ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq recorded more than 27,000 marriages and nearly 6,000 divorces in January, marking a decline in both categories compared with the same period last year, according to newly released figures from the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the council published nationwide statistics on marriage and divorce cases for the first month of the year.
The data shows that 27,256 marriage contracts were officially registered across Iraq’s provinces, while 5,999 divorces were recorded during the same period.
Baghdad once again recorded the highest number of both marriages and divorces, continuing a trend observed in previous months. The Rusafa Court of Appeals ranked first nationwide, registering 3,692 marriages and 1,428 divorces.
It was followed by Baghdad’s Karkh Court of Appeals, which recorded 2,969 marriages and 1,208 divorces.
The council’s data also revealed notable variations among other provinces. Wasit recorded the lowest number of divorces in January, with just 86 cases. Maysan and Babil followed, each reporting 126 divorces.
By comparison, in January 2025, Iraq registered 29,119 marriages and 6,448 divorces, indicating a year-on-year decrease in both categories.
Despite the decline, divorce rates in Iraq have risen significantly in recent years. More than 200 divorces are registered daily nationwide.
Data covering the 2021-2025 period indicates a steady upward trajectory in divorce rates, with an estimated 40 to 50 percent of separations occurring within the first two years of marriage.
Unemployment, mounting debt, and the rising costs of housing and wedding expenses are widely viewed as key drivers behind the increase in divorces, particularly among young couples.
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