Local media reports say divorce is on the rise amongst nationals in Qatar due to a wide range of factors – from jealousy and financial pressures to “misbehaving” and impotency.

No specific percentage of increase is offered, but a report in The Peninsula newspaper today cites the Arabic-language Al Raya saying:

The rate of early divorce here is high due to a mix of social factors that range from things like negative impacts of piling up bank loans, ego clashes between the newly-wed, lack of maturity in general and of that of wives in particular.

Up to 36 percent of divorces were the result of “wives disobeying their husbands,” while then next highest percentages were because the wife was “misbehaving” (20 percent), and “neglecting house chores” (17 percent).

Clearly expectations between spouses is a significant issue, and the article goes on to say that “a key factor that causes early divorce… [is a] lack of intellectual compatibility.”

Likely impacting this is education levels, with a decreasing number of male university graduates, and three times as many women as men graduating.

What do you think? Are the shifting culture & demographics of the country to blame, or is bringing in outside perspectives the solution?