Why are mercury(II) compounds more common than mercury(I) compounds?

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A periodic table element box for mercury shows its symbol Hg, atomic number 80, atomic weight 200.592, electron configuration, and name. Icons indicate mercury is a transition metal, liquid at room temperature, has a rhombohedral crystal structure, and is weakly basic. — mercury Properties of mercury.

Mercury compounds exist in both +1 and +2 oxidation states, but mercury(II) (mercuric) compounds are more common than mercury(I) (mercurous) compounds.1

While mercury can lose two electrons to form dipositive ions ( $H g^{2 +}$ ), the mercury(I) ion ( $H g_{2}^{2 +}$ ) is diatomic, meaning it requires two mercury atoms to share electrons in a covalent bond. The $H g^{2 +}$ ion is more versatile in its chemical behavior, as it readily forms complex ions and covalent bonds, whereas the $H g_{2}^{2 +}$ ion shows little tendency to form such complexes. Furthermore, mercury(II) compounds are central to a wide variety of industrial, medical, and agricultural applications, including their use as catalysts and pigments.123