Countries in Africa Ranked by Female population share (2025)
Female population share: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Zimbabwe ranks #1 with 52.3% of population. Central African Republic is second with 51.9% of population, 0.69% behind. The top five are Zimbabwe, Central African Republic, Mozambique, South Africa and Lesotho. The median across all 54 is 50.2% of population; Seychelles is last at 44.9% of population.
- #1
- Zimbabwe · 52.3% of population
- Median
- 50.2% of population
- Coverage
- 54 countries in Africa
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Female population share (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 52.3 |
| 2 | Central African Republic | 51.9 |
| 3 | Mozambique | 51.4 |
| 4 | South Africa | 51.3 |
| 5 | Lesotho | 51.2 |
| 6 | Malawi | 51.2 |
| 7 | Rwanda | 51.2 |
| 8 | Namibia | 51.2 |
| 9 | Togo | 51.1 |
| 10 | Mauritania | 50.9 |
| 11 | Eswatini | 50.9 |
| 12 | South Sudan | 50.8 |
| 13 | Eritrea | 50.6 |
| 14 | Tunisia | 50.6 |
| 15 | Guinea-Bissau | 50.6 |
| 16 | Angola | 50.5 |
| 17 | Zambia | 50.5 |
| 18 | Guinea | 50.5 |
| 19 | Djibouti | 50.4 |
| 20 | Sudan | 50.4 |
| 21 | Tanzania | 50.4 |
| 22 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 50.4 |
| 23 | Uganda | 50.4 |
| 24 | Burundi | 50.3 |
| 25 | São Tomé and Principe | 50.3 |
| 26 | Kenya | 50.3 |
| 27 | Gambia, The | 50.2 |
| 28 | Burkina Faso | 50.2 |
| 29 | Botswana | 50.2 |
| 30 | Cameroon | 50.2 |
| 31 | Mauritius | 50.1 |
| 32 | Sierra Leone | 50.1 |
| 33 | Liberia | 50.1 |
| 34 | Ghana | 50.1 |
| 35 | Congo, Rep. | 50 |
| 36 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 49.9 |
| 37 | Ethiopia | 49.9 |
| 38 | Chad | 49.8 |
| 39 | Benin | 49.8 |
| 40 | Madagascar | 49.8 |
| 41 | Comoros | 49.7 |
| 42 | Morocco | 49.6 |
| 43 | Mali | 49.6 |
| 44 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 49.5 |
| 45 | Nigeria | 49.4 |
| 46 | Gabon | 49.3 |
| 47 | Niger | 49.2 |
| 48 | Senegal | 49.2 |
| 49 | Côte d'Ivoire | 49.2 |
| 50 | Libya | 49.2 |
| 51 | Cabo Verde | 49.1 |
| 52 | Algeria | 49 |
| 53 | Equatorial Guinea | 47.3 |
| 54 | Seychelles | 44.9 |
About the top 10
#1 Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe ranks #1 on this list with 52.3% of population.
- Capital
- Harare
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 16.95 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$51.22 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,021 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Harare, Masvingo.
Also ranks #2 in lending interest rate · #3 in inflation rate · #4 in income share of richest 10%.
#2 Central African Republic
Central African Republic ranks #2 on this list with 51.9% of population.
- Capital
- Bangui
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 5.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.07 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$556.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in population ages 0-14 share · #1 in age dependency ratio · #1 in age dependency ratio (young).
#3 Mozambique
Mozambique ranks #3 on this list with 51.4% of population.
- Capital
- Maputo
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 35.63 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$22.34 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$626.9 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 37.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Maputo, Matola.
Also ranks #2 in poverty headcount ratio · #3 in income share of richest 10% · #4 in debt service share of exports.
#4 South Africa
South Africa ranks #4 on this list with 51.3% of population.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#5 Lesotho
Lesotho ranks #5 on this list with 51.2% of population.
- Capital
- Maseru
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 2.36 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.57 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,089 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in tax revenue share of gdp · #1 in suicide mortality rate · #2 in agricultural land share.
#6 Malawi
Malawi ranks #6 on this list with 51.2% of population.
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 22.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$14.92 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$671.5 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (primary) · #3 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #3 in poverty headcount ratio.
#7 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #7 on this list with 51.2% of population.
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#8 Namibia
Namibia ranks #8 on this list with 51.2% of population.
- Capital
- Windhoek
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 3.09 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$15.08 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,876 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 50.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in women in ministerial positions share · #2 in tax revenue share of gdp · #4 in education expenditure share of gdp.
#9 Togo
Togo ranks #9 on this list with 51.1% of population.
- Capital
- Lomé
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 8.59 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.89 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,384 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 44.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lomé.
Also ranks #8 in arable land share · #19 in age dependency ratio · #19 in age dependency ratio (young).
#10 Mauritania
Mauritania ranks #10 on this list with 50.9% of population.
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 5.32 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$11.68 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,198 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Nouakchott.
Also ranks #2 in gross capital formation rate · #3 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #8 in gender parity index (school enrolment).
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Female population share: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Population, female (% of total population): World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), note: World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2022 Revision.
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.