SINGAPORE - Singapore may have celebrated its 50th birthday last year, but fewer wedding bells rang and more couples split up, according to the Statistics on Marriages and Divorces 2015 report released on Wednesday (July 13).

There were 7,522 divorces and annulments last year, a 2.9 per cent increase from 2014, and the third-highest annual figure on record.

A total of 28,322 couples wed last year, a slight drop from the year before, when marriages hit a five-decade high of 28,407.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin wrote in his ministry's blog MSF Conversations on Wednesday: "Good to know that the number of marriages are more or less at status quo compared to (the year before). Overall, no drastic fluctuations."

But he noted the slight increase in the number of divorces, and encouraged couples to stay committed in their marriages.

"All married couples will have challenges along the way. But if we take our vows seriously and view it as sacred, we owe it to each other and to our families to work through those difficult moments," he wrote.

"A good marriage brings joy and deep fulfilment. But it will require our dedication and constant effort to nurture that relationship. Let us all remember our vows and renew our commitment to our spouses and our marriage."

The full report of marriage and divorce statistics can be found here.