Caribbean

Dominican Republic

Absolute number

Prevalence

446.7 thousand

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

9%
1.4 million

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

32%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Dominican Republic
  • Caribbean
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Dominican Republic and Caribbean from 1994 to 2025.

In Dominican Republic, 38% of girls in 1994 married before age 18, compared with 32% in 2019, which is the latest available value.

In Caribbean, the prevalence was 30% in 2000 and was 24% in 2025.

Show data table
YearDominican RepublicCaribbean
199437.8%
199938.3%
200030.0%
200441.1%
200529.7%
200937.5%
201031.1%
201435.3%
201528.0%
201931.5%
202024.6%
202523.8%
Child marriage age
Compare with other countries

Dominican Republic

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201937.8%29.7%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201948.9%42.4%33.7%20.9%11.3%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201923.4%65.0%27.1%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Dominican Republic

Understand differences inside the country

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

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

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Dominican Republic

Understand differences
inside the country

Prevalence of child marriage before age 18 years in each region of Dominican Republic in 2019.

Child marriage age

Region with no data

2019

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Dominican Republic in 2019

0%100%

The chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Dominican Republic. Data refer to 2019, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in EL VALLE (47%), CIBAO NOROESTE (41%), YUMA (38%), and CIBAO SUR (38%).

Show data table
YearCIBAO NORDESTECIBAO NOROESTECIBAO NORTECIBAO SUREL VALLEENRIQUILLOHIGUAMOOZAMAVALDESIAYUMA
201934.0%41.4%33.6%38.1%46.7%37.9%32.0%24.3%33.6%38.1%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Dominican Republic compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Dominican Republic
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Dominican Republic from 1994 to 2019.

In Dominican Republic, 38% of girls in 1994 married before age 18, compared with 32% in 2019, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearDominican Republic
199437.8%
199938.3%
200441.1%
200937.5%
201435.3%
201931.5%

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 Dominican Republic. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Dominican Republic, 32% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 38% of girls in rural areas, compared with 30% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Dominican Republic37.8%29.7%31.5%
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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