Türkiye has been drawing attention with its rapidly changing social structure and demographic transformations in the last decades. One of the most obvious indicators of these transformations is the change in family structures and the increase in divorce rates. According to recently published 2024 data announced by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), the divorce rate has reached the highest level in the history of the republic. This situation can be considered a reflection of the sociological and demographic changes that Turkish society has been undergoing.
According to the recent TurkStat data, the number of divorced couples reached 187,343 by 2024. The crude divorce rate, which refers to the number of divorces per thousand population, was recorded as 2.19 per thousand last year. This rate was recorded as the highest divorce rate in the history of the Republic of Türkiye.
A steady increase in divorce rates has been observed, especially since the 2000s. The crude divorce rate, which was 0.5 per thousand in 2000, increased to 1.4 per thousand in 2004 and reached 2.19 per thousand in 2024.
While TurkStat compiled divorce data from its own surveys in the 1920-2002 period, divorce information has been obtained from the Address-Based Population Registration System (MERNIS) database since 2003. The data indicates a rapid increase in the crude divorce rate in Turkish society in the 2000s. The number of divorces per thousand people, which was 1.41 in 2001, has shown an increase to 2.19 as of 2024, which represents a record in the history of the republic.
Data shows that while divorce rates are increasing, marriage rates are decreasing. While the number of married couples was 567,011 in 2023, it stagnated at 568,395 in 2024. The crude marriage rate, which expresses the number of marriages per thousand people, was recorded as 6.65 per thousand in 2024.
The number of marriages, which was 8.35 per thousand in 2001, has decreased to 6.65 per thousand by 2024. Turkish people are getting married less and at later ages.
This increase in divorce rates and stagnation in marriage rates are not just numerical data but indicators of the deep sociological and cultural transformations that Turkish society is undergoing. The transition from traditional to modern family structure, women's greater participation in business life, increasing levels of education, rapid urbanization in the last four decades and individualization trends are among the main reasons for the increase in divorce rates.
The province with the highest crude divorce rate in 2024 was Antalya, with 3.29 per thousand. It was followed by Izmir with 3.09 per thousand. The province with the lowest crude divorce rate was Hakkari, with 0.45 per thousand, which was followed by Şırnak with 0.55 per thousand, and Siirt and Muş, with 0.60 per thousand. The data indicates a relatively higher divorce trend in regions with higher socio-economic development, exceeding six times the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions.
In order to understand the increase in divorce rates in Türkiye, it is first necessary to look at the demographic transformations that society has undergone. In recent years, the average age of first marriage has increased for both men and women. According to 2024 data, the average age of first marriage was 28.3 for men and 25.8 for women. Accordingly, the average age of marriage for both genders increased by an average of 2.5 years in the 2000s.
This situation can be explained by the fact that the young population postpones the decision to marry until later ages. The increase in the age of marriage allows individuals to live their individual lives for a longer period before marriage. This situation causes the institution of marriage to be approached from a more individual and liberal perspective.
However, it can also cause the institution of marriage to become more fragile. The high divorce rates, especially in the early years of marriage, can be considered an indicator of this situation. In 2024, 33.7% of divorces occurred within the first five years of marriage, which points to the vulnerability of new families. When divorces were examined according to the duration of marriage, 33.7% of the divorces in 2024 occurred in the first five years of marriage, and 21.3% occurred within six to 10 years of marriage.
Another important reason for the increase in divorce rates is the increased participation of women in business life and their gaining economic independence. In the past, women were generally limited to domestic roles and were made economically dependent on their husbands. However, in recent years, the increase in women's education levels and greater participation in business life have changed this situation. Despite that, it is still significantly lower than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) peers, women’s labor force participation has increased to 34% in Türkiye, showing an almost 10-point increase in two decades.
While women becoming economically independent ensures a more egalitarian relationship within marriage, it also makes it easier to make the decision to divorce. Women, especially those who have problems such as violence, cheating or lack of communication, can now make the decision to divorce more efficiently, thanks to their economic independence. This situation is seen as an essential reason for the increase in divorce rates.
The increase in divorce rates deeply affects not only couples but also children. In 2024, 187,343 couples who divorced had 186,536 children. As a result of divorce cases, custody of children was mostly given to the mother. In 2024, 74.4% of the children were given to the mother compared to 25.6% to the father.
The effects of divorce on children can be quite profound, both psychologically and socially. The divorce process can create traumatic effects on the emotional world of children, while it can also negatively affect their future relationships. For this reason, it is of great importance for children to receive psychological support during the divorce process and for parents to act by taking the needs of their children into consideration.
One of the most important transformations that Turkish society has undergone is the increase in individualization trends. In the traditional social structure, the expectations of the family and society largely shaped the decisions of individuals. However, in modern society, individuals tend to live their own lives more freely. This situation is also reflected in the institution of marriage. Individuals can more easily decide to divorce when they are not happy in marriage. Couples see marriage as an uninterrupted process of happiness rather than seeing it as a long marathon through which they will be overcoming troubles and unhappiness with each other’s support.
Individualization trends are especially pronounced among the younger generations. Generation Z shows a great tendency to divert from the traditional family values of Turkish society. While young people prefer to wait longer before marriage, they also adopt a more liberal relationship model within marriage. This situation causes the institution of marriage to become more fragile and also triggers an increase in divorce rates.
Various policy recommendations should be developed on the issue of increasing divorce rates.
Providing couples with premarital education programs on issues such as communication, conflict resolution and financial management before marriage can help start marriages on a healthier basis. Such programs can help couples be more prepared for the problems they may encounter in marriage. The Ministry of Family and Social Services is required to be proactive in this area.
Expanding family counseling services for couples experiencing problems within their marriage can increase the couples' chances of resolving their issues before deciding to divorce. These services can be particularly beneficial for couples experiencing communication problems.
Türkiye has been successfully implementing the Family Physician system for the last 10 years. Every individual and every household has an automatically assigned family physician who observes their well-being. Transitioning to a publicly funded family psychology system is essential for both social and mental health and the prevention of social crises. The Social Security Institution requires the expansion of physiological health care services covered by general health care insurance.
Supporting women's participation in business life can increase their economic independence and establish a more egalitarian relationship within marriage. Expanding day care services and enabling work-life balance for mothers is critical in this aspect.
Providing children with psychological support during the divorce process can reduce the negative effects of this process on children. Psychological support programs for children can be created in schools and family counseling centers.
Social awareness campaigns can be organized to raise awareness about the social effects of divorce and aim to strengthen families. These campaigns can especially enable the younger generations to make more conscious decisions about marriage.
In sum, recent official statistics show a very significant increase in divorce rates, which has serious implications for Turkish society. Traditional modes of conflict resolution within families are not sufficient, as urbanization, social transformation and expectations of Generation Z are affecting society and causing fast individualism. Public policies aiming to protect family structures and mitigate the effects of increasing divorces are required. Not via a paternalist state attitude, which aims to shape the society, but via a service state attitude, trying to respond with applicable solutions to the diverse effects of emerging social trends is required.
