Gender Balance
Countries with a Shortage of Men 2025
- Table displays the number of males for each 100 females in two age brackets: 15-64 years and the total population. In most countries, the ratio of men to women decreases as populations age, due to the fact that men have a shorter average lifespan.
Man-to-woman ratios have remained relatively stable, fluctuating by about one percentage point between 2015 and 2023. According to recent UN data, there are approximately 102.0 men for every 100 women globally as of 2023, up slightly from 101.8 in 2015. However, some areas have a higher concentration of males in them than others.
Top 10 Countries with Male Shortage (males per 100 females, 15-64 yo)
1. Djibouti
In Djibouti, only 77 males exist for every 100 females. Many men leave the country to find work elsewhere, which is a big reason for the imbalance. Over time, this gender gap can affect everything from relationships to how communities function day-to-day.
2. Hong Kong
Hong Kong has only 81 males per 100 females. That’s partly because women tend to live longer—and many female workers come to the city for jobs in caregiving. Over time, this has shaped everyday life, from dating dynamics to how families are formed.
3. Anguilla
Anguilla’s gender ratio stands at 83 males to every 100 females. With more women than men in the population, the effects go beyond dating. In some industries, the shortage of working-age men is also being felt—pushing more women into roles traditionally held by men and quietly shifting both the economy and social norms.
4. Bahamas
The Bahamas has 86 men for every 100 women—and the gap only widens with age. With more women living longer, the country’s communities are seeing a quiet shift: more grandmothers than grandfathers, and a growing need for care that supports older women living on their own.
5. Eswatini
In Eswatini, 87 men stand to every 100 women—and the difference is especially noticeable in schools and universities. More young women are filling classrooms, graduating, and stepping into professional roles, slowly shifting expectations around gender and opportunity in the next generation.
6. Macau
Macau shows a ratio of 87 men to every 100 women, shaped in part by labor migration. Many men come to work in the city’s massive casino and tourism sectors, often leaving families behind. The result is a social landscape where long-distance relationships and extended separations are part of everyday life.
7. Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda counts 87 men for every 100 women. In many towns and neighborhoods, women take on more visible roles in organizing, leading, and shaping community life—a shift that’s been growing steadily alongside the gender gap.
8. Mali
Mali has 89 men for every 100 women, and that gap is felt most in caregiving roles. In many communities, women form the front line of health and support—caring for the sick, the elderly, and each other when services are stretched thin.
9. British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands shows a ratio of 89 men to every 100 women. That subtle imbalance shapes everyday life in small ways—who fills the seats at community events, who shows up to volunteer, and even how island traditions are passed on and preserved.
10. Uganda
Uganda counts just 90 men for every 100 women, and over time, that gap is being felt in deeply personal ways. In some communities, fewer men means fewer partners to marry—leaving many women balancing careers, family, and parenting on their own. It’s also changing how relationships form and how families are built, especially in rural areas where young men often migrate away for work.
