Global Sex Ratio: Male vs. Female Population Distribution (2021 UN Data)

According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2022 (2021 estimates):

• Global population: ~7.87 billion
• Males: 50.4% (~3.97 billion)
• Females: 49.6% (~3.90 billion)
• Sex ratio at birth: ~105 males per 100 females (biological norm).
• Sex ratio all ages: ~101.6 males per 100 females.

Key Drivers of the Male Excess

• Sex ratio at birth (SRB): Biological baseline ~1.05–1.06. Elevated in some regions (China ~1.11, India ~1.10, Azerbaijan, Vietnam) due to sex-selective practices.
• Higher male mortality at all ages (biological + behavioral: accidents, violence, occupational hazards, cardiovascular disease, smoking, alcohol).
• Migration patterns: Male-dominated labor migration in some regions (Gulf states, etc.) skews local ratios.

Age-Specific Patterns

• At birth: More males.
• Reproductive ages (15–49): Roughly equal or slight male excess (varies by country).
• Older ages (60+): Females significantly outnumber males (longevity gap).
• 80+: ~2:1 female:male in many developed nations.

Regional Variation (2021)

• Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman: > 70% male (expatriate labor force).
• Russia, Ukraine, Baltic states: < 88 males/100 females (high male mortality, WWII cohort effects).
• China, India: ~105–106 males/100 females overall (SRB distortion + population size).
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Near parity or slight female majority (high male mortality, HIV/AIDS impact).

Implications

• Marriage market dynamics ("missing women" — Sen, 1990; "bare branches" — surplus men).
• Labor force, caregiving, pension systems.
• Violence and social instability correlates with male surplus (Hudson & den Boer).

Data source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2022, Online Edition. Revised biennially.