Divorces soar and more remain unmarried in loveless Hong Kong
Government figures also show that more people remain unmarried amid work stresses, cramped homes and greater individualism
Cramped apartments and hectic working hours are never conducive to romantic life - and the latest government figures put to rest any notion that love is blossoming in Asia's world city.
The Census and Statistics Department yesterday published a review of marriage and divorce trends in the city between 1991 and 2013, with figures showing a staggering increase in the number of divorces and a considerable uptick in the number of Hongkongers who have never been married.
During the 22-year period, the number of divorces jumped almost fourfold from 6,295 in 1991 to 22,271 in 2013, an increase that experts attribute to increasingly tense lifestyles and changing values.
"Housing is too small," said Anne Fong, the owner of Proposal Planner, a service which helps potential brides and grooms to pop the all-important question.
"If you have families of four or five living in a small house, the parents won't have enough freedom. They will keep arguing with each other, eventually leading to divorce," said Fong.
Long working hours were also problematic, said Fong, adding that stressful jobs and frequent overtime took a toll on family life.
The spike in divorce rates was particularly prominent among less educated Hongkongers, the figures showed.
