Number of marriages and divorces

The number of marriages includes marriages registered in the General Registry Offices of cities/towns and municipalities (and parishes before July 2010) as well as in churches of those denominations and congregations which, according to the Civil Law of the Republic of Latvia, have the right to register a marriage.

A marriage is regarded dissolved once the court ruling has become legally effective. Since 1 February 2011, marriage in Latvia may also be dissolved also by a sworn notary.

In recent decades, July and August have tended to be the most popular months for wedding; however, until the mid-1960s, December held the leading position.

Short-term statistics for the last reference year shows the provisional number of marriages registered during the corresponding month. This means that this statistics includes some marriages concluded by citizens of other countries (who are not usual residents of Latvia) and does not include all marriages registered by clergy of the religious denominations provided for in the Civil Law. The data on all marriages concluded in the previous year, based on the actual month of registration, are compiled and published in June of the next year, excluding marriages concluded by citizens of other countries where neither the bride nor groom is a usual resident of Latvia.