Iraq: Baghdad, Nineveh lead in marriage, divorce

Shafaq News/ Baghdad, Nineveh, and Basra Province have the highest rates of both marriage and divorce in Iraq, according to a report released by the Supreme Judicial Council on Thursday.

The figures detailed that in terms of marriage contracts, the al-Rusafa district in Baghdad recorded the highest number with 4,475 marriages, followed by Nineveh with 3,476 and al-Karkh, also in Baghdad, with 2,951. Meanwhile, al-Karkh led in divorce cases, with 1,245 registered, followed by al-Rusafa with 1,012 and Basra with 922.

Notably, over the past four years, Iraq has seen a significant increase in divorce rates, with more than 357,000 cases recorded. In 2021, 73,155 divorce cases were registered, a number that decreased to 68,410 in 2022. However, the figure rebounded in 2023 to 71,016, and by July 2024, 45,306 divorce cases had already been recorded.

The Kurdistan Region has experienced a similar trend, with more than 120,000 divorce cases filed over the past 13 years.