15 Countries with the Highest Male to Female Ratio in the World in 2018

I guess all I’m saying is that it would be a long leap to make to accuse a population’s male to female ratio on patriarchy. I mean there are 101.8 males for every 100 females according to the male to female ratio in the world in 2015. Does that mean the whole world hates women? Of course not. And I hope that answers the question of all you people who for some inexplicable reason Google the phrase “are there more males or females in the world.” Then again, I shouldn’t judge considering that I’m writing a whole article on the matter.

Now that I’ve made my little rant let’s get down to business. To compile our list, we referred to statistics from the United Nations report: World Population Prospects 2017 and used their data on sex ratio to rank countries. Spoiler alert: America is nowhere near close enough to be on our list. The male to female ratio in USA is actually 97.9! Yes, there are more females in the country than males which is quite odd considering the natural sex birth ratio is 105 in favor of males according to the World Health Organization.

Anyway, unfortunately, the latest numbers that the UN’s report provides pertain to the year 2015 so you won’t be able to find the exact male to female ratio in the world in 2017 or 2018 but I presume the proportions will not have changed much in 2 years.

You can find numerous other insights into world population by gender, such as finding out the countries with the highest female population or the country with the highest male population, or other fun facts. In the meantime let’s list down the countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018.

15. China

Males per 100 females: 106.3

We begin our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018 with one of the superpowers of the world: China itself. China is often criticized for several social issues, such as lack of freedom of the press and the now slackened one-child policy, but the nation has come an extremely long way when we compare it to the historically patriarchal Chinese society. As mentioned in the introduction though, sex-selective abortion is still suspected to be a huge issue in the country, and an official investigation into the matter should be conducted. In case you are interested in male to female ratio in China, check out Knoema’s calculations.

14. Afghanistan

Males per 100 females: 106.4

Afghanistan has had troubles with war, suicide attacks and terrorism for several years now, but arguably the worst era for the country was that of the Taliban rule when the women of the country had negligible freedom. It’s true that the state of women rights is slowly improving, but the nation still has plenty to do in this department.

13. Samoa

Males per 100 females: 106.6

The island state of Samoa is the smallest one on our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world. It has less than 200,000 people residing within its two main islands and four smaller ones, so the difference of numbers in the two genders is actually quite small when considered in absolute terms.

12. Malaysia

Males per 100 females: 106.9

Gender distribution may not be the best in Malaysia, but it is an extremely diverse area with several religions and ethnic groups residing within it. Malaysia has made huge jumps in the past two decades and has set an example for other developing countries. Its economy boosted by natural resources, tourism, and commerce among other things has shown enormous growth, which of course bodes well for the country.

11. India

Males per 100 females: 107.6

To say that India has a large population is an understatement. With an estimated 1.3 billion people residing in the country, there is certainly no dearth of women even if the male to female ratio is higher than normal.

10. Western Sahara

Males per 100 females: 110.5

Western Sahara ranks 10th on our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018 . It is not technically a sovereign nation. It is a disputed territory in Africa with a very small population of a little more than half a million. Not only that but it is one of the least densely populated areas in the world. A disputed status, with human rights violation and a high male to female ratio may give the impression that the area does not provide rights to women. However, most women of Western Sahara agree that they enjoy freedom.

9. Bhutan

Males per 100 females: 113.4

We are continuing our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018 with Bhutan, which may be a small country, but it is doing well compared to its South Asian neighbors. Not only does it rank the best in all of South Asia in the corruption perception index but also in the global peace index and the economic freedom index. Now that is indeed something to be proud of.

8. Equatorial Guinea

Males per 100 females: 123.0

With Equatorial Guinea, we have our first formal African nation on the list of countries with the highest male to female ratios in the world. Unfortunately, the government of the nation is often responsible for extreme slights to basic human rights, and human trafficking is more than just a distant nightmare especially for women.

7. Maldives

Males per 100 females: 130.2

Another South Asian nation, Maldives is truly a beautiful place with breathtaking islands and beautiful beaches. Unsurprisingly, the country earns exorbitant amounts from tourism. Just recently, however, a state of emergency was imposed in the Maldives. Whether the destination’s reputation as a heavenly vacation spot is damaged remains to be seen.

6. Saudi Arabia

Males per 100 females: 130.9

The top 6 on our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018 are all Arab nations, the oil-rich .” if you will. We begin with Saudi Arabia, a country that is often the target of much disgust for not providing basic rights to women. Considering that the country did not even let its women drive until a decree was passed in September 2017, it doesn’t have much to say in its defense.

5. Kuwait

Males per 100 females: 135.0

The nation with the most expensive currency bags the number 5 spot among countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world. Compared to other Middle Eastern countries, Kuwait seems to be the most open-minded considering that it is referred to as the “Hollywood of the Gulf”. The name was coined based on Kuwait’s interest in the performing arts and theater.

4. Bahrain

Males per 100 females: 161.3

Women were granted the right to vote in 2002, which is awfully late compared to Western countries but since then Bahrain has come a long way. In fact in 2006 when Bahrain was to head the United Nations General Assembly, it appointed a woman as the president, the third time in history that a woman was chosen for the job.

3. Oman

Males per 100 females: 184.4

While most Middle Eastern countries tend to rely heavily on their oil reserves, Oman, the number three on our list of countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018 has invested in trade and tourism as well, keeping in mind that the depleting reserves could cause serious issues in the long-term future.

2. United Arab Emirates

Males per 100 females: 272.2

The imbalance between the number of males and females in UAE may not even be the citizens’ doing. A whopping 80% of the population of the country consists of expatriates, and only less than 20% of the people residing in the nation are citizens!

1. Qatar

Males per 100 females: 306.6

Qatar will become the first Arab country in the world to hold the FIFA World Cup in 2022, a fact that I’m sure the extreme number of men in the country will thoroughly enjoy. After all, with an astounding ratio of 306.6 males to a 100 females, Qatar holds the number one spot among countries with the highest male to female ratio in the world in 2018.