SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 1981
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SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ON MARRIAGES FROM 1976 TO 1980
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THE APRIL 1981 ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST OF STATISTICS CONTAINS A SPECIAL REVIEW ARTICLE ON +MARRIAGES IN HONG KONG, 1976 - 1980+, DESCRIBING THE MARRIAGE TRENDS AND CHARÁCTER ISTICS OF THE BRIDEGROOMS AND BRIDES IN THOSE YEARS.
THE NUMBER OF MARRIAGES CONTRACTED INCREASED STEADILY FROM LESS THAN 40 000 IN 1976 TO OVER 51 000 IN 1980.
OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 216 821 MARRIAGES CONTRACTED BETWEEN 1976 AND 1980, ABOUT 86 PER CENT WERE FIRST MARRIAGES BETWEEN BACHELORS AND SPINSTERS.
POST-REGISTRATIONS OF CHINESE CUSTOMARY MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGES CONTRACTED IN OTHER COUNTRIES CONSTITUTED SOME 11 PER CENT OF MARRIAGES REGISTERED IN THE PERIOD.
RE-MARRIAGES OF WIDOWED AND DIVORCED PEOPLE ACCOUNTED FOR LESS THAN 4 PER CENT OF TOTAL MARRIAGES.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE MARRYING FOR THE FIRST TIME WERE BETWEEN 20 AND 29 YEARS OF AGE.
THERE WERE VERY FEW MARRIAGES AT AGES BELOW 20 AND AFTER 45 FOR MALES, AND AT AGES 35 AND OVER FOR FEMALES.
THE AVERAGE AGE AT FIRST MARRIAGE FOR BOTH MALES AND FEMALES INCREASED STEADILY DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS, INDICATING A GENERAL TREND TOWARDS LATE MARRIAGE.
AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE RECENT INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS, WHO WERE PREDOMINANTLY YOUNG, THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF MARR FAGEABLE AGE INCREASED RAPIDLY. THIS EFFECT OF IMMIGRATION COUPLED WITH THE CHANGE IN THE AGE STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION IN THE COMING YEARS WILL LEAD TO A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE POPULATION AT MARRIAGEABLE AGE.
THE NUMBER OF MARRIAGES IS THEREFORE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE FUTURE YEARS.
THE APRIL 1981 ISSUE OF THE HONG KONG MONTHLY DIGEST IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE AT CONNAUGHT PLACE.
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