25 Cities Globally with the Highest Female to Male Ratios

We examine the world’s cities with the highest female-to-male ratio in this article.

There are about 8 billion people in the world by 2023. Experts predict that the number will increase by 2 billion over the next 30 years. However, less than half of the population is female, according to the World Bank. According to the World Bank, the world’s population will surpass 9 billion by 2040, and the gender ratio will continue to decrease.

In 2021, 50.42% of the world’s population was male, and 49.58% was female, meaning there were 3,970,238,390 men and 3,904,727,342 women. This means there were 101 males per 100 females in the world.

It is important to note, however, that these numbers are not evenly distributed around the world. For example, India and China (the world’s two most populous countries) have significantly fewer women than men. Conversely, Eastern European countries happen to have significantly more women than men.

There are many factors that affect this number, including mortality rates, sex ratios, and migration. The average life expectancy of men in Russia is 11 years less than that of women in China. In the Middle East, males outnumber females almost 4:1, with the UAE having an almost 4:1 male to female ratio.

As a result of this uneven distribution, the general global gender ratio is skewed. For instance, if China and India were excluded from the data, the ratio of males to females would be higher.

The relationship between migration, economy, and gender

In any country or city, the net inflow of residents determines the gender ratio of the region, which, in turn, determines the world’s gender ratio.

Between 1990 and 2017, the percentage of female migrants in Europe and Central Asia increased from 52% to 52.4%, according to World Bank gender data. As a result of this change in data, not only migration statistics but also life expectancy and gender ratios were affected.

The economy and income levels have been a major driver of migration since 2000. People generally move to places where they can find better jobs and investment opportunities. In turn, this affects a country’s gender patterns. When women do not have equal access to work opportunities as men in a certain place, they are less likely to move there.

In 2015, the Oil Boom brought significant numbers of male migrants to North Dakota due to increased work opportunities at oil drilling sites. At the time, the ratio of males to females was 105 to 100.

Since 2000, female migration to low-income countries has outpaced migration to middle- and upper-middle-income countries by a significant 5.9%, according to World Bank statistics.

When men migrate to developing countries, countries like Armenia end up with more women than men, which leads to sex-selective migration based on the economy and labor market. Consequently, this affects the gender ratio of a given place.

Gender and ESG

Despite the fact that women, in general, work harder than men, there is still a gender pay gap and an underrepresentation of women in the workforce in several countries. This is backed by a report compiled by Hive, a productivity platform, titled “state of the workplace”, featured, also, on the World Economic Forum. Currently, women work 10% harder than men, according to the report.

Numerous companies and investors have taken note of the inequities present in the broader ESG landscape. As a result, many of these companies are proactively addressing issues such as the gender pay gap and lack of representation of women in their workforce. Yale School of Management has identified 138 corporations, including a significant number from the tech industry like Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL), that offer enhanced benefits for women. As part of its overall ESG objectives, Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL) aims to achieve a workforce composition where 50% identify as women by 2030 and have 40% of its global leaders be women by the same time frame.

ESG measures are often criticized as risky for companies’ financial performance, but the data suggests otherwise.

A meta-analysis of 1,000 ESG studies published between 2015 and 2020 was conducted by Stern School of Business, and 58% of the research in the meta-analysis showed a statistically significant positive relationship between ESG and corporate financial performance. According to the meta-study, corporate investments in ESG were actually financially beneficial in the long run and had no impact on short-term financial performance.

What is the country with the lowest female population?

Qatar has the lowest percentage of females, with 266 males for every 100 females. Qatar is followed by UAE, which has a ratio of 228:100, and Bahrain, which has a ratio of 164:100. More middle eastern countries are followed by these three countries for low female population.

Having said that, let’s take a look at the cities with more females than males.

Our Methodology

As part of our list, we have ranked the top 25 cities with the highest female-to-male ratio. The cities are ranked in descending order of female-to-male ratios.

The top 25 cities in the world with the highest female-to-male ratio are listed below.

25 Cities that have more women than men

25. Tokyo, Japan

50.1% of the population is female

A city with a population of over 13 million, Tokyo is also the world’s most populated metropolis. At the time of 2021, the city’s female population was 6.85 million, or around 50.1% of the entire population. In contrast, there are approximately 6.61 million men in the city, or 49.9% of the total population.

In addition, according to demographic trends in Japan, men seem to leave Tokyo much less than women do. As a result, Tokyo offers more job and study opportunities to females than it does to males. As of 2021, the netflow of men who moved out was 1,344, while the netflow of women who moved in was 6,777.

24. Salamanca, Spain

51.4% of the population is female

In Northwestern Spain, Salamanca is the capital of the Salamanca province, known for its sandstone architecture and university.

There are 327,735 people in the city, with 168,533 females and 159,202 males. Salamanca ranks 33rd out of 49 provinces on the Economic Complexity Index. In 2023’s Q2, the average salary in the city was $4.77k MX, with 43.8% of the women being economically active.

23. Lisbon, Portugal

Women make up 53% of the population

In Lisbon, which is the capital city of Portugal, there are 2.8 million people, out of which 1.49 million are women and 1.31 million are men.

A high average salary makes Lisbon one of the most densely populated regions in Portugal.

22. Florence, Italy

Women make up 53% of the population

Located in Italy’s Tuscany region, Florence is known for its Renaissance art and architecture. The city has a population of 984,991, with 509,929 women and 475,062 men.

As a result of its history, the city is generally viewed as more “feminine.” Tourism, textiles, and jewelry continue to be the city’s main economic drivers.

21. Bucharest, Romania

53.6% of the population is female

Bucharest, the capital of Romania, has a population of 1,716,961 and is the most economically sound and industrialized city in the country.

Approximately 21% of Romania’s GDP is produced in Bucharest, and the city’s demographics suggest a higher female-to-male ratio, with 53.6% of the population being female.