Share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of women who are married or in a union was 21.5% in 2019. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia, 1970–2019
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 21.5% for share of women who are married or in a union in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia peaked at 53.1% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 21.5%, in 2019.
Ethiopia ranks 16th of 221 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 53.1% | — |
| 1971 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 53.1% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 51.6% | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 50.1% | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 48.6% | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 47.1% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 45.6% | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 44.1% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 42.6% | -3.4% |
| 1992 | 41.2% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 39.7% | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 38.2% | -3.8% |
| 1995 | 36.7% | -3.9% |
| 1996 | 35.2% | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 33.7% | -4.2% |
| 1998 | 32.2% | -4.4% |
| 1999 | 30.7% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 29.2% | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 27.7% | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 26.2% | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 24.7% | -5.7% |
| 2004 | 23.3% | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 21.8% | -6.4% |
| 2006 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 21.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 21.5% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 21.5% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 53.1% | 53.1% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 50.8% | 45.6% | 53.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 37.4% | 30.7% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.0% | 21.7% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.6% | 21.5% | 21.7% | 10 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More gender data for Ethiopia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,452 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.69 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.98 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 2.07 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.95 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 2.04 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.92 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 2.01 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 1.98 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Ethiopia was 21.5% in 2019, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 53.1% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.5% in 2019.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Ethiopia ranks 16th out of 221 countries with data for 2019.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.