Why do some countries have noticeably more men than women, while others have the opposite pattern?

This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Jeff Desjardins, shows which countries have male- or female-majority populations using World Population Review data on the number of males per 100 females.

While sex ratios at birth differ only slightly, demographic forces can produce striking imbalances over time.

Countries Where There Are More Men

Of the 233 countries and territories in the dataset, men outnumber women in just 33%.

RankCountryRatio (Males per 100 females)
1🇶🇦 Qatar243.7
2🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates175.0
3🇴🇲 Oman166.5
4🇧🇭 Bahrain163.2
5🇲🇻 Maldives159.8
6🇰🇼 Kuwait156.5
7🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia152.0
8🇪🇭 Western Sahara122.0
9🇸🇨 Seychelles122.0
10🇵🇼 Palau116.2
11🇧🇹 Bhutan114.5
12🇧🇳 Brunei112.9
13🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands112.7
14🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea111.2
15🇬🇱 Greenland110.2
16🇲🇾 Malaysia109.5
17🇲🇹 Malta108.2
18🇸🇬 Singapore106.8
19🇫🇴 Faroe Islands106.5
20🇮🇳 India106.4
21🇯🇴 Jordan106.0
22🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea105.5
23🇮🇸 Iceland105.2
24🇹🇻 Tuvalu105.0
25🇸🇧 Solomon Islands104.6
26🇦🇩 Andorra104.4
27🇲🇭 Marshall Islands104.4
28🇩🇿 Algeria104.0
29🇨🇳 China103.6
30🇳🇷 Nauru103.5
31🇨🇻 Cape Verde103.4
32🇱🇾 Libya103.3
33🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines103.2
34🇨🇮 Ivory Coast103.2
35🇮🇷 Iran103.2
36🇳🇪 Niger103.1
37🇸🇳 Senegal103.0
38🇬🇦 Gabon102.8
39🇾🇪 Yemen102.7
40🇵🇰 Pakistan102.5
41🇳🇬 Nigeria102.5
42🇬🇺 Guam102.3
43🇦🇫 Afghanistan102.1
44🇵🇫 French Polynesia102.0
45🇪🇬 Egypt101.9
46🇺🇿 Uzbekistan101.8
47🇻🇺 Vanuatu101.8
48🇲🇱 Mali101.8
49🇹🇱 Timor-Leste101.7
50🇧🇿 Belize101.7
51🇳🇴 Norway101.7
52🇸🇪 Sweden101.6
53🇲🇦 Morocco101.6
54🇼🇸 Samoa101.6
55🇨🇾 Cyprus101.5
56🇱🇺 Luxembourg101.5
57🇦🇸 American Samoa101.5
58🇹🇬 Togo101.4
59🇸🇮 Slovenia101.4
60🇭🇳 Honduras101.3
61🇰🇲 Comoros101.1
62🇺🇸 United States101.0
63🇮🇶 Iraq101.0
64🇱🇦 Laos100.9
65🇮🇩 Indonesia100.9
66🇫🇲 Micronesia100.8
67🇰🇾 Cayman Islands100.7
68🇧🇯 Benin100.7
69🇹🇩 Chad100.6
70🇲🇬 Madagascar100.6
71🇵🇾 Paraguay100.5
72🇪🇹 Ethiopia100.4
73🇸🇾 Syria100.4
74🇸🇴 Somalia100.3
75🇧🇴 Bolivia100.3
76🇬🇩 Grenada100.3
77🇹🇨 Turks and Caicos Islands100.0
–🌐 Global Average101.2

Despite the smaller number of male-majority countries, there are roughly 42 million more men than women worldwide.

There are two main reasons for this.

First, the Gulf states are the clearest outliers. Countries such as Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Kuwait rely heavily on temporary migrant workers employed in construction, energy, and infrastructure, industries dominated by men. Because many of these workers arrive without their families, national gender balances become unusually skewed.

Second, three of the world’s most populous countries, China, India, and the United States, all have more men than women. Although their ratios are less extreme, their large populations magnify the difference.

In India alone, a ratio of 106.3 men per 100 women translates into a male surplus of more than 40 million.

Countries Where There Are More Women

The largest concentration of female-majority countries is found across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. Former Soviet states account for seven of the 12 countries and territories with the lowest ratios of men to women.

RankCountryRatio (Males per 100 females)
1🇭🇰 Hong Kong81.7
2🇬🇵 Guadeloupe82.4
3🇲🇶 Martinique82.8
4🇲🇩 Moldova85.1
5🇲🇴 Macau85.2
6🇲🇫 Saint Martin85.5
7🇷🇺 Russia86.4
8🇦🇲 Armenia86.5
9🇱🇻 Latvia86.8
10🇺🇦 Ukraine87.1
11🇧🇾 Belarus87.2
12🇬🇪 Georgia87.4
13🇧🇱 Saint Barthelemy88.5
14🇵🇷 Puerto Rico88.7
15🇹🇴 Tonga89.5
16🇦🇼 Aruba89.5
17🇱🇹 Lithuania89.6
18🇻🇮 United States Virgin Islands89.7
19🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands89.8
20🇷🇸 Serbia90.0
21🇷🇪 Reunion90.4
22🇸🇻 El Salvador90.5
23🇼🇫 Wallis and Futuna90.5
24🇳🇵 Nepal90.7
25🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda90.9
26🇵🇹 Portugal90.9
27🇪🇪 Estonia91.0
28🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina91.0
29🇧🇸 Bahamas91.1
30🇨🇼 Curacao91.2
31🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis91.4
32🇿🇼 Zimbabwe91.4
33🇾🇹 Mayotte92.0
34🇧🇧 Barbados92.1
35🇳🇺 Niue92.3
36🇭🇺 Hungary92.6
37🇬🇫 French Guiana92.9
38🇨🇫 Central African Republic92.9
39🇲🇪 Montenegro92.9
40🇭🇷 Croatia93.3
41🇱🇰 Sri Lanka93.7
42🇧🇬 Bulgaria93.7
43🇵🇱 Poland93.8
44🇷🇴 Romania93.9
45🇫🇷 France94.1
46🇬🇷 Greece94.1
47🇲🇽 Mexico94.1
48🇸🇽 Sint Maarten94.3
49🇺🇾 Uruguay94.3
50🇦🇮 Anguilla94.3
51🇲🇿 Mozambique94.5
52🇹🇭 Thailand94.5
53🇰🇮 Kiribati94.7
54🇿🇦 South Africa94.7
55🇬🇾 Guyana94.7
56🇲🇰 North Macedonia94.8
57🇱🇧 Lebanon94.8
58🇯🇵 Japan95.1
59🇰🇿 Kazakhstan95.1
60🇨🇰 Cook Islands95.2
61🇱🇸 Lesotho95.2
62🇸🇰 Slovakia95.3
63🇲🇼 Malawi95.4
64🇳🇦 Namibia95.4
65🇧🇲 Bermuda95.4
66🇷🇼 Rwanda95.5
67🇲🇨 Monaco95.7
68🇮🇹 Italy95.9
69🇻🇳 Vietnam96.0
70🇹🇰 Tokelau96.1
71🇰🇭 Cambodia96.3
72🇦🇿 Azerbaijan96.3
73🇪🇸 Spain96.4
74🇲🇷 Mauritania96.5
75🇫🇰 Falkland Islands96.6
76🇸🇿 Eswatini96.6
77🇹🇲 Turkmenistan96.6
78🇧🇩 Bangladesh96.7
79🇧🇷 Brazil96.7
80🇸🇸 South Sudan96.7
81🇸🇲 San Marino96.8
82🇹🇯 Tajikistan96.9
83🇳🇮 Nicaragua96.9
84🇵🇲 Saint Pierre and Miquelon97.1
85🇦🇹 Austria97.1
86🇬🇧 United Kingdom97.1
87🇱🇨 Saint Lucia97.1
88🇨🇺 Cuba97.2
89🇨🇿 Czechia97.4
90🇯🇪 Jersey97.4
91🇨🇴 Colombia97.4
92🇳🇨 New Caledonia97.4
93🇧🇪 Belgium97.5
94🇻🇪 Venezuela97.5
95🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago97.5
96🇩🇪 Germany97.6
97🇬🇬 Guernsey97.6
98🇨🇷 Costa Rica97.6
99🇹🇳 Tunisia97.6
100🇪🇷 Eritrea97.6
101🇦🇱 Albania97.7
102🇹🇼 Taiwan97.7
103🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan97.7
104🇯🇲 Jamaica97.7
105🇭🇹 Haiti97.7
106🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau97.9
107🇮🇲 Isle of Man97.9
108🇫🇮 Finland97.9
109🇮🇪 Ireland98.0
110🇦🇴 Angola98.0
111🇿🇲 Zambia98.1
112🇰🇵 North Korea98.2
113🇩🇯 Djibouti98.2
114🇸🇩 Sudan98.2
115🇬🇳 Guinea98.2
116🇹🇿 Tanzania98.4
117🇬🇹 Guatemala98.4
118🇨🇩 DR Congo98.5
119🇦🇺 Australia98.5
120🇵🇸 Palestine98.5
121🇫🇯 Fiji98.5
122🇺🇬 Uganda98.6
123🇨🇦 Canada98.6
124🇲🇸 Montserrat98.6
125🇦🇷 Argentina98.6
126🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe98.7
127🇧🇮 Burundi98.7
128🇩🇴 Dominican Republic98.8
129🇰🇪 Kenya98.8
130🇳🇱 Netherlands98.8
131🇨🇱 Chile98.8
132🇨🇭 Switzerland98.8
133🇩🇰 Denmark98.9
134🇵🇪 Peru98.9
135🇱🇮 Liechtenstein98.9
136🇳🇿 New Zealand98.9
137🇲🇲 Myanmar99.0
138🇬🇮 Gibraltar99.0
139🇬🇲 Gambia99.2
140🇲🇳 Mongolia99.2
141🇧🇼 Botswana99.2
142🇲🇺 Mauritius99.3
143🇧🇫 Burkina Faso99.3
144🇮🇱 Israel99.3
145🇨🇲 Cameroon99.3
146🇪🇨 Ecuador99.4
147🇰🇷 South Korea99.4
148🇩🇲 Dominica99.5
149🇹🇷 Turkey99.5
150🇵🇭 Philippines99.5
151🇸🇱 Sierra Leone99.5
152🇸🇷 Suriname99.7
153🇬🇭 Ghana99.7
154🇱🇷 Liberia99.8
155🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo99.9
–🌐 Global Average101.2

Russia offers one of the region’s most prominent examples. Higher male mortality, shorter male life expectancy, historical wartime losses, and alcohol-related deaths all contribute to its ratio of 86.4 men per 100 women.

Why Sex Ratios Change Over Time

Sex ratios at birth naturally favor boys by a small margin, but populations rarely maintain that balance. Migration, life expectancy, war, public health, and economic opportunity can all reshape a country’s demographic profile over decades.

As these forces evolve, the map represents a snapshot rather than a permanent reality. Countries experiencing rapid immigration, population aging, conflict, or major improvements in healthcare may see their gender balance shift substantially from one generation to the next.