ASTANA – In Kazakhstan, April 15 is celebrated as Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan Sulu Day, a holiday symbolizing true love, often considered an alternative to Valentine’s Day. A study by Shynar Toleshova, a leading expert at Kazakhstan’s Economic Research, examined changing trends in marriage and family life.
April 15 is the Kozy-Korpesh and Bayan Sulu day in Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Shutterstock
Toleshova pointed out that shifts in marital patterns, such as a decrease in first marriages and an increase in remarriages, mirror broader global trends. Over the past five years, the share of men and women marrying for the first time has declined, while the number of remarriages has grown. For example, the proportion of men remarrying increased from 15.4% to 20.8%, and women from 13.5% to 19.4%, according to Toleshova’s comment on the institute’s website on April 15.
There has been a noticeable rise in marriages among older individuals. The percentage of men aged 35-44 getting married has grown from 10.9% to 14.7%, and for women, it increased from 8.5% to 12.3%. The average age for first marriages has also risen, with men marrying at 27.9 years and women at 25.2 years.
Regarding geography, people in southern and western regions tend to marry younger, with men in the Mangystau, Atyrau, and Turkistan regions marrying before 27. In contrast, men in the country’s northern regions marry later, with the oldest grooms in the East Kazakhstan Region at 29.5 years.
Toleshova also noted a decline in divorce rates and pointed out that the pandemic may have brought couples closer together, as evidenced by 40,000 more births in 2021 compared to 2020.
