Data on marriages and divorces at national level are based on the annual demographic data collections in the field of demography carried out by Eurostat. The completeness of information depends on the availability of data reported by the National Statistical Institutes.

The Joint demographic data collection is carried out in cooperation with United Nation Statistical Division (UNSD) in the summer of each year, having the deadline 15 September. During this data collection Eurostat collects from the national statistical institutes detailed data by sex, age and other characteristics for the demographic events (births, deaths, marriages and divorces) of the previous year and the population on 1 January of the current and previous years.

More specifically, during year T the following data are collected and disseminated on fertility field:

- total number of marriages and divorces

- persons getting married during the reference year by previous legal marital status, year T-1

Moreover, any update sent by the countries in-between data collections are validated, processed and uploaded into Eurostat's demographic database and in Eurostat's free dissemination online database as soon as possible. Aggregates are recalculated accordingly.

The data transmitted by the National Statistical Institutes are validated by Eurostat, processed and uploaded into Eurostat's Demographic Database and in Eurostat's free dissemination online database. The data are also disseminated in several thematic and horizontal Eurostat's publications.

International marriages and divorces

Statistics on the number of international marriages and divorces (2000-2007) were collected by Eurostat from national statistical institutes in September 2008. The data were further used by the European Commission for preparing a proposal for a Council Regulation on the law applicable in divorce and legal separation.

These data collected are available upon request.

Crude marriage rate

The ratio of the number of marriages during the year to the total population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants

Crude divorce rate

The ratio of the number of divorces during the year to the total population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

Legal marital status

Marital status is the legally defined marital state.

Marriage and divorce data are based on the legal civil status as recognised by the law of each country.

Eurostat aims at collecting demographic statistics based on the concept of usual resident population. The statistics on population refer to the national and regional population at its usual residence. In accordance with this concept, the following persons are considered to be usually residents of the geographical area in question: those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference date or those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference date with the intention of staying there for at least one year.

Eurostat requests from Member States and from other countries participating in the Eurostat annual demographic data collections, data on population on 1 January. Countries may collect data at national level using a different reference date based on which they estimate population figures on 1 January to be reported to Eurostat. Countries may provide the legal or registered population instead of the usually resident population. The population is based either on data from the most recent census, adjusted by the components of population change produced since the last census, or on population registers.