COLOMBO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka recorded a notable decline in marriages in 2024, according to the latest data from the Department of Census and Statistics.

A total of 139,290 marriages were registered in 2024, marking an 8 percent decrease from 2023, the data showed.

In 2022, the year of the economic crisis, 171,140 marriages were registered across the country.

Earlier, official data showed a sharp fall in births. According to the statistical agency, 220,761 births were recorded in 2024, compared to 301,706 in 2020. ■