10 Countries Where Women Far Outnumber Men

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

  1. Armenia - 54.97%
  2. Belarus - 53.90%
  3. Ukraine - 53.71%
  4. Latvia - 53.68%
  5. Russia - 53.55%
  6. Lithuania - 53.07%
  7. Georgia- 52.98% 
  8. Zimbabwe- 52.83%
  9. Portugal - 52.82%
  10. Estonia - 52.57%

1. Armenia - 54.97%

Armenian women in national costumes, in Yerevan, Armenia
A group of Armenian women stand outside of an Orthodox church dressed in traditional clothing. Image credit MehmetO via Shutterstock

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. Belarus - 53.90%

Belarusian women in ethnic embroidered shirts and scarves.
Belarusian women taking part in local festivities. Image credit SviatlanaLaza via Shutterstock

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.

3. Ukraine - 53.71%

Woman in sunglasses and blue shirt with Ukranian flag near magnolia tree
Ukrainian woman holding her nation's flag in front of apartment buildings.

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.

4. Latvia - 53.68%

Two Latvian women holding flowers and dressed in traditional clothing in a field of wildflowers
Latvian women dressed in traditional clothing. 

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%

Portrait of fashionable young woman with perfect make up posing in colorful Russian shawl on her head
Russian woman wearing a traditional shawl on her head.

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 - 53.07%

Woman holding flag of Lithuania in a sunflowers field.
Woman holding a Lithuanian flag in a sunflower field. 

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- 52.98% 

Beautiful panoramic view of Tbilisi at sunset, Georgia
Beautiful panoramic view of Tbilisi at sunset, Georgia

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. Zimbabwe- 52.83%

Aerial view on the main street of Harare in Zimbabwe
Aerial view on the main street of Harare in Zimbabwe

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.

9. Portugal - 52.82%

Dancers from Portugal in traditional costume present at the international folk festival INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF HEARTS
Portuguese singers attending the International Festival of Folklore and Dance. Image credit Florin Cnejevici via Shutterstock

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.

10. Estonia - 52.57%

A group of women in national dress perform an Estonian folk dance.
A group of women in national dress perform an Estonian folk dance. Image credit bonilook via Shutterstock

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.

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.

Countries Where Women Outnumber Men

Rank Country Percentage of Women
1 Armenia 54.97979493
2 Belarus 53.90544984
3 Ukraine 53.7178096
4 Latvia 53.68003478
5 Russian Federation 53.55526636
6 Lithuania 53.07123221
7 Georgia 52.98293949
8 Zimbabwe 52.8329001
9 Portugal 52.82145819
10 Estonia 52.57236586
11 Republic of Moldova 52.53204455
12 El Salvador 52.38180047
13 Antigua and Barbuda 52.25151791
14 Bahamas 52.18798111
15 Nepal 52.1525985
16 Serbia 52.07302721
17 Hungary 52.06597801
18 Barbados 52.05053066
19 Kazakhstan 51.91622797
20 Sri Lanka 51.82152666
21 Namibia 51.73546621
22 France 51.65876288
23 Saint Kitts and Nevis 51.65582755
24 Romania 51.65209217
25 Poland 51.64328947
26 Uruguay 51.56552947
27 Bulgaria 51.50417956
28 Lebanon 51.48084655
29 Thailand 51.40568855
30 Japan 51.39538469
31 Malawi 51.3779568
32 South Africa 51.34946391
33 San Marino 51.34313645
34 Kiribati 51.32969577
35 Croatia 51.31073267
36 Montenegro 51.28099936
37 Italy 51.26075835
38 Mexico 51.18100161
39 Slovakia 51.1734062
40 Rwanda 51.1046265
41 Guyana 51.07487065
42 Mauritania 51.01624357
43 Greece 51.01286034
44 Spain 50.99335047
45 Monaco 50.98399103
46 Mozambique 50.93932108
47 Kyrgyzstan 50.89472934
48 Brazil 50.87323915
49 Senegal 50.83729017
50 Austria 50.7838487
51 Bosnia and Herzegovina 50.7735348
52 Czech Republic 50.75111652
53 Nicaragua 50.72460092
54 Eritrea 50.67165276
55 Colombia 50.66600463
56 Germany 50.65984447
57 Lesotho 50.65881793
58 Trinidad and Tobago 50.65830467
59 Mauritius 50.65522534
60 Zambia 50.65496875
61 Azerbaijan 50.65214638
62 Guinea-Bissau 50.63778288
63 Botswana 50.63650082
64 Viet Nam 50.61343483
65 Belgium 50.61036095
66 Tunisia 50.60703134
67 United Kingdom 50.59730114
68 Finland 50.59550914
69 United Republic of Tanzania 50.59218148
70 Guinea 50.59166958
71 Angola 50.58066605
72 Dem. People's Republic of Korea 50.54512922
73 Tonga 50.53669975
74 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 50.50760139
75 American Samoa 50.50734629
76 South Sudan 50.49816439
77 Cambodia 50.49688939
78 Guatemala 50.49561446
79 Argentina 50.49382965
80 Uganda 50.49331973
81 Saint Lucia 50.49306478
82 Peru 50.48235894
83 United States of America 50.46197942
84 Turkmenistan 50.46045162
85 Ireland 50.44797805
86 Haiti 50.44492423
87 New Zealand 50.43881771
88 Liechtenstein 50.42584627
89 Kenya 50.42177817
90 Bangladesh 50.40144753
91 Democratic Republic of the Congo 50.3882414
92 Jamaica 50.38544868
93 Mongolia 50.37123601
94 Chile 50.36717672
95 Switzerland 50.36489365
96 Eswatini 50.36108901
97 Australia 50.3580457
98 Djibouti 50.35170667
99 Burundi 50.3491715
100 Cuba 50.34587617
101 Netherlands 50.31041526
102 Canada 50.30788425
103 Gambia 50.25908559
104 Denmark 50.25554947
105 Dominica 50.23030595
106 Liberia 50.22223338
107 New Caledonia 50.22198116
108 Myanmar 50.21643283
109 Suriname 50.18039853
110 Burkina Faso 50.17939132
111 Israel 50.14466737
112 North Macedonia 50.14114733
113 Cameroon 50.12908239
114 Ghana 50.12481078
115 Sao Tome and Principe 50.11124697
116 Ecuador 50.06759125
117 Congo 50.05932029
118 Republic of Korea 50.05806736
119 Albania 50.04904807
120 Sudan 50.03051862
121 Central African Republic 50.00550061
Share

More in Society