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Synopsis "One of Asia's more fundamental social changes in recent years has been a rise in the age at marriage for women. This has important implications for a woman's role in society and the family. It also has been an important factor in many countries in reducing birth rates as an increased proportion of a woman's potential reproductive period is spent outside union. This has been particularly true in the case of Sri Lanka where women's age at marriage has risen some six years this century, and where there are signs that the proportion of women who will never marry may also be rising. The book examines the factors behind these developments including changes in the nature of the marriage relationship, the arrangement of marriage, and the social and economic context of marriage."