The World’s Most (And Least) Gender-Equal Countries, 2018
Interestingly, Iceland has been ranked as the most gender-equal in the world, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2018 of the World Economic Forum (WEF). It was followed by other Nordic nations, with Norway in 2nd, Sweden in 3rd, and Finland in 4th place.
Other countries in the top-ten include Nicaragua (5th), Rwanda (6th), New Zealand (7th), the Philippines (8th), Ireland (9th) and Namibia (10th). The Global Gender Gap Report evaluates 149 nations on their progress in gender parity through economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and politicial empowerment.
Among other major economies, France ranked 12th, Germany 14th, U.S. 51st, China 103rd, India 108th, Japan 110th, and South Korea 115th. In the Indo-Pacific region, New Zealand (7th) and the Philippines (8th) scored the highest.
The world’s top 10 most gender-equal countries, 2018:
- Iceland
- Norway
- Sweden
- Finland
- Nicaragua
- Rwanda
- New Zealand
- Philippines
- Ireland
- Namibia
The world’s top 10 least gender-equal countries, 2018:
- Yemen
- Pakistan
- Iraq
- Syria
- Chad
- Congo, Dem. Rep.
- Mali
- Iran, Islamic Rep.
- Saudi Arabia
- Lebanon
Full List: The World’s Most (And Least) Gender-Equal Countries, 2018:
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland |
| 2 | Norway |
| 3 | Sweden |
| 4 | Finland |
| 5 | Nicaragua |
| 6 | Rwanda |
| 7 | New Zealand |
| 8 | Philippines |
| 9 | Ireland |
| 10 | Namibia |
| 11 | Slovenia |
| 12 | France |
| 13 | Denmark |
| 14 | Germany |
| 15 | United Kingdom |
| 16 | Canada |
| 17 | Latvia |
| 18 | Bulgaria |
| 19 | South Africa |
| 20 | Switzerland |
| 21 | Barbados |
| 22 | Costa Rica |
| 23 | Cuba |
| 24 | Lithuania |
| 25 | Bolivia |
| 26 | Lao PDR |
| 27 | Netherlands |
| 28 | Belarus |
| 29 | Spain |
| 30 | Bahamas |
| 31 | Burundi |
| 32 | Belgium |
| 33 | Estonia |
| 34 | Albania |
| 35 | Moldova |
| 36 | Argentina |
| 37 | Portugal |
| 38 | Serbia |
| 39 | Australia |
| 40 | Colombia |
| 41 | Ecuador |
| 42 | Poland |
| 43 | Uganda |
| 44 | Jamaica |
| 45 | Panama |
| 46 | Israel |
| 47 | Zimbabwe |
| 48 | Bangladesh |
| 49 | Mozambique |
| 50 | Mexico |
| 51 | United States |
| 52 | Peru |
| 53 | Austria |
| 54 | Chile |
| 55 | Botswana |
| 56 | Uruguay |
| 57 | Cameroon |
| 58 | Mongolia |
| 59 | Croatia |
| 60 | Kazakhstan |
| 61 | Luxembourg |
| 62 | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| 63 | Romania |
| 64 | Venezuela |
| 65 | Ukraine |
| 66 | Macedonia, FYR |
| 67 | Singapore |
| 68 | Honduras |
| 69 | Montenegro |
| 70 | Italy |
| 71 | Tanzania |
| 72 | Cape Verde |
| 73 | Thailand |
| 74 | Dominican Republic |
| 75 | Russian Federation |
| 76 | Kenya |
| 77 | Viet Nam |
| 78 | Greece |
| 79 | Suriname |
| 80 | Eswatini |
| 81 | Lesotho |
| 82 | Czech Republic |
| 83 | Slovak Republic |
| 84 | Madagascar |
| 85 | Indonesia |
| 86 | Kyrgyz Republic |
| 87 | El Salvador |
| 88 | Myanmar |
| 89 | Ghana |
| 90 | Brunei Darussalam |
| 91 | Malta |
| 92 | Cyprus |
| 93 | Cambodia |
| 94 | Senegal |
| 95 | Brazil |
| 96 | Liberia |
| 97 | Azerbaijan |
| 98 | Armenia |
| 99 | Georgia |
| 100 | Sri Lanka |
| 101 | Malaysia |
| 102 | Hungary |
| 103 | China |
| 104 | Paraguay |
| 105 | Nepal |
| 106 | Fiji |
| 107 | Guatemala |
| 108 | India |
| 109 | Mauritius |
| 110 | Japan |
| 111 | Belize |
| 112 | Malawi |
| 113 | Maldives |
| 114 | Sierra Leone |
| 115 | South Korea |
| 116 | Guinea |
| 117 | Ethiopia |
| 118 | Benin |
| 119 | Tunisia |
| 120 | Gambia, The |
| 121 | United Arab Emirates |
| 122 | Bhutan |
| 123 | Tajikistan |
| 124 | Timor-Leste |
| 125 | Angola |
| 126 | Kuwait |
| 127 | Qatar |
| 128 | Algeria |
| 129 | Burkina Faso |
| 130 | Turkey |
| 131 | Côte d'Ivoire |
| 132 | Bahrain |
| 133 | Nigeria |
| 134 | Togo |
| 135 | Egypt |
| 136 | Mauritania |
| 137 | Morocco |
| 138 | Jordan |
| 139 | Oman |
| 140 | Lebanon |
| 141 | Saudi Arabia |
| 142 | Iran, Islamic Rep. |
| 143 | Mali |
| 144 | Congo, Dem. Rep. |
| 145 | Chad |
| 146 | Syria |
| 147 | Iraq |
| 148 | Pakistan |
| 149 | Yemen |
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