Iraq records rise in divorces in January as marriages remain steady

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq recorded 27,256 marriage contracts and 5,999 divorce cases across its appellate courts in January 2026, according to the Supreme Judicial Council.

The number of divorces rose from 4,888 cases recorded in December —excluding the Kurdistan Region —while marriages remained above 27,000 during both months.

Read more: Wife sharing, excessive belching, sexual extortion: bizarre reasons for divorce in Iraq

Baghdad registered the highest figures nationwide in January, with 6,661 marriages and 2,636 divorces, while Wasit posted the lowest divorce total with 86 cases, and Al-Muthanna with 723 marriages.

The World Population Review places the average age of first marriage in Iraq at 25.3 years in 2025, ranking the country among the Arab states with the lowest marriage ages.

Read more: Vanishing vows: Why Iraqi marriages now fail in months, not years