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Single-Parent Households, 10 Countries, Selected Years
In thousands (6,061 represents 6,061,000). For the United Kingdom in 1981, children are defined as those under 15 and those who are 15, 16, or 17 and attended school full-time; for later years, children are defined as those under 16 and those who are 16 or 17 and attend school full-time. For Ireland, children are defined as those under 15. For Germany for 1995 and afterward, children are of all ages. For Germany in 1991, and for all other countries, children are defined as children living at home, or away at school, under the age of 18.
(Data are generally for the entire year, but in some instances they are only for a particular month within the year)
  Single-parent households
Country and Year Number Percent of all households with children
United States
1980 6,061 19.5
1990 7,752 24.0
1995 9,055 26.4
2000 9,357 27.0
2001 9,374 26.5
2002 9,913 27.8
2003 10,054 28.0
2004 10,152 28.2
2005 10,339 28.3
Canada
1981 437 12.7
1991 572 16.2
1996 690 18.7
2001 707 19.3
Japan
1980 796 4.9
1985 940 5.9
1990 934 6.5
1995 884 6.9
2000 996 8.3
2005 1,102 9.8
Denmarka
1980 99 13.4
1990 117 17.8
1995 120 18.6
2001 120 18.4
2003 127 19.2
2005 135 20.2
2006 138 20.5
France
1988 761 11.9
1990 755 11.9
1995 874 14.0
2000 1,039 17.1
Germany
1991 1,429 15.2
1995 b 2,496 18.8
2000 b 2,274 17.6
2001 2,318 18.1
2002 2,375 18.5
2003 2,412 18.9
2004 2,466 19.5
2005 2,525 20.1
Irelanda
1981 30 7.2
1991 44 10.7
1996 56 13.8
2002 50 17.4
2006 78 22.6
Netherlands
1988 179 9.6
1993 180 10.0
1995 b 208 11.7
2000 240 13.0
2004 283 14.6
2005 290 14.9
2006 297 15.3
Sweden
1985 117 11.2
1990 151 14.8
1995 b 189 17.4
2000 c 233 21.4
2002 c 226 21.6
2003 c 231 21.3
2004 c 208 19.6
United Kingdomd
1981 1,010 13.9
1991 1,344 19.4
1994–95 1,617 21.9
2000 1,434 20.7
2001 1,666 23.3
2002 1,464 20.7
2003 1,225 18.5
2004 1,687 24.1
2005 1,694 24.1
2006 1,694 24.1
a Data are from family-based, rather than household-based, statistics.
b Break in series.
c Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates.
d Great Britain only (excludes Northern Ireland).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, updated and revised from "Families and Work in Transition in 12 Countries, 1980-2001," Monthly Labor Review, September 2003; and unpublished data. http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/