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Global population -

Do you know what percentage of the global population consists of men? You might be surprised to learn that men only make up 50.4%, meaning that the number of men and women is nearly equal.

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Nations with higher percentages of men -

Yet, some countries have significantly higher percentages of men, while a much smaller number have higher percentages of women.

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European Union -

The numbers are quite interesting in terms of regional trends. In 2023, according to the World Bank, males made up 48.91% of the total European Union population.

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Sub-Saharan Africa -

In Sub-Saharan Africa, the birth sex ratio is about 104 males to 100 females, but data shows that in terms of percentage, males and females make up 50% of the population, respectively.

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North America -

In North America, men make up just under 50% of the total population (49.53%), according to the World Bank’s development indicator reports; quite a balanced men-to-women ratio.

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Latin America -

In Latin America, the ratio of men to women is similar to that in North America. Men are outnumbered by women by less than a percent: 49.53%.

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Oceania -

In the Oceania region, the male population (50.1%) dominates the female population by a mere 0.1%; a nearly equal balance between the two groups.

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Asia -

Asia has the highest proportion of birth rates of males in the world (51.2%). Although the overall ratio of men-to-women is higher than other regions, in Asia, there are particular areas where women outnumber men.

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Role of migration -

However, the reason why some Southeast Asian countries have a higher number of women is not biological. Rather, it is tied directly to immigration. I In fact, this gallery includes several nations where laborers from these countries go to seek better economic opportunities. 

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Middle East -

Finally, in the Middle East, males make up 51% of the population, but some nations have percentages of over 70%. This significant uptick of males in particular nations is driven by immigrant laborers from Southeast Asia.

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10. Bhutan -

So, which 10 countries have the highest ratio of men in their national population? The nation with the 10th-most men in the world is Bhutan, in which men make up 53.5% of the national population.

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Immigrant population -

The South Asian country of Bhutan has a population of under one million people, but 7% of its population (approximately 54,000 people) is comprised of immigrants, of which men outnumber women. In fact, women only make up 15% of the immigrant population in the country. This factor is key in terms of the ratio imbalance.

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9. Palau -

Located in Oceania, the island nation of Palau is ninth on the list, with 53.9% of its population consisting of men. Nearly 30% of the nation’s population consists of immigrants, which affects the men-to-women ratio significantly.

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Immigrants from the Philippines -

Palau’s tourism, fishing, and agricultural sectors draw in many immigrants from its neighboring island nation of the Philippines, as salaries in Palau are double those in the Philippines for the same jobs.

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8. Seychelles -

Eighth on the list is the Seychelles. Males in the East African archipelago make up 55.18% of the total male population. Just as in Palau and Bhutan, a primary factor in the higher proportion of males is immigration.

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Tipping the scales -

Although the Seychelles only has approximately 13,000 migrants, nearly three-quarters of them are male. While that number may not seem significant, with a national population of just under 120,000, the impact of immigration tips the scales.

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7. Saudi Arabia -

In Saudi Arabia, men make up 60.65% of the nation’s population, making it the country with the seventh-highest proportion of men to women. As in many Gulf countries, the nation’s race for development largely relies on labor coming from outside the country.

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Driving factor -

Immigrants make up a whopping 41.6% of the nation’s total population, over three-quarters of immigrants in Saudi Arabia are men. This is a major factor in the men-to-women ratio in the country.

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6. Kuwait -

Ranking sixth on the list is Kuwait. Men make up 61.16% of the Gulf state’s population. As in Saudi Arabia, this high number of male residents is largely driven by the nation’s need for external laborers.

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Labor needs -

Immigrants in Kuwait make up a stark 60% of the nation’s total population. In fact, nearly 80% of the nation’s workforce is comprised of immigrants. Due to job opportunities created by Kuwait's development and oil industry, a high number of male migrants have settled in the nation.

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5. Bahrain -

Fifth on the list is another Gulf nation: Bahrain. Men make up 62.08% of the population. Like the previous nations, the largest contributing factor to this imbalance is immigration.

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Most immigrants are men -

About half of the nation’s population consists of immigrants, the majority of which are men. Female immigrants make up just over a quarter of the nation’s migrant population, while children make up 7%.

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4. Oman -

Continuing our tour of the Gulf nations, ranked fourth is Oman. Men make up 62.08% of the nation’s residents; the same as Bahrain. The nation’s infrastructural needs have drawn in a significant number of migrant workers.

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The population is booming -

Immigration isn’t just impacting the sex ratio, but is also significantly driving up the national population on an annual basis. Oman’s population is growing by a whopping 9% every year.

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3. Maldives -

Taking a break from the Gulf, the nation with the third-highest ratio of males is the Maldives. Males in the South Asian archipelago account for 62.1% of its population.

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Biological factors and immigration -

Biological factors play a significant role, as the birth ratio between males and females is 108 boys to 100 girls. But immigration also plays a significant role, as 89% of the nation’s immigrants are men.

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2. United Arab Emirates -

The nation with the second-highest proportion of men is the United Arab Emirates. The Gulf nation has one of the highest immigrant populations in the world, consisting of 88% of its total population.

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Male laborers -

The majority of the nation’s immigrants are male laborers (93%) who seek better-paying jobs to sustain their families back home. The nation’s immigrants primarily come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and India.

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1. Qatar -

The nation with the highest male-to-female population ratio is Qatar. Men account for a striking 71.52% of the national population. The 2022 World Cup drew in a huge number of foreign laborers needed to build the infrastructure for the major event. 

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Labor needs subsided -

While the need for manual labor has diminished since the event, young male immigrants, particularly from countries such as India and Nepal, have remained in the country to seek better incomes for their families back home.

Sources: (Trading Economics) (Countrymeters) (World Bank Gender Data Portal) (World Atlas) (Britannica)

See also: Which countries have the most bald men?

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