TAIPEI - On average, 156 couples divorced daily in Taiwan in 2011, according to statistics released by the island's authorities Saturday.

The divorce rate for marriages between Taiwanese and nationals of southeast Asian countries rose from 28 couples per 1,000 in 2004 to 35.9 couples in 2011, while that for marriages between Taiwanese and mainlanders, Hong Kong or Macao citizens decreased from 38.4 to 28.9 couples per 1,000 over the same period, statistics show.

Meanwhile, the divorce rate for all-Taiwanese couples fell from 10.3 couples per 1,000 in 2004 to 8.7 couples last year.

In 2011, a total of 57,077 couples divorced in Taiwan, down 1.7 percent year on year, and the average divorce rate was 10.7 couples per thousand.