Special Report

Top 25 Countries Where Women Outnumber Men

FilippoBacci / Getty Images

Overall, there are slightly more men than women in the world. The ratio was skewed in favor of men for the first time around 1960. There are now 101.7 men for every 100 women, according to 2019 estimates by the United Nations. While the difference on a global scale seems small, it varies significantly from country to country.

Men and women are distributed unevenly around the world. Of the 201 nations for which the UN has population data, 125 have more women, but the percentages vary from 50.1% to 54.2%. Former Soviet countries and several island nations are among the countries where women outnumber men.

In many Middle Eastern nations and parts of Northern Africa, by contrast, there are more men than women, with the sex ratio far more more striking in some cases. Female residents make up just 24.6%, 30.9% and 34.0% of the population in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman, for example.

While the special administrative region of Hong Kong is second-place on this list, China — famous for its now abandoned one-child policy — is at the other end of the scale. In 2014 the country had a ratio of 121.2 boys for every 100 girls, compared to a natural sex ratio at birth of 105 boys for every 100 girls. (Men die earlier — and this is perhaps why — so you need a few more for balance.)

Many of the countries where men out number women are also among the worst countries for gender equality.

In time for World Population Day, marked every year on July 11 to raise awareness about urgent population issues, 24/7 Tempo identified the top 25 countries with more women than men, using data from the United Nations Population Division. 

Click here for 25 countries where women outnumber men

akras / Flickr

25. Croatia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 51.79%
> Number of women: 2,126,000
> Number of men: 1,979,000
> Total population: 4,105,000

[in-text-ad]

137294100@N08 / Flickr

24. Myanmar
> Pct. of total population that are women: 51.81%
> Number of women: 28,190,000
> Number of men: 26,220,000
> Total population: 54,410,000

VII-photo / Getty Images

23. Macao SAR, China
> Pct. of total population that are women: 51.94%
> Number of women: 337,000
> Number of men: 312,000
> Total population: 649,000

11264282@N02 / Flickr

22. Sri Lanka
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.05%
> Number of women: 11,146,000
> Number of men: 10,267,000
> Total population: 21,413,000

[in-text-ad-2]

Ion Chibzii / Wikimedia Commons

21. Republic of Moldova
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.11%
> Number of women: 2,102,000
> Number of men: 1,932,000
> Total population: 4,034,000

swathi-icrisat-esa / Flickr

20. Zimbabwe
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.28%
> Number of women: 7,771,000
> Number of men: 7,092,000
> Total population: 14,863,000

[in-text-ad]

helovi / Getty Images

19. Georgia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.34%
> Number of women: 2,088,000
> Number of men: 1,901,000
> Total population: 3,989,000

Eva-Katalin / Getty Images

18. Hungary
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.40%
> Number of women: 5,062,000
> Number of men: 4,598,000
> Total population: 9,660,000

cdwheatley / Getty Images

17. United States Virgin Islands
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.50%
> Number of women: 55,000
> Number of men: 50,000
> Total population: 104,000

[in-text-ad-2]

andresr / Getty Images

16. Aruba
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.57%
> Number of women: 56,000
> Number of men: 51,000
> Total population: 107,000

dennisvdw / Getty Images

15. Puerto Rico
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.62%
> Number of women: 1,505,000
> Number of men: 1,356,000
> Total population: 2,861,000

[in-text-ad]

LordRunar / Getty Images

14. Estonia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.62%
> Number of women: 698,000
> Number of men: 628,000
> Total population: 1,327,000

anyaberkut / Getty Images

13. Portugal
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.69%
> Number of women: 5,373,000
> Number of men: 4,824,000
> Total population: 10,197,000

Joel Carillet / Getty Images

12. Armenia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 52.97%
> Number of women: 1,569,000
> Number of men: 1,394,000
> Total population: 2,963,000

[in-text-ad-2]

bilgehan yilmaz / Getty Images

11. El Salvador
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.19%
> Number of women: 3,450,000
> Number of men: 3,036,000
> Total population: 6,486,000

bruev / Getty Images

10. Belarus
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.44%
> Number of women: 5,050,000
> Number of men: 4,399,000
> Total population: 9,449,000

[in-text-ad]

zsv3207 / Getty Images

9. Russia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.65%
> Number of women: 78,294,000
> Number of men: 67,640,000
> Total population: 145,934,000

spoilt_exile / Flickr

8. Ukraine
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.67%
> Number of women: 23,471,000
> Number of men: 20,263,000
> Total population: 43,734,000

Olga355 / Getty Images

7. Lithuania
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.72%
> Number of women: 1,462,000
> Number of men: 1,260,000
> Total population: 2,722,000

[in-text-ad-2]

Meinzahn / Getty Images

6. Guadeloupe
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.88%
> Number of women: 216,000
> Number of men: 185,000
> Total population: 400,000

RossHelen / Getty Images

5. Latvia
> Pct. of total population that are women: 53.91%
> Number of women: 1,017,000
> Number of men: 869,000
> Total population: 1,886,000

[in-text-ad]

valentinrussanov / Getty Images

4. Martinique
> Pct. of total population that are women: 54.00%
> Number of women: 203,000
> Number of men: 173,000
> Total population: 375,000

lucop / Getty Images

3. Curaçao
> Pct. of total population that are women: 54.01%
> Number of women: 89,000
> Number of men: 75,000
> Total population: 164,000

olaser / Getty Images

2. Hong Kong SAR, China

> Pct. of total population that are women: 54.12%
> Number of women: 4,057,000
> Number of men: 3,440,000
> Total population: 7,497,000

[in-text-ad-2]

hadynyah / Getty Images

1. Nepal
> Pct. of total population that are women: 54.19%
> Number of women: 15,788,000
> Number of men: 13,348,000
> Total population: 29,137,000

100 Million Americans Are Missing This Crucial Retirement Tool

The thought of burdening your family with a financial disaster is most Americans’ nightmare. However, recent studies show that over 100 million Americans still don’t have proper life insurance in the event they pass away.

Life insurance can bring peace of mind – ensuring your loved ones are safeguarded against unforeseen expenses and debts. With premiums often lower than expected and a variety of plans tailored to different life stages and health conditions, securing a policy is more accessible than ever.

A quick, no-obligation quote can provide valuable insight into what’s available and what might best suit your family’s needs. Life insurance is a simple step you can take today to help secure peace of mind for your loved ones tomorrow.

Click here to learn how to get a quote in just a few minutes.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.