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9 Mar, 2012

Growing Numbers of Women Outliving Men In Europe – Eurostat

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Brussels, March 7 2012, (Eurostat) – There were in total 257 million women and 245 million men in the EU27 in 2011, meaning that there were 105 women per 100 men. There were around 15% more women than men in the total population in the Baltic countries: Estonia and Latvia (both 117 women per 100 men) and Lithuania (115), while the ratio was almost equal in Cyprus, Sweden, Luxembourg and Malta (all 101 women per 100 men).

The ratio rose to 138 women per 100 men on average in the EU27 for those aged 65 and over. For this age group, there were around twice as many women as men in the Baltic countries: Latvia (208 women per 100 men), Estonia (204) and Lithuania (197), while there were around 20% more women than men in Cyprus (120 women per 100 men), Ireland (122) and Sweden (123).

The proportion of women at risk of poverty or social exclusion higher than for men in all Member States

In 2010, there were 62 million women (24.5% of all women) and 54 million men (22.3% of all men) in the EU27 who were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This means that they were at least in one of the following three conditions: at-risk-of-poverty, severely materially deprived or living in households with very low work intensity. The proportion of women at risk of poverty or social exclusion was higher than for men in all Member States. The largest differences between women and men were recorded in Italy (26.3% for women and 22.6% for men), Austria (18.4% and 14.7%) and Slovenia (20.1% and 16.5%), and the smallest in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary (all with differences of less than 1 percentage point).

Demography and poverty & social exclusion

Women per 100 men, 2011 Women and men at risk of poverty or social exclusion, 2010***
Total population* Population aged 65 and over** % of all women % of all men
EU27 104.8 138.2 24.5 22.3
Belgium 104.1 137.2 21.7 20.0
Bulgaria 106.8 146.9 43.3 39.8
Czech Republic 103.8 148.5 16.0 12.7
Denmark 101.7 124.0 19.0 17.7
Germany 103.8 133.9 20.9 18.6
Estonia 116.9 204.3 22.0 21.5
Ireland 101.8 121.7 30.5 29.3
Greece 102.0 126.5 29.3 26.0
Spain 103.1 134.8 26.1 24.9
France 106.6 141.2 20.0 18.5
Italy 106.1 137.0 26.3 22.6
Cyprus 100.7 120.3 25.4 22.6
Latvia 116.6 207.6 38.5 37.6
Lithuania 115.3 197.0 33.8 32.9
Luxembourg 101.0 134.8 17.7 16.5
Hungary 110.5 173.3 30.3 29.4
Malta 101.2 132.3 21.5 19.7
Netherlands 102.0 127.5 16.0 14.1
Austria 105.2 140.1 18.4 14.7
Poland 107.1 165.4 28.5 27.0
Portugal 106.7 139.7 25.8 24.8
Romania 105.4 147.0 42.1 40.8
Slovenia 102.1 152.6 20.1 16.5
Slovakia 105.7 167.6 21.6 19.6
Finland 103.7 140.2 17.7 16.0
Sweden 100.7 122.8 16.6 13.4
United Kingdom 103.2 126.6 24.2 22.1
Iceland 99.0 117.5 14.0 13.5
Liechtenstein 102.1 125.6 : :
Norway 99.9 127.7 15.9 13.8
Switzerland 103.0 134.2 18.5 15.6
Montenegro 102.5 136.0 : :
Croatia 107.2 156.3 32.3 30.2
Former Yug. Rep. of Macedonia 99.6 124.7 : :
Turkey 99.0 128.6 : :

: Data not available

* 2010 data for Belgium, EU27 based on latest available data for each Member State.

** 2010 data for Belgium, Cyprus, Romania and Switzerland, EU27 based on latest available data for each Member State.

*** Persons in at least in one of the following three conditions: at-risk-of-poverty, severely materially deprived or living in households with very low work intensity.

Differences in employment rates between women and men reduce as the education level rises

The employment rat for women aged 25 to 64 was 63.8% in the EU27 in 2010, while it was 77.5% for men, a difference of 13.7 percentage points (pp). This difference diminishes as the education level increases. For those with a low education level (at the most lower secondary education), the employment rate at EU27 level was 43.3% for women and 65.2% for men, a difference of 21.9 pp. The employment rate for persons with a medium education level (at the most upper secondary education) was 66.6% for women and 79.1% for men, a difference of 12.5 pp. For those with a high education level (tertiary education), the rate was 80.6% for women and 87.4% for men, a difference of 6.8 pp. This pattern was similar in almost all Member States.

Employment rates of women and men aged 25 to 64 by highest level of education attained*, 2010

Total Low education level* Medium education level* High education level*
Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men
EU27 63.8 77.5 43.3 65.2 66.6 79.1 80.6 87.4
Belgium 64.0 76.5 38.2 59.2 66.7 81.6 81.6 86.7
Bulgaria 64.6 71.8 34.9 47.6 66.6 75.8 82.3 86.3
Czech Republic 63.7 83.0 38.3 53.1 65.0 83.3 75.0 91.0
Denmark 73.8 80.3 56.3 69.6 76.8 80.9 84.7 88.0
Germany 70.4 81.8 48.2 65.5 71.9 80.8 82.8 90.1
Estonia 69.4 70.9 43.3 46.5 65.0 72.0 79.2 81.3
Ireland 61.4 72.0 36.2 56.7 59.9 73.4 78.5 84.7
Greece 53.9 79.3 39.9 74.7 53.4 80.6 75.3 84.8
Spain 57.3 71.9 41.9 63.3 62.0 75.7 76.5 83.1
France 66.9 76.3 49.3 62.4 69.8 78.6 80.8 86.8
Italy 51.4 75.8 32.5 68.0 63.1 81.8 73.6 84.2
Cyprus 69.7 85.0 57.1 76.6 67.8 86.6 80.9 89.2
Latvia 68.1 68.1 44.2 51.1 64.6 67.6 80.4 82.4
Lithuania 69.6 68.0 29.6 34.9 62.5 65.0 86.9 86.8
Luxembourg 64.8 83.5 52.1 74.6 63.2 81.1 77.9 90.7
Hungary 57.6 69.4 32.7 44.8 60.2 71.5 75.2 83.1
Malta 38.8 78.7 25.7 73.6 67.8 89.1 81.8 89.9
Netherlands 70.6 83.9 49.4 74.8 75.3 85.4 84.9 89.3
Austria 70.0 81.2 51.4 64.7 73.7 81.8 81.4 89.3
Poland 60.1 74.3 30.9 49.6 56.2 74.2 81.9 88.8
Portugal 67.7 78.1 60.5 75.5 76.3 83.6 85.1 85.9
Romania 59.5 75.2 45.7 67.6 60.6 75.5 84.5 86.0
Slovenia 68.8 76.4 43.0 60.8 68.9 76.1 85.7 89.6
Slovakia 60.9 76.0 24.9 37.0 62.1 77.2 77.5 88.1
Finland 73.0 76.3 49.4 59.1 71.6 76.1 82.1 86.8
Sweden 78.2 84.6 56.9 73.2 79.4 86.3 87.3 89.1
United Kingdom 68.7 80.9 48.1 66.3 71.0 81.8 81.7 88.6
Iceland 78.9 85.6 71.8 81.2 76.5 85.8 87.4 91.2
Norway 78.3 83.8 59.2 68.4 77.4 84.6 88.9 91.7
Switzerland 74.9 89.0 62.8 79.5 75.5 87.8 81.7 92.9
Croatia 55.5 67.3 35.9 55.5 57.1 67.7 79.3 78.8
Former Yug. Rep. of Macedonia 40.4 62.3 20.3 52.5 51.1 63.8 71.6 76.0
Turkey 28.1 75.0 23.6 71.8 28.7 79.4 64.3 83.2

* Low education level: Pre-primary, primary and lower secondary education (International Standard Classification of Education – ISCED levels 0-2)

Medium education level: Upper secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary education (ISCED levels 3 and 4)

High education level: First and second stage of tertiary education (ISCED levels 5 and 6)

Internet purchases of clothes more common among female e-shoppers, electronic equipment among males

The purchase of goods and services over the internet is an increasing phenomenon. There are interesting differences between men and women when looking at the goods and services they buy over the internet. Among persons in the EU27 aged 16 to 74 who ordered goods or services over the internet in the last year (e-shoppers), it was more common in 2011 for women than for men to buy clothes over the internet (58% of female e-shoppers and 45% of male e-shoppers) as well as food (17% of female e-shoppers and 13% male e-shoppers). It was more common for men than for women to buy electronic equipment (17% for women and 32% for men), while for booking travel and holidays there was no difference between women and men (both 52%).

Internet purchases, 2011

% of e-shoppers (individuals aged 16 to 74 who ordered goods or services over the internet in the last year)

Travel and holiday accommodation** Clothes*** Electronic equipment Food/groceries
Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men
EU27 52 52 58 45 17 32 17 13
Belgium 45 44 39 24 7 15 8 8
Bulgaria 30 31 55 50 u (11) 9 (9)
Czech Republic 24 29 64 50 24 55 7 4
Denmark 70 70 56 47 26 46 14 10
Germany 52 52 71 53 23 44 16 14
Estonia 46 54 50 37 (8) 26 (11) u
Ireland 81 74 49 32 19 42 10 7
Greece 50 50 37 30 (17) 30 (7) u
Spain 65 62 33 28 11 21 15 9
France 59 60 56 44 12 17 13 11
Italy 56 52 31 29 12 28 8 6
Cyprus 55 49 60 33 (9) 27 u u
Latvia 32 30 42 30 29 47 11 u
Lithuania 20 20 46 26 8 24 15 (9)
Luxembourg 71 73 41 35 13 29 13 (9)
Hungary 35 32 44 30 11 18 7 6
Malta 33 37 61 47 24 31 u u
Netherlands* 58 57 60 38 17 30 14 9
Austria 55 52 62 48 21 40 11 10
Poland 17 17 57 48 10 22 25 13
Portugal 40 46 43 26 (10) 23 23 15
Romania 37 32 56 50 (13) 31 (10) u
Slovenia 37 41 35 35 (11) 25 22 (16)
Slovakia 22 21 56 47 11 25 (4) (3)
Finland 66 67 68 50 19 39 (4) (4)
Sweden 65 63 57 40 14 29 8 8
United Kingdom* 53 53 61 53 20 34 30 22
Iceland 59 60 50 33 (10) 22 (12) (7)
Norway 70 71 48 40 15 31 u (6)
Croatia 9 13 38 29 u (23) u u

* Provisional data

** 2010 data for Travel and holiday accommodation for the Netherlands.

*** Clothes and sporting goods.

u Data not reliable due to too small number of respondents.

( ) Data with reduced reliability due to small number of respondents.

Further info: http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/employment_social_policy_equality/equality

Persons at-risk-of-poverty are those living in a household with an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold, which is set at 60% of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers). The equivalised income is calculated by dividing the total household income by its size determined after applying the following weights: 1.0 to the first adult, 0.5 to each other household members aged 14 or over and 0.3 to each household member aged less than 14 years old.

Severely materially deprived persons have living conditions constrained by a lack of resources and experience at least 4 out of the 9 following deprivation items: cannot afford 1) to pay rent/mortgage or utility bills on time, 2) to keep home adequately warm, 3) to face unexpected expenses, 4) to eat meat, fish or a protein equivalent every second day, 5) a one week holiday away from home, 6) a car, 7) a washing machine, 8) a colour TV, or 9) a telephone (including mobile phone).

People living in households with very low work intensity are those aged 0-59 who live in households where on average the adults (aged 18-59) worked less than 20% of their total work potential during the past year. Students are excluded.

People at risk of poverty or social exclusion are those that are at least in one of the above three conditions. One of the aims of the Europe 2020 Strategy is to lift at least 20 million people out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion by 2020.

For this indicator, comparisons between sexes are based on the assumption of equal sharing of resources within households.

The employment rate is calculated by dividing the number of persons aged 25 to 64 in employment by the total population of the same age group, expressed in %.