CARICOM CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (CCDP)

National Census Report 2001, St. Vincent and the Grenadines2.5 Union StatusUnion Status characterizes all types of unions, that is both marital (legal/religious) and nonmaritalunions. Union status covers all consensual unions including cohabitation, common-lawmarriages etc. while marital status covers unions that are directly related to legal marriages orthose according to customs. Union Status essentially refers to the de facto unions in whichcouples are involved. Data on union status obtained from persons 16 years or older indicate thatin 2001, 41.6 per cent was not in a union, 24.92 per cent was legally married, 15.42 per cent, incommon law union and 10.95 per cent, in visiting relationship, (Table 2.4). An additional 5.84per cent was not in a union but were also married, legally separated, divorced or widowed.Table 2.4: Population 16 Years or Older by Current Union Status and Sex, 2001Union Status Total % Male % Female %Total 71 528 100.0 36 062 100.0 35 466 100.0Legally Married 17 826 24.92 8 897 24.67 8 929 25.18Common Law union 11 032 15.42 5 508 15.28 5 524 15.58Visiting Partner 7 832 10.95 3 606 10.00 4 226 11.92Married But Not in Union 749 1.05 364 1.01 385 1.09Legally Separated 316 0.44 124 0.34 192 0.54Widowed and Not in Union 2 276 3.18 508 1.41 1 768 4.98Divorced and Not in Union 837 1.17 367 1.02 470 1.32Not in a Union 29 757 41.6 16 200 44.92 13 557 38.22Don't Know/Not Stated 903 1.27 488 1.35 415 1.17There was little difference in the percentage of males and females across the various types ofunion status except for those that were not in a union or widowed. Males were more likely thanfemales to not be in a union, while females were more likely than males to be widowed.The number of legally married persons (17 826) in 2001 represents a 6.13 per cent increasecompared to 1991. The corresponding rate of increase was higher among males (6.67 per cent)compared to females (5.60 per cent).22