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UN DESA Population Division · Sex Ratio of the Total Population
Sex ratio by country
How many men are there for every 100 women?
Of the 222 countries compared in 2023, Qatar had the highest reading, 251.0773, and Hong Kong had the lowest reading, 82.0801. In the middle country the figure was 98.4846. Among the 222 countries measured in every edition since 1950, the middle one moved from 98.7051 to 98.4846.
Part ofPeople & Population
Sex ratio · 2023
Context statistic
Highest of 222Qatar
251.0773012023 · values only
The highest and the lowest
The three countries with the highest values of 222 compared, the three with the lowest, and the highest on each continent. This statistic has no better end, so no country is shown as leading.
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02Every measured country
Sex ratio on a map
Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.
Darker is a higher value. This statistic has no better end, so the shades describe size, not success.
- 82.0801–94.5457
- 94.5974–97.7053
- 97.7374–99.4434
- 99.4717–101.9847
- 102.0090–251.0773
- No reading in 2023
- Oceania
102.0090
the middle country, of 21 measured · 21 members
Palau116.9165
Tonga90.1531Highest and lowest reading in Oceania.
- Asia
99.7359
the middle country, of 51 measured · 52 members
Qatar251.0773
Hong Kong82.0801Highest and lowest reading in Asia.
- Africa
99.2002
the middle country, of 54 measured · 55 members
Seychelles123.1241
Zimbabwe90.8999Highest and lowest reading in Africa.
- Americas
97.7911
the middle country, of 48 measured · 48 members
Greenland111.1678
Saint Martin87.7098Highest and lowest reading in Americas.
- Europe
96.5853
the middle country, of 48 measured · 49 members
Malta107.8705
Moldova85.2703Highest and lowest reading in Europe.
- Every region
22 sub-regions, highest middle country first
- Micronesia
103.7927
the middle country, of 7 measured · 7 members
Palau116.9165
Kiribati94.0417Highest and lowest reading in Micronesia.
- Southern Asia
103.2503
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Maldives163.8201
Nepal92.6298Highest and lowest reading in Southern Asia.
- Melanesia
102.0090
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Papua New Guinea106.0759
New Caledonia97.3136Highest and lowest reading in Melanesia.
- Northern Africa
101.8858
the middle country, of 6 measured · 6 members
Algeria104.1311
Tunisia97.8333Highest and lowest reading in Northern Africa.
- Polynesia
101.3774
the middle country, of 7 measured · 7 members
Tuvalu104.7242Tonga90.1531Highest and lowest reading in Polynesia.
- Western Asia
101.1095
the middle country, of 18 measured · 19 members
Qatar251.0773
Armenia86.5244Highest and lowest reading in Western Asia.
- South-eastern Asia
100.9443
the middle country, of 11 measured · 11 members
Brunei113.4044
Thailand95.0958Highest and lowest reading in South-eastern Asia.
- Western Africa
99.7149
the middle country, of 16 measured · 16 members
Côte d’Ivoire103.7501
Togo95.2310Highest and lowest reading in Western Africa.
- Middle Africa
99.3570
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Equatorial Guinea111.7117
Central African Republic91.9113Highest and lowest reading in Middle Africa.
- South America
98.6500
the middle country, of 12 measured · 12 members
Paraguay100.6053
Uruguay94.1515Highest and lowest reading in South America.
- Eastern Africa
98.3240
the middle country, of 18 measured · 19 members
Seychelles123.1241Zimbabwe90.8999Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Africa.
- Northern Europe
98.0786
the middle country, of 12 measured · 13 members
Faroe Islands107.1226
Latvia86.2854Highest and lowest reading in Northern Europe.
- Central America
98.0492
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
Belize101.8999
El Salvador90.4827Highest and lowest reading in Central America.
- Eastern Asia
97.9770
the middle country, of 8 measured · 8 members
China103.9953Hong Kong82.0801Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Asia.
- Western Europe
97.5316
the middle country, of 9 measured · 9 members
Luxembourg101.2877
France94.0583Highest and lowest reading in Western Europe.
- Central Asia
96.4618
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Uzbekistan101.7664
Kazakhstan94.8623Highest and lowest reading in Central Asia.
- Caribbean
96.2588
the middle country, of 24 measured · 24 members
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines104.0406Saint Martin87.7098Highest and lowest reading in Caribbean.
- Southern Europe
95.4840
the middle country, of 17 measured · 17 members
Malta107.8705
Serbia90.4439Highest and lowest reading in Southern Europe.
- Southern Africa
95.4567
the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members
Botswana99.4928
South Africa94.7279Highest and lowest reading in Southern Africa.
- Eastern Europe
93.0222
the middle country, of 10 measured · 10 members
Czechia97.2751Moldova85.2703Highest and lowest reading in Eastern Europe.
- Australia and New Zealand
2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.
New Zealand98.7012
Australia98.4707Highest and lowest reading in Australia and New Zealand.
- Northern America
4 of 4 measured — too few for a middle: Bermuda, Canada, Greenland, United States.
Greenland111.1678
Bermuda95.9447Highest and lowest reading in Northern America.
03The whole field at once
The spread
222 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 98.4846; a quarter are above 101.3550, and a quarter below 95.2651. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.
04All 222 ever measured
Every country
In order, highest value first. No rank or position is shown: too many countries share the same value for an order to mean anything. Neither end is better, and this is not a table of gender imbalance. The top is dominated by countries whose workforces are recruited from abroad and are mostly male; the bottom by countries where men have emigrated for work or die markedly younger. For the balance of boys and girls born, read the sex ratio at birth.
Showing 25 of 222 countries
Values for 2023. The change column compares 2023 with 2022 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.
051950–2023 · 74 reference years
Over time
Each point is one year's estimate, 1950 to 2023, as restated by the 2024 revision. The line drifts slowly as a population ages, because women live longer, and moves sharply when large numbers of working-age men arrive or leave.
- the middle country
- the middle half of countries
- the middle of the 222 countries measured every time
- each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
| Year | Countries | Middle country | Middle half | Measured every time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 222 | 98.4846 | 95.2651 – 101.3550 | 98.4846 |
| 2022 | 222 | 98.4738 | 95.3568 – 101.3539 | 98.4738 |
| 2021 | 222 | 98.5071 | 95.2548 – 101.2383 | 98.5071 |
| 2020 | 222 | 98.4896 | 95.2942 – 101.3041 | 98.4896 |
| 2019 | 222 | 98.5130 | 95.3265 – 101.5643 | 98.5130 |
| 2018 | 222 | 98.5407 | 95.5616 – 101.5215 | 98.5407 |
| 2017 | 222 | 98.5120 | 95.3554 – 101.3985 | 98.5120 |
| 2016 | 222 | 98.5367 | 95.2486 – 101.3144 | 98.5367 |
| 2015 | 222 | 98.6335 | 95.1755 – 101.3125 | 98.6335 |
| 2014 | 222 | 98.5760 | 95.2289 – 101.3212 | 98.5760 |
| 2013 | 222 | 98.5488 | 95.3120 – 101.4426 | 98.5488 |
| 2012 | 222 | 98.5577 | 95.1827 – 101.5271 | 98.5577 |
| 2011 | 222 | 98.6336 | 95.3214 – 101.5407 | 98.6336 |
| 2010 | 222 | 98.6542 | 95.5186 – 101.6368 | 98.6542 |
| 2009 | 222 | 98.6473 | 95.4295 – 101.6050 | 98.6473 |
| 2008 | 222 | 98.5877 | 95.4955 – 101.4710 | 98.5877 |
| 2007 | 222 | 98.5820 | 95.4653 – 101.3713 | 98.5820 |
| 2006 | 222 | 98.5393 | 95.4338 – 101.4346 | 98.5393 |
| 2005 | 222 | 98.4546 | 95.3644 – 101.4599 | 98.4546 |
| 2004 | 222 | 98.4289 | 95.3442 – 101.4902 | 98.4289 |
| 2003 | 222 | 98.4481 | 95.2764 – 101.6469 | 98.4481 |
| 2002 | 222 | 98.5309 | 95.1503 – 101.8026 | 98.5309 |
| 2001 | 222 | 98.5295 | 94.9710 – 101.8963 | 98.5295 |
| 2000 | 222 | 98.4209 | 95.0922 – 101.8066 | 98.4209 |
| 1999 | 222 | 98.3757 | 95.1730 – 101.8718 | 98.3757 |
| 1998 | 222 | 98.1778 | 95.0584 – 101.6697 | 98.1778 |
| 1997 | 222 | 98.1911 | 95.0714 – 101.5922 | 98.1911 |
| 1996 | 222 | 98.3287 | 94.9776 – 101.7753 | 98.3287 |
| 1995 | 222 | 98.4171 | 94.9916 – 101.9137 | 98.4171 |
| 1994 | 222 | 98.4796 | 95.0104 – 102.0897 | 98.4796 |
| 1993 | 222 | 98.6019 | 95.2906 – 102.0493 | 98.6019 |
| 1992 | 222 | 98.6149 | 95.4500 – 102.0638 | 98.6149 |
| 1991 | 222 | 98.6076 | 95.5365 – 102.0814 | 98.6076 |
| 1990 | 222 | 98.5823 | 95.5097 – 102.2049 | 98.5823 |
| 1989 | 222 | 98.5677 | 95.4679 – 102.1590 | 98.5677 |
| 1988 | 222 | 98.3852 | 95.5081 – 102.4726 | 98.3852 |
| 1987 | 222 | 98.3741 | 95.5328 – 102.2585 | 98.3741 |
| 1986 | 222 | 98.4310 | 95.5770 – 102.2103 | 98.4310 |
| 1985 | 222 | 98.5382 | 95.4951 – 102.2890 | 98.5382 |
| 1984 | 222 | 98.5537 | 95.4634 – 102.3464 | 98.5537 |
| 1983 | 222 | 98.5825 | 95.4101 – 102.2506 | 98.5825 |
| 1982 | 222 | 98.6578 | 95.2755 – 102.2123 | 98.6578 |
| 1981 | 222 | 98.7825 | 95.2736 – 102.2999 | 98.7825 |
| 1980 | 222 | 98.8339 | 95.1212 – 102.3667 | 98.8339 |
| 1979 | 222 | 98.6991 | 95.0043 – 102.3139 | 98.6991 |
| 1978 | 222 | 98.6386 | 95.0043 – 102.1328 | 98.6386 |
| 1977 | 222 | 98.5407 | 95.0061 – 102.0646 | 98.5407 |
| 1976 | 222 | 98.6068 | 94.9607 – 102.1034 | 98.6068 |
| 1975 | 222 | 98.4772 | 95.0741 – 102.2977 | 98.4772 |
| 1974 | 222 | 98.6708 | 95.1409 – 102.4011 | 98.6708 |
| 1973 | 222 | 98.6479 | 95.3533 – 102.3720 | 98.6479 |
| 1972 | 222 | 98.6677 | 95.4799 – 102.3525 | 98.6677 |
| 1971 | 222 | 98.8100 | 95.4217 – 102.3933 | 98.8100 |
| 1970 | 222 | 98.7953 | 95.3446 – 102.3074 | 98.7953 |
| 1969 | 222 | 98.9102 | 95.1186 – 102.4094 | 98.9102 |
| 1968 | 222 | 98.8859 | 95.0148 – 102.5654 | 98.8859 |
| 1967 | 222 | 98.8665 | 94.9818 – 102.5472 | 98.8665 |
| 1966 | 222 | 98.6096 | 94.8197 – 102.5764 | 98.6096 |
| 1965 | 222 | 98.5998 | 94.8342 – 102.5265 | 98.5998 |
| 1964 | 222 | 98.5541 | 94.7765 – 102.4014 | 98.5541 |
| 1963 | 222 | 98.5117 | 94.6330 – 102.3653 | 98.5117 |
| 1962 | 222 | 98.4171 | 94.3939 – 102.5234 | 98.4171 |
| 1961 | 222 | 98.4626 | 94.5401 – 102.1672 | 98.4626 |
| 1960 | 222 | 98.5766 | 94.3817 – 102.2558 | 98.5766 |
| 1959 | 222 | 98.8097 | 94.2024 – 102.0603 | 98.8097 |
| 1958 | 222 | 98.6485 | 94.0728 – 102.1894 | 98.6485 |
| 1957 | 222 | 98.5662 | 93.9644 – 102.3188 | 98.5662 |
| 1956 | 222 | 98.6677 | 94.0143 – 102.5792 | 98.6677 |
| 1955 | 222 | 98.6340 | 94.2673 – 102.6004 | 98.6340 |
| 1954 | 222 | 98.6807 | 94.3146 – 102.8162 | 98.6807 |
| 1953 | 222 | 98.7125 | 94.5835 – 102.9149 | 98.7125 |
| 1952 | 222 | 98.6052 | 94.5570 – 103.1528 | 98.6052 |
| 1951 | 222 | 98.6249 | 94.3023 – 103.4666 | 98.6249 |
| 1950 | 222 | 98.7051 | 94.1302 – 103.7066 | 98.7051 |
062022 → 2023
Who rose and fell
The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions — reference years recalculated in one report, not two separate publications. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.
Rose most
before → after
Oman160.1132 → 163.6999+3.5867
British Virgin Islands88.6102 → 89.5098+0.8996
Bahrain162.9701 → 163.6901+0.7200
Kuwait156.7687 → 157.4493+0.6806
San Marino96.1394 → 96.7082+0.5688
Fell most
before → after- Qatar255.2030 → 251.0773−4.1257
- Tonga91.3664 → 90.1531−1.2133
- Central African Republic92.9777 → 91.9113−1.0664
- Maldives164.8072 → 163.8201−0.9871
United States Virgin Islands92.2976 → 91.5406−0.7570
222 countries were measured in both 2022 and 2023.
07Across every edition
Sex ratio in records
The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.
Highest reading on record
319.8502
Males per 100 females
Lowest reading on record
63.5646
Males per 100 females
Biggest rise between editions
+46.2609
250.8656 → 297.1265
Biggest fall between editions
−15.8343
274.3802 → 258.5459
Biggest change since first measured
+151.3898
99.6875 → 251.0773
Highest most often
34 of 74
editions, alone at the first-listed end
08The measure
About sex ratio
The sex ratio of the total population is the number of males for every 100 females, counting people of all ages. Near 100 means roughly equal numbers; above 100, more men; below, more women.
What the number is: Males per 100 females.
What it does not measure
It is not a measure of discrimination: most of the difference between countries comes from migrant workforces, emigration and women living longer.
09Where it fits
Connections
Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.
In the Country Index
Context, with no vote
This statistic is published in full under People & Population, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.
Moves with
Where sex ratio is higher, these tend to be higher too.
No statistic lines up this closely.
Moves against
Where sex ratio is higher, these tend to be lower.
- Crude Death RateUN DESA Population Division · 222 countries in commonρ −0.47
- Population Aged 65 and OverUN DESA Population Division · 222 countries in commonρ −0.42
Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 190 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.
10Keep reading
Explore further
The subject
11Questions
Sex ratio: questions and answers
Which country has the highest sex ratio?
Qatar, at 251.0773, among the 222 countries compared in 2023.
Which country has the lowest sex ratio?
Hong Kong, at 82.0801, among the 222 countries compared in 2023.
How many countries does the Sex Ratio of the Total Population cover?
222 in 2023.
What is the world average sex ratio?
This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 222 compared in 2023, the figure was 98.4846.
Is this UN DESA Population Division’s own ranking?
No ranking is shown. UN DESA Population Division publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything, so none is derived.
How often is the Sex Ratio of the Total Population published?
This site holds 74 reference years, 1950–2023, all recalculated in UN DESA Population Division’s 2024 report on one method — not 74 separate publications.
Where does the data come from, and can I download it?
From UN DESA Population Division, under CC BY 3.0 IGO. From World Population Prospects 2024, read from the Population Division's own CSV download. Projections are excluded. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.
12Method
Sources, method and citation
Source
Sex Ratio of the Total Population — UN DESA Population Division
From World Population Prospects 2024, read from the Population Division's own CSV download. Projections are excluded.
Newest edition
Report year 2023Data year 2023
Cite the source as: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects 2024. New York: United Nations.
Licence: CC BY 3.0 IGO, checked 2026-09-26.
How this page reads the numbers
- No rank or position is shown: UN DESA Population Division publishes values only, and too many countries share the same value for an ordering to mean anything.
- This statistic has no better end, so the page describes higher and lower values and never calls a country a leader.
- A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
- Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.
The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Sex ratio by country: Sex Ratio of the Total Population, data from UN DESA Population Division. https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/sex-ratio