Sex Ratios Across the Life Course

Introduction

Sex ratios of human populations—the ratio of males to females—vary considerably throughout the world. However, within any given population, there are fairly predictable regularities in sex ratios across the life course. In the materials that follow, we describe both commonalities and variations in sex ratios, review explanations for them, and explore some of their key implications at various stages.

  • This technical note is available in English and Arabic.
Page Last Revised - July 3, 2024