WILLEMSTAD – Curaçao registered 330 divorces in 2025, while the average age of individuals going through a divorce was 48, according to new figures published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The findings are included in the latest CBS publication, “Civil Status of Residents of Curaçao,” which examines marriage and divorce trends and the marital status of the island's population.
According to the statistical agency, the average age at divorce differed between men and women. Men were approximately 49.6 years old at the time of divorce, compared with 46.3 years for women.
The report also highlights the relatively high number of divorces in relation to marriages registered annually.
CBS reported a ratio of approximately 69 divorces for every 100 marriages in 2025, illustrating the significant number of marital dissolutions compared with new marriages recorded during the year.
However, this ratio should not be interpreted as meaning that 69 percent of marriages end in divorce. Marriages and divorces registered during a particular year generally involve different groups of couples, and the ratio does not measure the lifetime probability of a marriage ending in divorce.
The publication notes that annual divorce figures have fluctuated over the years, although the divorce-to-marriage ratio has remained relatively high.
The broader demographic figures also show that a considerable number of Curaçao residents have experienced divorce.
As of January 1, 2026, the island had 16,934 divorced residents aged 18 and older. Another 44,745 adults were married, 68,937 had never married, and 7,525 were widowed. Additionally, 307 people were registered in a registered partnership.
These figures provide a snapshot of the population's legal marital status and do not necessarily reflect current living arrangements or whether unmarried individuals are in long-term relationships.
The CBS report places the divorce figures within a broader analysis of changing marriage patterns between 2011 and 2025.
During that period, the annual number of marriages declined substantially, from 1,098 in 2011 to 575 in 2025.
The combination of fewer registered marriages and continued divorces raises questions about how family formation and marital relationships are changing in Curaçao.
However, the statistics alone do not establish whether the changes are driven by economic pressures, shifting social attitudes, demographic developments, or other factors.
CBS also examines Curaçao's marriage and divorce patterns in an international context, comparing local developments with those of selected countries.
The statistical agency said the publication is part of its annual reporting on population developments and draws on administrative information provided by the Civil Registry of Curaçao, commonly known as Kranshi.
The full report, “Civil Status of Residents of Curaçao,” has been published on the CBS website and provides further information about marriage and divorce patterns across the island.