Pakistan Sex Ratio: What the Census Data Really Says
106 men for every 100 women — the 2023 census figure, the 2009 and 2018 numbers, provincial breakdowns, and 70 years of convergence, all from official sources.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
The Essentials
Key Facts at a Glance
Pakistan’s sex ratio in thirty seconds.
Deep Dives
Sex Ratio Guides
The detailed figures behind the headline number.
Pakistan Sex Ratio 2009
The PBS compendium figure — 107 males per 100 females — and why there was no census that year. Read →
Sex Ratio “2018 Census”
There was no census in 2018 — here’s what the 2017 census and 2018 estimates actually said. Read →
Male to Female Ratio
Pakistan’s male-female split in plain terms: percentages, provinces and districts. Read →
Defined
What the Sex Ratio Means
One number, two ways to read it.
The sex ratio is the number of males per 100 females. Pakistan’s 2023 figure of 106.12 means about 106 men for every 100 women. Its mirror — females per 100 males — was 94.2. Demographers treat roughly 105 as the natural range at birth (slightly more boys are born than girls everywhere); a national ratio of 106 reflects that plus migration and mortality patterns.
Latest Census
The 2023 Census Result
From the PBS detailed results of the 7th Population and Housing Census, launched July 2024.
| Measure | 2023 Census |
|---|---|
| Total population | 241.49 million |
| Male share | 51.48% |
| Female share | 48.51% |
| Sex ratio (males per 100 females) | 106.12 |
| Change since 2017 | 105 → 106 |
The ratio rose in every province except Balochistan, where it fell from 110.82 to 109.02 as the female share edged up from 47.43% to 47.84% (reported by The News from PBS district data). At district level, 127 of 136 districts have more men than women — Chaman is the outlier at 12% more men — while three KP districts (Hangu, Lower Dir, Upper Dir) have more women, and six districts sit at exact gender parity.
2009
2009: The Estimate Year
An important correction: Pakistan held no census in 2009.
The last census before 2017 was in 1998. The “2009” figures come from the Compendium on Gender Statistics of Pakistan 2009 (Federal Bureau of Statistics, March 2010), built on National Institute of Population Studies estimates: 82.6 million females and 88.2 million males out of 170.8 million people — a sex ratio of 107 (identical in urban and rural areas), or 93.6 females per 100 males. Full 2009 breakdown →
2018
2018: No Census, But Estimates
The “2018 census” never happened — the 6th census was conducted in 2017.
The 2017 census counted 106,449,322 men, 101,314,780 women and 10,418 transgender persons — a sex ratio of 105.07. World Bank estimates for 2018 put women at 48.54% of the population (a ratio of about 106), with a sex ratio at birth of 1.05 males per female — peaking at 1.08 in the 25–54 age group and falling to 0.87 among the 65+. Full 2018 explainer →
History
70 Years of Convergence
The long view: from 116 to 106.
| Year | Sex Ratio | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 116 | Census |
| 1961 | 115 | Census |
| 1972 | 114 | Census |
| 1981 | 110 | Census |
| 1998 | 108 | Census |
| 2009 | 107 | NIPS estimate (PBS compendium) |
| 2017 | 105.07 | Census |
| 2023 | 106.12 | Census |
The direction is unmistakable: every census since 1951 has recorded a lower male skew than the one before — until 2023 ticked up slightly from 105 to 106. The PBS compendium notes the female share rising “down the time lane” as female survivability improved.
Explained
Why More Men Than Women?
The drivers demographers point to — stated carefully.
- Male labour migration — men move to cities and abroad for work, inflating urban male counts (the urban ratio was 127 back in 1951).
- Undercounting of women — researchers have long noted women are missed more often in enumeration, especially in conservative areas.
- Mortality gaps — historically higher female mortality in some age groups, now narrowing; the 65+ ratio flips to 0.87 as women outlive men.
- Birth ratios — about 105 boys per 100 girls at birth, the biological norm worldwide.
The transgender population — 10,418 counted in 2017 and enumerated again as a separate category in 2023 — remains small in statistical terms but marks a significant recognition in official data.
Answers
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions people ask most about Pakistan’s sex ratio — answered.
What is the sex ratio of Pakistan?
106.12 males per 100 females, per the 2023 census (51.48% male, 48.51% female).
What was Pakistan’s sex ratio in 2009?
An estimated 107 males per 100 females. There was no census in 2009; the figure comes from the PBS Compendium on Gender Statistics 2009, based on NIPS population estimates.
Was there a census in Pakistan in 2018?
No. The 6th Population and Housing Census was conducted in 2017 (sex ratio 105.07). “2018 census” figures are World Bank/UN estimates built on it.
Which province has the highest sex ratio?
Balochistan, at 109.02 in 2023 — though it was the only province where the ratio fell (from 110.82 in 2017).
Are there more males or females in Pakistan?
More males — about 106 men for every 100 women nationally, though three KP districts have more women than men.
Is Pakistan’s sex ratio improving?
Over the long term, yes: from 116 in 1951 to 106 in 2023. The 2023 uptick (105 → 106) interrupted the decline but the long-run convergence toward balance holds.
Explore Pakistan’s Geography
Population guides, census deep-dives and regional profiles — in Feature Pakistan’s Geography section.
Feature Pakistan’s Pakistan Guides explain the country’s people and places in plain language — written for students, researchers and curious readers. All figures are from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and cited international estimates.