Countries With the Lowest Gender Development Index
Every country with a figure for gender development index, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Yemen, Rep. (0.407), Afghanistan (0.66) and Syrian Arab Republic (0.787). The middle country of the 184 has 0.971.
What this measures
Gender Development Index, in ratio of women's HDI to men's. Source: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report Office. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
The HDI worked out for women divided by the HDI worked out for men. It is above 1 where women score higher, as they do in several countries on health. So no "better" direction is set: equality is the aim, and equality is the middle of the scale, not one end of it.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2023–2023. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Gender Development Index | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.407 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 2 | Afghanistan | 0.66 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 3 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.787 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 4 | Chad | 0.787 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 5 | Iraq | 0.793 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 6 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.793 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Mali | 0.812 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Sudan | 0.813 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 9 | Djibouti | 0.814 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 10 | Guinea | 0.828 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Sierra Leone | 0.83 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 12 | Pakistan | 0.838 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 13 | Niger | 0.855 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Nepal | 0.858 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 15 | Morocco | 0.859 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 16 | Jordan | 0.861 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 17 | Liberia | 0.865 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 18 | Togo | 0.865 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Benin | 0.866 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | India | 0.874 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 21 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.875 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 22 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.878 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | Burkina Faso | 0.881 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.886 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 25 | Ethiopia | 0.886 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Mauritania | 0.886 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Algeria | 0.887 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 28 | Nigeria | 0.892 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 29 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.895 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 30 | Cameroon | 0.898 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Angola | 0.906 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Uganda | 0.908 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.91 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 34 | Lao PDR | 0.911 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 35 | Bangladesh | 0.918 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 36 | Mozambique | 0.92 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Rwanda | 0.922 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Congo, Rep. | 0.924 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Senegal | 0.924 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 40 | Malawi | 0.925 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 41 | Papua New Guinea | 0.926 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 42 | Tajikistan | 0.926 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 43 | Solomon Islands | 0.927 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 44 | Comoros | 0.929 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 45 | Saudi Arabia | 0.931 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 46 | Tunisia | 0.931 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Burundi | 0.932 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 48 | Haiti | 0.932 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Ghana | 0.933 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 50 | Guatemala | 0.934 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 51 | Madagascar | 0.934 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 52 | Turkiye | 0.938 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 53 | Cambodia | 0.939 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Timor-Leste | 0.939 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 55 | Kenya | 0.944 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Zimbabwe | 0.944 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 57 | Indonesia | 0.945 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 58 | Oman | 0.945 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 59 | West Bank and Gaza | 0.945 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 60 | Myanmar | 0.947 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 61 | Fiji | 0.948 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 62 | Zambia | 0.949 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 63 | Sri Lanka | 0.951 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 64 | Tanzania | 0.951 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Uzbekistan | 0.951 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 66 | Nicaragua | 0.952 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Vanuatu | 0.952 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 68 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 0.953 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Libya | 0.955 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 70 | North Macedonia | 0.955 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Naoero | 0.955 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 72 | Samoa | 0.955 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 73 | United Arab Emirates | 0.957 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 74 | Bahrain | 0.957 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 75 | Bhutan | 0.958 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 76 | Gambia, The | 0.959 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.959 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 78 | Korea, Rep. | 0.959 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Peru | 0.959 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Marshall Islands | 0.96 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 81 | Bolivia | 0.961 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Albania | 0.963 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Greece | 0.963 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Cabo Verde | 0.964 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 85 | Honduras | 0.964 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Liechtenstein | 0.964 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 87 | Eswatini | 0.964 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.967 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 89 | Chile | 0.967 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Tuvalu | 0.969 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Japan | 0.97 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 92 | Mauritius | 0.971 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Netherlands | 0.971 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 94 | Malaysia | 0.973 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 95 | New Zealand | 0.973 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Costa Rica | 0.975 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 97 | Cuba | 0.975 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Germany | 0.975 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 99 | Italy | 0.975 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 100 | China | 0.976 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 101 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.976 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 102 | Kiribati | 0.976 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Mexico | 0.976 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Australia | 0.977 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 105 | Switzerland | 0.977 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Malta | 0.977 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 107 | Belgium | 0.979 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | United Kingdom | 0.979 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 109 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.98 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | Belize | 0.981 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 111 | Azerbaijan | 0.983 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 112 | Iceland | 0.983 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 113 | El Salvador | 0.983 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 114 | Grenada | 0.984 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 115 | Montenegro | 0.984 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 116 | Philippines | 0.984 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 117 | Austria | 0.985 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 118 | Maldives | 0.986 | 2023 | South Asia |
| 119 | Romania | 0.986 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 120 | Czechia | 0.987 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 121 | Serbia | 0.987 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Argentina | 0.988 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 123 | Paraguay | 0.988 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 124 | Sweden | 0.988 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | Spain | 0.989 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Hungary | 0.989 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Denmark | 0.99 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.99 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | Canada | 0.991 | 2023 | North America |
| 130 | San Marino | 0.991 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Colombia | 0.992 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 132 | Finland | 0.992 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 133 | Guyana | 0.992 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 134 | Lebanon | 0.992 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 135 | Palau | 0.992 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 136 | Brunei Darussalam | 0.993 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 137 | France | 0.993 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Suriname | 0.993 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 139 | Venezuela, RB | 0.993 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 140 | Gabon | 0.994 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Israel | 0.994 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 142 | Singapore | 0.994 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 143 | Norway | 0.995 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Cyprus | 0.996 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Luxembourg | 0.996 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | South Africa | 0.996 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 147 | Botswana | 0.997 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 148 | Slovenia | 0.997 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | Viet Nam | 0.997 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 150 | Ecuador | 0.998 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 151 | Tonga | 0.998 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 152 | Croatia | 0.999 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Slovak Republic | 0.999 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Bulgaria | 1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Portugal | 1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Ireland | 1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Brazil | 1 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 158 | Kazakhstan | 1 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 159 | Seychelles | 1 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 160 | Armenia | 1.01 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Lesotho | 1.01 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 162 | Thailand | 1.01 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 163 | Belarus | 1.01 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 164 | Georgia | 1.01 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 165 | United States | 1.01 | 2023 | North America |
| 166 | Kuwait | 1.01 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 167 | Namibia | 1.01 | 2023 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 168 | Poland | 1.01 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Jamaica | 1.01 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 170 | Panama | 1.01 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 171 | Bahamas, The | 1.01 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 172 | St. Lucia | 1.02 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 173 | Uruguay | 1.02 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 174 | Lithuania | 1.02 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 175 | Estonia | 1.02 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 176 | Russian Federation | 1.02 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 177 | Dominican Republic | 1.02 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 178 | Latvia | 1.03 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 179 | Moldova | 1.03 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 180 | Mongolia | 1.03 | 2023 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 181 | Antigua and Barbuda | 1.03 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 182 | Barbados | 1.03 | 2023 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 183 | Qatar | 1.04 | 2023 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 184 | Ukraine | 1.04 | 2023 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on gender development index
- Countries With the Highest Gender Development Index
- Gender Development Index by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Lowest Gender Wage Gaps
- Countries With the Lowest Gender Inequality Index
- Countries With the Lowest Women's Political Empowerment
- Countries With the Lowest Women Ministers
- Countries With the Lowest Women in Parliament
- Countries With the Lowest Women in Management
- Countries With the Lowest Married by 18
- Countries With the Lowest Gender Scores
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.