young Russian women in Norway

Increasing globalization and international mobility have gradually affected the marriage market in Norway, the factor that has contributed to the increase in marriages where the women is a lot younger than the man is called mail order marriages.

In 2002,

7 out of 10 marriages entered into were between two Norwegian citizens

10% were marriages between two immigrants

7% were between a Norwegian woman and a foreign man

12% were between a Norwegian man and a foreign woman.

The latter group in particular has increased dramatically in recent years, with the majority of men marrying women from non-western countries, especially young Russia and Asia women. These women are often much younger than their Norwegian husbands. Whilst the proportion of marriages where the man was at least 6 years older in marriages between two Norwegian citizens was only 20 per cent, the figure was almost 60 per cent for marriages between Norwegian men and foreign women. Additionally, in the increasing percentage of marriages between persons with an immigrant background, the man is often much older.