RESUMO
The purpose of this study is to describe the marriage patterns of men and women during the decades following de Second World War. More precisely, the study analyses the timing and prevalence of first marriages of both sexes during the period since the middle of the twentieth century on the basis of available censuses and surveys. It also attempts to fill a gap in nuptiality research and to present a world-wide overview of first marriage behaviour based on comparable available marriage indices. Although the study covers both sexes, particular attention is devoted to first marriage patterns of women because they are the most relevant population subgroup for the understanding of fertility and because they are also those whose age at marriage is most likely to be influenced by social change. In order to present the post-war marriage levels and trends against their proper background, the discussion is preceded by a brief overview of the marriage patterns that prevailed during the first half of the twentieth century
