The Global Gender Balance in 2017

1. As of July 2017, the share of the world population that is female stands at about 49.5%.

2. The UN estimates that there are 3.74 billion women in total on earth today, compared to 3.81 billon men (50.5%).

3. In developed regions, slightly more than half the population (51.3%) is female, while in less developed regions slightly less than half is female (49.2%).

4. These small distinctions are likely related to women in developed countries having longer life expectancies and better childbirth survival rates.

5. Europe’s 384 million women and girls are 51.7% of the regional population. Northern America’s 182 million women and girls equal 50.1% of the population.

6. Latin America and the Caribbean average 50.6% female, from 327 million.

7. Africa is home to 629 million women and girls, making up 50.1% of the population.

8. Asia is home to 2.2 billion women and girls, but they are just 48.8%, with even slightly lower shares in China (48.5%) and India (48.2%).

9. This is largely due to a preference for male children in both countries, which leads to abortions on a gender-selection basis or the abandonment of female children.

10. This deplorable practice is known as “femicide” or “female gendercide.”

Sources: The Globalist Research Center, UN Population Division