Continuing the upward trend, 2011 saw more couples getting married and a similar increase in divorce cases.

The figures of marriages and divorces in 2011 were released today by the Department of Statistics Singapore.

The number of marriages last year increased to 27,258 from 24,363 in 2010. There were 7,604 divorces and annulments last year, compared to 7,338 from 2010.

The ages of brides and grooms are also increasing; the median age of first-time grooms rose from 29.7 in 2006 to 30.1 in 2011, while the median age for first-time brides rose from 27.0 to 28.0.

The ages of divorcees have increased as well. The median age of male and female divorcees in 2011 were 41.3 and 37.7 respectively, compared to 29.6 and 35.7 in 2006.

Last year also saw an increase in inter-ethnic marriages. They represented 20 per cent of the total marriages in 2011, compared to 13 per cent in 2001.

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