The world’s population ratio between men and women has fluctuated over the course of history, with each gender trading positions.
The ratio between single males and females has remained relatively equal, but within certain countries there has been a wide gap. There are several explanations for this, including the violent treatment of women, wars that have resulted in mass migration and gender inequality that has caused women to leave their home countries for better work opportunities. With that, here is a look at 15 countries where men have difficulties finding a wife due to a shortage of women.
15. Libya
With a population that includes 1.07 males for every 1 females, Libya has the widest ratio in Africa. The country has been engaged in a drawn-out civil war for several years, leading to the exodus of otherwise vulnerable women. Add to this the traditionally restrictive role of women in Libyan society and it is not a surprise that many are not sticking around to marry their male compatriots.
14. Philippines
One of the poorest countries in the Pacific, Filipino women are leaving for work abroad in Australia, Asia and even the Middle East. As a result, the ratio between men and women (currently 1.02 to 1) is growing wider. Recent statistics also indicate that the number of couples getting married has fallen, providing further evidence that the issue could be related to the shortage of females.
13. Iceland
When you think of Iceland, two things usually come to mind: it is full of ice (lies!) and Bjork is literally the only person of note to ever come from there (okay, that’s probably true). But there is another factoid worth pointing out: Iceland has too many men. Or too few women. Currently, there are 1.7% more male inhabitants, which means a lot of men are having lonely, candle-lit dinners by themselves. There was once a rumor that the government was offering foreign women $5,000 to marry Icelandic men under the condition that they settle there. It turned out to be false, with the government even coming out with a statement denying such a thing. Well, ladies, you can still dream can’t you?
12. Norway
In recent years the population of men has overtaken women in Norway, largely attributed to immigration. As it stands, there are around 12,000 more single men in the country. As one of the most liberal, equal countries in the world, there are some concerns that the gender population gap in favor of males will threaten some of the progress that women have made in recent decades. Only time will tell.
11. Iran
For the first time in the country’s history, males in Iran outnumber females. One factor has been that Iranian women are highly educated and often seek out work abroad that matches their skills. Add to this a reluctance for modern Iranian women to marry and start a family before they have established their careers, and you can see why Iranian men are having difficulty finding love.
10. Sweden
Much like their Norwegian cousins, Sweden has started to see a small but gradual increase in the male/female ratio. Today it stands at around 12,000 more males, and this figure is expected to rise. One problem has been a housing crisis in which there aren’t enough homes to accommodate Sweden’s citizenry. As a consequence, more and more Swedes have been moving abroad, especially their famously beautiful women. In the meantime, immigrants from several war-torn countries have settled into Sweden, including 35,000 male minors.
9. Afghanistan
Once upon a time, Afghanistan was home to a very progressive society where women were able to walk around the streets of Kabul in skirts! Fast forward about 40 years and the country has seen nothing but war and destruction. Of course, the country’s human right’s record as it relates to women has also been miserable. As a result, women and children have been immigrating in large numbers while the men have stuck around to fight. The result has been a gender ratio that has been skewed towards males.
8. Nigeria
The 1.04 male to 1 female ratio places Nigeria among the highest on the African continent. Child marriage, polygamy, and female genital mutilation have caused a lot of women to flee the country in search of places where their lives will be better. The result is a male/female gap that is bound to grow. Recently the government has expressed concern over the number of young adult males who are unable to find wives.
7. Greece
Once upon a time, Greece served as a launching point for those immigrating into Europe who would then move on to the UK or France. But the relatively cheap prices and the beautiful weather year round has made Greece the final destination for many of them. A significant number of the new immigrants from the Middle East are male, which is pushing the gender ratio further towards that direction. To complicate the issues, wage equality between the genders is poor, leading a lot of women to move to other European countries where they receive fairer wages.
6. Egypt
Egypt is the most heavily populated country in the Arab world and among the largest on the African continent. So with a ratio of 1.05 males for every 1 female, that adds up to a significant imbalance. Egypt is a traditional paternalistic society where women are expected to live domestic lives, but a large portion of female Egyptians have advanced degrees and aspire to work in the fields of science, medicine, and law. As a result, a lot of them have been immigrating to more progressive countries. This has left a lot of Egyptian guys with lonely hearts.
5. China
The world’s most populous country has 40 million more men then women. This is due to a tragic problem of their own making: sex-selective abortions and female infanticide in a country where gender bias remains prominent and the belief that a male heir is necessary. The gap is even more prevalent in villages where families place more value on males. The government has finally begun to address the problem. In the meantime, eligible Chinese bachelors could always try to win the hearts of girls in neighboring Russia, where there is a shortage of men.
4. The U.S.
Okay, so putting America on the list is cheating a bit. According to the most recent census in 2010, there were actually 157 million females in the U.S. compared to 151.8 males. Nonetheless, there are several major cities where men outnumber women, most notably in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. LA is home to 90,000 more single men then women. Meanwhile, in Sin City, there are 103 men over the age of 18 for every 100 women. What we’re saying is, if you are a single woman who enjoys sunshine all year long or slot machines, LA and Vegas men are eager to cuddle with you!
3. India
Poised to overtake China as the world’s #1 most populated country by 2024, India has a serious shortage of women. The ratio currently stands at 1.08 males for every female, which comes out to around 37 million more males. Much like China, there has been a focus on sex selection (by and large Indian men are still expected to be the breadwinners in their families and support their parents once they age). Unfortunately it appears that the gap will only continue to grow over the upcoming years.
2. United Arab Emirates
At the turn of the 20th century, UAE had a mere 40,000 residents with women comprising 22,000 of them. But the discovery of oil turned this desert full of fishing villages into the insanely wealthy, modern tourist destination that the country has become today. Foreigners make up 85% of the country’s population and they are overwhelmingly male. With the lack of single ladies, a lot of Emirati males have left the country to find love.
1. Qatar
Qatar makes the top of the list by a long shot. The ratio of men to women in this wealthy, oil-rich Middle Eastern country is 3.41 to 1. Excluding the aforementioned UAE, no other country even has a male to female ratio greater than 1.54. The wide ratio in Qatar is largely attributed to the influx of male immigrants who now make up 94% of the country’s entire workforce. While the government is eager to issue work visas to foreign males to fill skilled managerial positions and construction jobs, foreign women have a nearly impossible time getting visas if they don’t come from places like Canada or the UK.
Source: herbeauty.co/en
