This section contains information that does not change between releases.
Data source
Marriages and civil unions: Statistics New Zealand receives a monthly electronic file of registered marriages and civil unions from Births, Deaths and Marriages. Statistics NZ is responsible for processing and publishing statistics derived from the marriage and civil union registrations.
Divorces: Ministry of Justice provides a quarterly electronic file of orders for dissolution of marriage granted in New Zealand. The data is compiled from information collected by the family courts.
Geographical information
Marriages are available by territorial authority (city and district council).
Civil unions are available by broad geographic areas including Auckland, Wellington, the rest of the North Island, Canterbury, and the rest of the South Island. Auckland includes the Auckland council area. Wellington includes Porirua, Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, and Wellington cities and Kapiti Coast, Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa districts. Canterbury includes Kaikoura, Hurunui, Waimakariri, Selwyn, Ashburton, Timaru, Mackenzie and Waimate districts, and Christchurch city. The relatively small number of civil unions prohibits a more detailed geographic breakdown.
Court is the only field giving a geographic breakdown of where divorces actually occur in New Zealand. Information on the residence of the parties at the time the divorce becomes legal is not collected by Statistics NZ.
Confidentiality
To comply with Statistics NZ's confidentiality protocols, some categories are collapsed or aggregated in tables and datasets.
More information
More information about marriages, civil unions, and divorces is available on our website.
Liability
While all care and diligence has been used in processing, analysing, and extracting data and information in this publication, Statistics NZ gives no warranty it is error-free and will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by the use directly, or indirectly, of the information in this publication.
Timing
Timed statistical releases are delivered using postal and electronic services provided by third parties. Delivery of these releases may be delayed by circumstances outside the control of Statistics NZ. Statistics NZ accepts no responsibility for any such delays.
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