In turn, the gender ratio has an impact on society, demography, and the economy. On this page, we provide an overview of how the gender ratio varies across the world and over time. We present data on how it varies between age groups and the forces that influence the gender ratio. Learn about which indicators and economies have the least data coverage and the World Bank’s efforts to fill data gaps in gender data measurement and collection. Apr 28, 2025 · Some of the world’s largest adult imbalances are driven by temporary labor migration (mostly men), not by sex selection at birth. To distinguish mechanisms, compare the sex ratio at birth with the total population ratio. Apr 10, 2025 · The disparities in population sexdistribution can be found in various countries, and the reasons behind this phenomenon are complex and multifaceted. The imbalance can be observed in the form of the higher male-to-female ratio in many regions. Nov 19, 2022 · A detailed Review across animal and human societies provides insight on the causes and consequences of adult sex ratio skew. Feb 17, 2026 · The majority of countries and regions in the world have more females than males. But the two most populous countries, China and India, have a higher male population by a margin. Jul 3, 2024 · This brief examines international variability in sex ratios and the shift of population structure from majority male to majority female across the life course.