

The couples have to face the pressure of separation and their feelings are often neglected, leading to a growing number of people having affairs, said Shu Xin, the center's director.

More developed regions have seen a fairly low increase in the divorce rate. According to first-quarter statistics for Guangdong, Shanghai and Beijing, the divorce population increased by 15.4 percent, 8.5 percent and 8.2 percent respectively compared to the same period in 2010.

"The high increase in divorce is a direct result of economic growth," Shu said.

Related

• Hong Kong celebrity couple to split
• 'Elegant' divorce ceremonies come to China
• Arnold Schwarzenegger had child with staffer
• Southwest is now divorce capital of China

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)