Today it seems strange to us that Anna Karenina at the time of the events described in Leo Tolstoy’s novel was only 26 years old, and the nanny of a 17-year-old girl of marriageable age, Tatyana Larina, was herself married off at 13. International legal norms in this regard were developed not so long ago - in In 1962, 55 countries adopted the Convention on the License of Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriage to protect adolescents from the influence of religious and tribal traditions.
9111.ru found out what the minimum age for marriage is in different countries.
Russia
In Russia in 1744, the Decree of the Synod established the marriageable age for brides - 13 years, and 15 years - for boys (it’s even somehow difficult to call them brides and grooms). Almost a century later, Nicholas I raised this age for both sexes by 3 years. In addition, under Nicholas, the age limit for marriage was established - 80 years.
Today, the average age for marriage in Russia has moved up to 25 years, although according to the law, a relationship can be formalized as early as 18. This threshold value was prescribed in legislation by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and has not changed since then.
Article 13 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation also stipulates the possibility of entering into a marriage as early as 16 years of age if there are good reasons (usually pregnancy). In addition, constituent entities of the Russian Federation may, at the local level, pass laws that further reduce the age of marriage for special cases. For example, in the Vladimir region, according to the law of September 26, 1996 N 32-OZ (as amended on July 13, 1998) “On the procedure and conditions for marriage of persons under the age of sixteen,” the local government body has the right to allow Vladimir teenagers to enter into marriage if the bride's pregnancy is more than 12 weeks or there is a threat to the life of one of the parties. There are similar laws in the Vologda and Belgorod regions, as well as a number of other constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
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Average age of newlyweds in different countries of the world
Many people are interested in information about at what age people got married in the Middle Ages. Then the marriageable age was set not by law, but by the church, and ranged from 12-13 years for women and from 15-16 years for men. It was only after the 18th century that the age for marriage was increased to 16 for women and 18 for men. Let's look at modern countries of the world and find out at what age you can get married and get married now among different nations.
Age for marriage in Russia
To the question: “At what age can you get married in our country?” – there is no definite answer. Today, the official age for marriage in Russia is 18 years, and also from 16 years in special cases that are considered by local governments. In reality, couples enter into unions at the age of about 23 years.
Age for marriage in Europe
In most European countries it is legal to get married at the age of 18. The exception is Scotland, where this can be done as early as 16 years old. In reality, of course, in developed European countries people get married much later; the average age of marriage is about 25 years.
Age for marriage in Egypt, UAE, Yemen, Qatar, Oman
Every Muslim girl strives to get married as early as possible. As in many other Islamic countries, in Egypt marriage begins at the age of 16, provided that the bride's parents agree. Without parental consent, Muslims can only marry after 21 years of age. Poorer sections of the population tend to shift the burden of caring for children to the groom's family, so girls can be forced and illegally married off at the age of 9.
And if we consider the question of at what age Egyptian men choose a bride and get married, then the answer will be diametrically opposite - the later, the better. In Egypt, a man can get married at the age of 18, but he must already be rich enough to afford to support his young wife and future children.
Age for marriage in India
In India, the tradition of early marriage has existed for more than ten centuries - during the Muslim conquests, Indians married off their daughters almost from birth so that they would not fall to their enemies. The tradition continued until 1921 - the census showed that more than 500 girls were married off before the age of one year.
Mahatma Gandhi, who himself was forced to marry at 13, advocated raising the marriageable age. If you are wondering at what age do people get married in India today, the country officially allows women to get married at 18 years of age and at 21 for men. But the lower strata of the Indian population still practice early marriage, regardless of the law.
Marriage age in China and Japan
If you move to East Asia, countries as close as China and Japan differ significantly in age at marriage. For example, in Japan, girls can get married at 16, but boys can only get married at 18. A Chinese wedding is officially permitted only from 20 years of age for girls and from 22 years of age for boys - this is the highest threshold for marriage in the whole world.
Age for marriage in Ecuador and Latin America
We have already mentioned that in most Latin American countries, the average actual age of marriage for both men and women is 28 years. However, if we consider the legal norms, then in Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia, girls and boys are allowed to register marriage from the age of 12 and 14, respectively.
Age of marriage among gypsies
Gypsies are a people who do not have an official age for marriage. If the law does not define at what age gypsies get married, then the reality turns out to be frightening, especially considering how the first wedding night of gypsies is spent. It is believed that a girl is already able to get married and give birth to children from the age of 14, and by the age of 20, if no one has “taken her”, she is considered an “old maid”.
Now you know at what age girls get married and guys get married in different countries of the world. The portal www.svadbagolik.ru is always ready to provide you with interesting information on wedding topics. We wish you to approach your consent to marriage with full awareness and make the right decision!
Yemen
One of the most liberal countries in the world towards teenage marriage is Yemen. Here, until 2015, it was allowed to start a family upon reaching 15 years of age. The international organization Human Rights Watch has long fought the Islamic lobby for the adoption of a law establishing a minimum age for marriage and succeeded in this only a year ago.
Today, Yemeni legislation states that you can get married at the age of 18.
Previously, according to Human Rights Watch, girls could be married off at any age. 52% of Yemeni women married before adulthood, 14% of them before the age of 15.
Madrid, Spain)
Age of sexual consent: 16
Marriage age: 16
Military age: 18
Alcohol consumption: 18
Smoking: 18
Gambling: 18
Recently, Spain passed a law banning smoking in public places, and this caused a wave of discontent among the population. However, Spanish citizens apparently were not embarrassed by the fact that until recently their country had the lowest age of sexual consent - 13 years. Just this year, the government decided to raise the threshold to 16 years and increase the minimum age of marriage from 14 to 16 years.
For Spaniards, enlistment in military service is voluntary, and persons from 18 to 26 years old can join the ranks of the Spanish army. The contract is concluded for a period of 2-3 years.
To roll the dice in a Spanish casino, you must be at least 18 years old.
Saudi Arabia
This is perhaps the only country where there is still no regulation regulating the minimum age for marriage. There is no concept of “age of sexual consent” here either. The only thing the authorities pay attention to is the ban on sexual relations outside of marriage.
Since the legal system here is based on Sharia law, there is no need to talk about freedom of morals: for extramarital sex they can be flogged or sentenced to death. Based on the same religious rules, men can marry girls who have reached the age of ten. True, such a marriage usually remains formal until the wife reaches puberty.
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Sydney, Australia)
Age of sexual consent: 16
Marriage age: 18
Military age: 17
Alcohol consumption: 18
Smoking: 18
Gambling: 18
Despite the fact that Australia is one of the heaviest drinking countries in the world, its citizens pay more for alcoholic beverages than residents of any other country. And all because the government imposes taxes on alcoholic beverages, which are striking in their variety. The amount of the tax depends on the strength and type of alcoholic drink, as well as many other factors. In addition, the single tax on retail trade is 10%.
India
India is one of the countries where the age at which boys and girls can start a family differs: 21 and 18, respectively. If one of the spouses, against his or her wishes, entered into marriage before this age, he or she may seek recognition of the illegality of the union.
Muslim customs make their own adjustments, which in some places in India are stronger than the law and allow children to be married. And those who do not live according to the rules of Sharia do not always pay attention to the legislation of their country, traditionally marrying off girls under 15 years of age. The 2001 census showed that 3 million Indian women under 15 already had children of their own.
Mumbai (India)
Age of sexual consent: 18
Marriage age: 18 (for women), 21 (for men)
Military age: 16
Alcohol consumption: 25
Smoking: 18
Gambling: Age varies by state
Alcohol consumption in India is closely linked to the well-being of citizens. According to a study conducted by the NSSO, the richest 5% of the country's population drink mainly beer and luxury liquor, while the rest of the population can afford palm wine or "country liquor". Alcohol sales are regulated by state. In Mumbai, the sale of alcohol to persons under 25 years of age is prohibited.
Also, each state has introduced its own laws regulating the gambling business. Each state sets the minimum age for gambling at its own discretion. Gambling establishments are illegal, and their owners face fines or imprisonment for up to one month. Slot machines and online gambling are also illegal in all states except Sikkim. The Supreme Court of India has made a distinction between games of chance (or games of chance) and games of skill. For example, rummy is not considered a game of chance, since it requires certain skills, while bingo is considered a game of chance, because a person cannot predict its outcome, which depends not on skill, but on luck or luck.
China
The Chinese are the last to start a family in the world - men here are allowed to get married at the age of 22, women to get married at 20. This was achieved in China not so long ago; the law was adopted in 1981 in order to prevent hasty decisions from young people who have not reached emotional maturity and material stability.
It is curious that in medieval China, on the contrary, 20 years was the maximum age for marriage for a girl. The recommended age for girls was 13 years, for boys - 15.
Beijing, China)
Age of sexual consent: 14
Marriage age: 20 (for women), 22 (for men)
Conscription age: no restrictions (for men), 18 (for women)
Alcohol consumption: 18
Smoking: no restrictions
Gambling: prohibited
China is the world's largest total consumer of cigarettes. Chinese laws do not impose any age restrictions on smoking, so Chinese people start smoking on average at 11 years of age. The habit has become so common in indoor public spaces that Beijing authorities have introduced fines and penalties that target smokers by publishing their names and photographs on a government website.
The number of Chinese people who drink alcohol has increased significantly over the past 35 years. According to a recent study published in The Lancet, the average person in China today drinks 6.7 liters of pure alcohol per year, which is double the amount recorded in 1978.
In China, there is no age limit for those who want to volunteer to serve in the military. Male citizens aged 18 to 24 years, female citizens aged 18 to 19 years can be called up for military service, but for this they must meet certain criteria.
Ecuador
In Ecuador, unlike China, the maturity of spouses is not given much importance, so the permissible age for marriage is amazingly low: 12 years for girls and 14 years for boys.
The situation is twofold - the law states that you can get married at the age of 18, but the consent of the parents or guardians of the bride and groom makes it easy to subtract from this age up to 6 years. Statistics show that Ecuadorians often use this opportunity, especially in rural areas, where extra labor never hurts. The 2001 population census identified 23,869 married teenagers aged 12-17 in the country, and in 2010 the number of such marriages almost halved.
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Athens, Greece)
Age of sexual consent: 15
Marriage age: 18
Military age: 19
Alcohol consumption: no restrictions
Smoking: 18
Gambling: 23
The law in Greece technically requires those drinking alcohol in public to be at least 18 years old, but it does not set an age limit for those who can drink alcohol at home.
In Greece, men between the ages of 19 and 45 are subject to conscription for compulsory military service for a period of 1 year, with the exception of those who live abroad or study. Persons who refuse to serve due to political or religious-ethical convictions may choose alternative non-military service, which lasts twice as long as military service.
USA
In the USA, as you know, each state is practically a separate small state with its own traditions and laws. Therefore, the age of marriage varies in different parts of the country. Most often it is standard: 18 years for boys and girls (16 if parents don’t mind). Several states stand out against this background. For example, in Georgia, parental consent is required if the bride and groom are 15 years old. And if both are 16 and the girl is pregnant, then you don’t have to ask permission from relatives. In New Hampshire, you can get married at age 18, but with parental consent, the age can be lowered to 13 for girls and 14 for boys. The highest age limit for marriage in Mississippi is 21.
Statistics: at what age do guys get married and girls get married?
According to the results of a study conducted by the American information portal Priceonomics, a direct connection was discovered between the economic situation in the country and the age of those getting married.
The more developed a country is, the older its residents get married, although on average in many countries in Europe and the United States, the law allows people to get married from the age of 18. For example, citizens of Scandinavia do not marry until they are 30 years old, and in African countries the average age for registering a marriage is 20 years.
However, the correlation between the well-being of citizens of a particular country and the age at which they marry is relative. For example, the economic situations in Latin America and the United States are different. But if you ask the question: “At what age do residents of all these countries get married?”, the answer will not be obvious - 28 years both in the States and in Latin America.
The Priceonomics resource also provided interesting data - men get married at a more mature age than women, and this trend continues throughout the world. Regardless of the traditions and culture of a particular country, a man in most cases registers a relationship upon achieving a certain social status and material well-being. In addition, from a biological point of view, a man is able to retain the ability to conceive children until a more mature age than a woman, so he can “afford” to register an official union later.
Another interesting pattern regarding marriageable age is that girls in less developed countries get married at an age 5 years younger than men. This is due to the fact that poor parents strive to “get rid of the extra mouth” as early as possible and entrust the care of their daughter to her husband.
Scotland
European countries are not diverse in terms of marriage legislation - almost everywhere the standard rule “marriage from 18 years of age, with good reasons and parental consent - from 16” applies. Perhaps in Scotland the law is more lenient towards teenagers yearning for adult life. As a rule, you can get married here from the age of 16; no additional requirements are imposed on the bride and groom. This feature provided Scotland with the status of a saving oasis for lovers, who in the 18th–19th centuries did not have the right to legalize their relationship until the age of 21. Couples simply ran off to Scotland and got married here. By the way, you can get married at 16 in Europe in Malta and Andorra.
Oslo (Norway)
Age of sexual consent: 16
Marriage age: 16
Conscription age: 17 (for men), 18 (for women)
Alcohol consumption: 18,20
Smoking: 18
Gambling: 18
Norwegians consume comparatively less alcohol than residents of all other countries, since alcohol in this country can be purchased exclusively in government stores. Spirits are sold in fewer than 300 locations serving 5.2 million residents. The law allows persons over 18 years of age to legally sell alcohol with a strength of no more than 22%, and stronger alcoholic drinks can be purchased by persons over 20 years of age.
In Norway, the sale of cigarettes to minors is strictly prohibited.
Residents of Oslo can get married at the age of 16 if the parents of the couple and local authorities give their consent.
Men aged 19 to 35 years are subject to conscription for military service for up to one year. Men from 17 years of age and women from 18 years of age can voluntarily join the Norwegian armed forces, and in wartime - from 16 years of age. Norwegians are required to serve in the reserves between the ages of 35 and 60.
Lebanon
As in many Muslim countries, in Lebanon civil law and religious customs conflict with each other regarding the legitimacy of marriage. At the legislative level, men are allowed to start a family from the age of 18, women from 17. However, among Shiites, there is judicial practice that allows marriage to be recognized as legal for boys from the age of 15, and for girls from the age of 9. The Druze (Arabs who profess Druzism, a form of Islam) have separate rules in this regard; they allow their sons to marry at the age of 16, and their daughters to marry at 15.
Early marriages
What is the best age to get married? Early marriage is most often dictated not by a conscious decision of two lovers, but by a coincidence of circumstances. Most often, early marriages occur for the following reasons:
- unexpected pregnancy;
- desire to feel independent;
- living in a family with a difficult situation, the desire to escape from a negative environment;
- the desire to escape the excessive care of parents.
According to statistics, almost 70% of women who got married before the age of 20 are dissatisfied with their union, regardless of whether it ended in divorce or not.
However, there is nothing terrible or downright bad in early marriage if the person is completely mature and independent at the time of registration. Often such unions are quite successful - the wife has greater psychological “flexibility” and adapts to her husband, there is an opportunity to raise children early and remain young and attractive, etc.
However, when deciding what time to get married, one should not forget about the negative aspects of early marriages, namely: lack of life experience, lack of skills for housekeeping, reduced time for entertainment and friends, and dissatisfaction due to missed opportunities.
The best age for marriage, marriageable age in the Russian Federation
At the level of legislative norms, the age of marriage is determined, the achievement of which, in the opinion of government officials, is sufficient to bear duties and responsibilities in marriage and family relations.
It is no coincidence that the age of marriage in the Russian Federation starts at eighteen years old. There is an opinion that by this time people are already able to make their own decisions and provide for their lives. That is why the marriageable age is determined at this level.
This age limit is, to a greater extent, an estimation indicator and is changeable. If such a criterion for classifying the concept of “marriage age” was determined in each individual case, then to establish it it would be necessary to conduct psychological testing, the results of which could indicate a person’s readiness to marry. But for now, the marriageable age in the Russian Federation is eighteen years old, and every citizen can take advantage of all the rights that the marriageable age in the Russian Federation affords him.
Author of the article
How can we lower the age of marriage in Russia?
The most common reason for lowering the age criterion is a woman’s pregnancy or the birth of a child. A decrease in the marriageable age can also occur for other reasons, which are specified in the law. These include a serious illness of one of the potential spouses. A reduction in the age of marriage may be permitted if the future spouse is called up for military service, or when there is a threat to the life of the man or woman. Another reason may be the established fact of family life.
Marriage by persons under 18 years of age makes them fully legally capable from the moment the union is concluded, despite the lowering of the marriageable age.
