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Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment, which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody, and distribution of property.
In many developed countries, divorce rates have increased markedly during the 20th century. Among the states in which divorce has
become commonplace are the United States, South Korea, and members of
the European Union, with the exception of Malta (where all civil
marriages are for life because civil divorce is banned, which
is also the case in the Philippines). In the U.S., Canada, the United
Kingdom, and some other developed Commonwealth countries, this boom in divorce developed
in the last half of the 20eth century. Japan retains a markedly
lower divorce rate, though it has increased in recent years. In
addition, acceptance of the single-parent family
has resulted in many women deciding to have children outside marriage
as there is little remaining social stigma attached to unwed mothers in
some societies. The subject of divorce as a social phenomenon is an
important research topic in sociology.
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