Marriage

Marriage is a contract by which two people agree to live together as a couple for an extended period of time or for the rest of their lives, often with the aim of starting a family by having or adopting children.

It can be done by signing a contract before a civil authority (civil marriage) or in a formal ceremony officiated by a religious authority.

The most common form of marriage is a legally binding heterosexual union. Some societies recognize polygamy, which includes polygyny and polyandry. In polygyny, a man may be married to many women; in polyandry a woman may be married to many men. In Senegal, for example, nearly 47 percent of marriages are multiple.^[1]

The most common age to get married is between 25 to 30 years old. In the Western world, marriage for love is common; in other places, relatives may plan an arranged marriage.

1. ↑ Diouf, Nafi (May 2, 2004). "Polygamy hangs on in Africa". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.