South America

Brazil

Absolute number

Prevalence

3.5 million

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

6%
21.9 million

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

26%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Brazil
  • South America
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Brazil and South America from 1981 to 2006.

In Brazil, 24% of girls in 1981 married before age 18, compared with 26% in 2006, which is the latest available value.

Data for South America are not available.

Show data table
YearBrazilSouth America
198124.3%
198622.3%
199121.7%
199623.9%
200128.8%
200626.2%
Child marriage age

Brazil

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
200634.6%22.5%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
200648.8%13.7%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Brazil

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Brazil in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Brazil. See the range of values within the country, and explore the chart for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Brazil

Understand differences
inside the country

Prevalence of child marriage before age 18 years in each region of Brazil in 2006.

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2006

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Brazil in 2006

0%100%

The chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Brazil. Data refer to 2006, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Norte (36%), Nordeste (33%), Centro-Oeste (32%), and Sul (29%).

Show data table
YearCentro-OesteNordesteNorteSudesteSul
200632.3%33.0%35.7%18.4%28.8%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Brazil compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Brazil
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Brazil from 1981 to 2006.

In Brazil, 24% of girls in 1981 married before age 18, compared with 26% in 2006, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearBrazil
198124.3%
198622.3%
199121.7%
199623.9%
200128.8%
200626.2%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Brazil. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Brazil, 26% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 35% of girls in rural areas, compared with 23% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Brazil34.6%22.5%26.2%
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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