As the world population continues to grow and age, the demographics of nations have inched their way forward in the mind of public consciousness. Age is usually the main focus of these conversations along with birthrates. However, the disparities between the sexes are often overlooked. There are dozens of countries that are in the middle of gender imbalances in which one sex outnumbers the other. While men dominate the population in several countries, there are quite a few where women outnumber men. Various contributing factors drive these differences. War, culture, politics, and genetics all play a role in this phenomenon.
Top 10 Countries Where Women Outnumber Men
| Rank | Country | Percentage of Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armenia | 55.04% |
| 2 | Ukraine | 54.40% |
| 3 | Belarus | 53.99% |
| 4 | Latvia | 53.57% |
| 5 | Russia | 53.55% |
| 6 | Lithuania | 53.02% |
| 7 | Georgia | 53.00% |
| 8 | Portugal | 52.80% |
| 9 | Zimbabwe | 52.72% |
| 10 | Estonia | 52.47% |
Armenian GenocideThe Armenian Genocide was the systemic killing of over 1.5 million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire.
1. Armenia - 55.04%
The ancient nation of Armenia has been through a lot in the 20th century. Soviet rule and wars with their neighbors have not done the nation any favors. However, the lack of men in Armenia is largely due to the after-effects of the Armenian Genocide that took place during and after the First World War. While still under Turkish-Ottoman rule 1.5 million Armenians were killed in mass executions or taken on death marches across the Syrian desert. The killings were so well organized and systematic that these events are what warranted the invention of the word "genocide." Various records suggest that men made up a majority of the victims.
Recent economic turmoil has also led to Amerenian men leaving in search of work. There are sizable Armenian communities all around the world today. Russia, France, and the United States all have large Armenian populations.
2. Ukraine - 54.40%
With the current state of Ukraine, as the war rages on and casualties continue to mount, the gap that exists between men and women will likely grow. Despite the grim state of affairs in modern Ukraine, the low number of men has long been an issue that predates the onset of the current war between Russia.Many historians are in agreement that the Second World War was so devastating to the male Ukrainian population that it has still not recovered to its levels before 1941. If the Russian and Ukrainian War continues to persist it is unlikely that this trend will reverse anytime soon.
3. Belarus - 53.99%
Still bearing the scars of its past, Belarus is one of the darkest stories of Eastern Europe. Situated on the border of what was once Nazi Germany, the area that would one day become Belarus faced total devastation during the Second War War. More than a quarter of the entire population of Belarus died during the fighting; the highest per capita casualties of the conflict. Belarus is one of the poorest nations in Europe and is the last true dictatorship on the continent. Living standards are low and economic prospects are few. This has pushed many young men to escape to other parts of Europe.
4. Latvia - 53.57%
Sitting along the coast of the Baltic Sea the small European nation of Latvia has the second-highest female-to-male ratio on Earth. This disparity is due to numerous self-inflicted hazards that are more commonly found among men in this part of the world. Heavy drinking and smoking are much more prevalent in Latvian men. These activities contribute to numerous health complications such as heart disease and various cancers. Life expectancy for Latvian men sits at around 68 while for women it is a whole 10 years more at 78. Suicide rates are also much higher among the male population. This is a concerning trend present in most countries around the world.
5. Russia - 53.55%
Much like their neighbor Ukraine, Russia can also attribute some of this gender disparity to the devastating impact of the Second World War. The Soviet Union suffered the most casualties of any nation during the conflict and lost a staggering 27 million people. However, Russia's bleak history is not the only reason for its higher number of women. Much like Estonia and Lithuania, Russian men are much more like to fall victim to alcoholism. This only worsened after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. For the last 30 years or so much of Russia's male population has been feeling the long-term effects of heavy drinking and daily cigarette use.
6. Lithuania - 53.02%
Similar to its Baltic cousins Latvia, Lithuania suffers from the same self-destructive behavior of its male population. Alcohol abuse and smoking rates are much higher among men in this nation. Smoking cigarettes are so common in this part of the world that more than one-third of Lithuanian men smoke on a daily basis and many more partake casually. Lithuanian health authorities have made discouraging the consumption of cigarettes one of their top priorities. Like Nepal, Lithuania has fallen victim to its young and productive men leaving to find greener pastures in other parts of Europe such as Germany or England.
7. Georgia- 53.00%
Georgia is a tiny nation with a population of just 3.7 million. Of those, about 52.98% are women and the other 47.02% are men. Georgia is one of the oldest Christian nations in the world and has had a long history of fighting for its freedom from countless invasions by powerful neighbors such as Russia and Turkey. Furthermore, economic opportunities encourage many male residents to seek employment elsewhere, leading to high emigration rates. Ultimately, mortality is the sole figure responsible for the imbalance between the male and female population. Like many other countries on this list, alcohol consumption and smoking, alongside 'risk-taking activities' are to blame.
8. Portugal - 52.80%
The increase in the number of women in Portugal since 2010 has also coincided with an increase in gender equality. Despite these improvements for women, the Portuguese economy has struggled in the last decade and as a result, many Portuguese men have left for a better future. The most common place for Portuguese men to relocate is Brazil and other member nations of the European Union. The higher population of women is also due to the lower life expectancy of Portuguese men. On average Portuguese men live for 78 years whereas their feminine counterparts live for 84 years.
9. Zimbabwe- 52.72%
Progress comes to different countries in different ways, and in Zimbabwe, as of February 2021, 31.9% of seats in parliament were held by women. However, this postive is blunted by the disproportionate amount of women that exist in the country, which can cause problems of its own. In 2020, the male mortality rate sat at 413% which, in comparison with the USA's 138%, is fairly bleak. This rate represents the possibility of dying between the ages of 15 and 60. In the past few years, Zimbabwe's overall mortality rate has decreased, so in the future it is extremely possible for imbalances like the ratio between male and female to stabilize.
10. Estonia - 52.47%
Like the other Eastern European nations on this list, Estonia is still suffering from its involvement in the Second World War along with a series of public health issues linked to heavy drinking and smoking. The average Estonian man consumes 17.5 liters of alcohol each year, more than double that of their women. Estonia also has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe at around 12.2 per 100,000, with men committing suicide almost five times as much as Estonian women. Nearly 11,000 people leave Estonia every year either to settle in other nations permanently or to work temporarily. Most of these emigrants are men looking for better economic prospects.
Read MoreCountries Where Men Outnumber Women
Most of the factors that have caused an unequal amount of men and women in these nations come from either a dark history or poor living conditions. Wars, poverty, substance abuse, and suicide continue to mold the demographics of these nations for the worst. If these trends do not slow there is a good chance that these nations' demographics could remain irreparably changed forever. Hopefully, these countries are able to find solutions soon.
All Countries Ranked By Where Women Outnumber Men
| Country | Percentage of Women | POPULATION 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Armenia | 55.04% | 2,957,000 |
| Ukraine | 54.40% | 43,131,000 |
| Belarus | 53.99% | 9,116,000 |
| Latvia | 53.57% | 1,850,000 |
| Russia | 53.55% | 144,995,000 |
| Lithuania | 53.02% | 2,755,000 |
| Georgia | 53.00% | 3,671,000 |
| Portugal | 52.80% | 10,296,000 |
| Zimbabwe | 52.72% | 15,464,000 |
| Estonia | 52.47% | 1,338,000 |
| El Salvador | 52.40% | 6,339,000 |
| Bahamas | 52.30% | 402,200 |
| Moldova | 52.30% | 2,566,000 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 52.20% | 102,400 |
| Nepal | 52.10% | 29,641,000 |
| Serbia | 52.10% | 6,707,000 |
| Barbados | 52.00% | 268,300 |
| Hungary | 51.90% | 9,627,000 |
| Sri Lanka | 51.90% | 22,638,000 |
| Kazakhstan | 51.80% | 20,086,000 |
| Namibia | 51.80% | 2,642,000 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 51.80% | 48,300 |
| Holy See | 51.80% | 517 |
| France | 51.70% | 66,218,000 |
| Romania | 51.60% | 18,819,000 |
| Bulgaria | 51.50% | 6,385,000 |
| Lebanon | 51.50% | 5,432,000 |
| Poland | 51.50% | 37,546,000 |
| Thailand | 51.50% | 67,293,000 |
| Uruguay | 51.50% | 3,567,000 |
| Japan | 51.40% | 124,285,000 |
| Croatia | 51.30% | 3,823,000 |
| Malawi | 51.30% | 20,183,000 |
| Montenegro | 51.30% | 613,100 |
| San Marino | 51.30% | 33,900 |
| South Africa | 51.30% | 61,071,000 |
| Italy | 51.20% | 58,983,000 |
| Kiribati | 51.20% | 124,700 |
| Mexico | 51.20% | 130,980,000 |
| Greece | 51.10% | 10,373,000 |
| Slovakia | 51.10% | 5,424,000 |
| Guyana | 51.00% | 741,800 |
| Mauritania | 51.00% | 4,475,000 |
| Monaco | 51.00% | 40,400 |
| Rwanda | 51.00% | 14,482,000 |
| Spain | 51.00% | 47,900,000 |
| Brazil | 50.90% | 216,285,000 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 50.90% | 6,916,000 |
| Mozambique | 50.90% | 32,420,000 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 50.80% | 3,428,000 |
| Senegal | 50.80% | 18,270,000 |
| Austria | 50.70% | 9,050,000 |
| Colombia | 50.70% | 53,717,000 |
| Lesotho | 50.70% | 2,098,000 |
| Mauritius | 50.70% | 1,235,000 |
| Nicaragua | 50.70% | 6,804,000 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 50.70% | 1,364,000 |
| Tunisia | 50.70% | 12,160,000 |
| Zambia | 50.70% | 20,158,000 |
| Czechia (Czech Republic) | 50.70% | 10,527,000 |
| Angola | 50.60% | 34,031,000 |
| Azerbaijan | 50.60% | 10,212,000 |
| Belgium | 50.60% | 11,679,000 |
| Botswana | 50.60% | 2,379,000 |
| Eritrea | 50.60% | 6,275,000 |
| Finland | 50.60% | 5,571,000 |
| Germany | 50.60% | 85,887,000 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 50.60% | 1,654,000 |
| Saint Lucia | 50.60% | 185,200 |
| United Kingdom | 50.60% | 67,879,000 |
| Tanzania | 50.60% | 63,418,000 |
| Venezuela | 50.60% | 33,740,000 |
| Vietnam | 50.60% | 100,380,000 |
| Argentina | 50.50% | 46,655,000 |
| Bangladesh | 50.50% | 166,663,000 |
| Cambodia | 50.50% | 16,493,000 |
| Guatemala | 50.50% | 16,268,000 |
| Guinea | 50.50% | 13,622,000 |
| Haiti | 50.50% | 12,257,000 |
| Peru | 50.50% | 33,745,000 |
| South Sudan | 50.50% | 14,746,000 |
| Tonga | 50.50% | 100,000 |
| Turkmenistan | 50.50% | 6,516,000 |
| Uganda | 50.50% | 45,654,000 |
| United States of America | 50.50% | 339,277,000 |
| North Korea | 50.50% | 26,161,000 |
| Chile | 50.40% | 19,980,000 |
| Cuba | 50.40% | 11,012,000 |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 50.40% | 111,860,000 |
| Djibouti | 50.40% | 1,035,000 |
| Ireland | 50.40% | 5,203,000 |
| Jamaica | 50.40% | 2,749,000 |
| Kenya | 50.40% | 50,830,000 |
| Liechtenstein | 50.40% | 39,700 |
| Mongolia | 50.40% | 3,499,000 |
| New Zealand | 50.40% | 5,128,000 |
| Eswatini (fmr. "Swaziland") | 50.40% | 1,142,000 |
| Australia | 50.30% | 26,231,000 |
| Burundi | 50.30% | 13,139,000 |
| Cabo Verde | 50.30% | 491,200 |
| Canada | 50.30% | 37,808,000 |
| Dominica | 50.30% | 63,800 |
| Netherlands | 50.30% | 17,975,000 |
| Suriname | 50.30% | 628,800 |
| Switzerland | 50.30% | 8,864,000 |
| Albania | 50.20% | 2,740,000 |
| Burkina Faso | 50.20% | 22,810,000 |
| Denmark | 50.20% | 5,986,000 |
| Gambia | 50.20% | 2,910,000 |
| Liberia | 50.20% | 5,209,000 |
| North Macedonia | 50.20% | 1,820,000 |
| Myanmar (formerly Burma) | 50.20% | 56,424,000 |
| Cameroon | 50.10% | 26,707,000 |
| Ecuador | 50.10% | 18,228,000 |
| Ghana | 50.10% | 32,147,000 |
| Israel | 50.10% | 9,153,000 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 50.10% | 223,400 |
| Palestine | 50.10% | 5,371,230 |
| Congo | 50.10% | 6,161,000 |
| South Korea | 50.10% | 51,268,000 |
| Central African Republic | 50.00% | 5,552,000 |
| Costa Rica | 50.00% | 5,264,000 |
| Grenada | 50.00% | 115,600 |
| Panama | 50.00% | 4,462,000 |
| Sudan | 50.00% | 46,392,000 |
| Uzbekistan | 50.00% | 36,407,000 |
Data sourced from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
Cory Price December 14 2023 in Society
