Gender Imbalance in Russia
As of early 2025, Russia’s population is approximately 146 million, with about 77.2 million females and 66.8 million males. This means women make up about 53.6% of the population, while men account for 46.4%, resulting in a female-to-male ratio of approximately 1.16:1 .
Factors Contributing to the Imbalance
Several factors contribute to this gender disparity:
- Higher Male Mortality Rates: Men in Russia have a significantly lower life expectancy than women. In 2023, the average life expectancy for men was 68 years, compared to 79 years for women, creating a gender gap of nearly 11 years .
Historical Population Losses: The aftermath of World War II and other historical events led to a skewed sex ratio, with more women than men surviving into adulthood.
Recent Impact of War: The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has exacerbated the gender imbalance, with over 120,000 Russian men estimated to have died in the war, further increasing the number of women relative to men .
Age-Related Gender Distribution
The gender imbalance becomes more pronounced with age. While there are more men than women in younger age groups, women outnumber men in older age brackets. For instance, in the 70–79 age group, there are approximately two women for every man; in the 80–89 group, the ratio increases to about three women for every man; and among centenarians, women outnumber men five to one .
Conclusion
In summary, Russia has a significant gender imbalance, with women outnumbering men by over 10 million. This disparity is influenced by factors such as higher male mortality rates, historical population losses, and the recent impact of war.
