Which Countries Have More Sex? [2023 Global Sex Statistics]

While it’s safe to assume that sex is being had all globally, just which countries have more sex? We’ll answer all those questions and many more. Read on:

We all want our sex lives to be perfect, but less than half of us are fully satisfied with our intimate experiences. Emotion, passion, and attraction all contribute to great sex, but there’s another factor most people don’t consider…

Location, location, location. You’re far more likely to have a healthy sex life in the Netherlands and far less likely to have a good one in Japan. But why do people have better sex in different countries? Who’s having the most sex? Who’s having the best?

We’ll answer all those questions and many more. Read on.

Let’s start with sexual satisfaction highlights:

More than half of the world’s countries (125 out of 201 assessed by the UN) have more women than men.
60% of single women buy vibrators, and 10% buy restraints.
55% of Greeks have tried anal at least once.
Japan is the least sexually-satisfied country in the world.
Only 33% of women always or almost always orgasm, compared to 61% of men.
On average, South Americans lose their virginity at age 17.4 – younger than any other region in the world.

Table of Contents

Sexual Drive, Activity, and Satisfaction

Before we get into individual countries, let’s establish some context on the state of global pleasure. Most of us aren’t satisfied with our sex lives, so what improves satisfaction?

Orgasms, obviously, are a huge part of it, but emotion and drive also play a role.

60% of us say sex is fun, enjoyable, and vital, but only 44% are fully satisfied with their sex lives. (Durex, 2007)¹
A global survey by condom company Durex found the following data on sexual satisfaction: (Durex, 2007)¹
- Orgasms drive sexual satisfaction, but only 48% of respondents said they orgasm regularly.
- Twice as many men have regular orgasms as women.
- Keeping an erection and using lube is also critical for sexual pleasure.
  - 34% of women have experienced vaginal dryness at some point.
  - 24% of men have had trouble getting an erection.
  - 29% of men have had trouble keeping an erection.
  - Sexual frequency and satisfaction peak from age 20 to 34, but many people over 65 still have sex more than once a week.
- Emotion also drives sexual satisfaction:
  - 82% of respondents who were sexually satisfied said they felt respected during sex.
  - 39% wanted more love and romance.
  - 36% wanted more alone time with their partner.
  - 31% wanted more fun, better communication, and more intimacy.
  - 29% wanted a higher sex drive.
  - 37% wanted to reduce stress and exhaustion.
A study of sexual activity in elderly Europeans aged 60 to 75 showed that different percentages of men and women were sexually active in different countries: (Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2019)²
- The percentage of sexually-active men ranged from 83% in Portugal to 91% in Norway.
- Sexually active women ranged from 61% in Belgium to 78% in Denmark.
- 40-60% of study participants said they were sexually satisfied.

Over 1 million women from all over the world were surveyed on their sex drive by the dating site Victoria Milan and found the following data on how women have a high sex drive in each country: (Victoria Milan, n.d.)³
- Finland – 79% of Finnish women have a high sex drive.
- Sweden – 78%
- Denmark – 76%
- Norway – 76%
- Ireland – 75%
- Poland – 73%
- Portugal – 73%
- United Kingdom – 72%
- Italy – 72%
- Germany – 71%
- Spain – 71%
- Australia – 71%
- South Africa – 70%
- Switzerland – 70%
- United States – 69%
- Austria – 69%
- Netherlands – 65%
- Belgium – 60%
- France – 53%
- Czech Republic – 47%
- Sweden – 39%
- Norway – 35%
- Italy – 34%
- Denmark – 34%
- Portugal – 33%
- United States – 30%
- Finland – 30%
- Australia – 29%
- Switzerland – 29%
- United Kingdom – 28%
- Germany – 27%
- South Africa – 27%
- Spain – 27%
- Austria – 27%
- Ireland – 26%
- Poland – 24%
- Netherlands – 21%
- France – 21%
- Czech Republic – 20%
- Belgium – 20%

Toys, Turn-ons, and Fantasies

Sometimes our sex lives need a little extra spice, and that’s where toys and fantasies come in. People buy all sorts of things to enhance their pleasure, but there are significant differences between men and women.

Women, for example, are far more likely to buy nipple tassels than men. Here’s a look at the data.

The top five toys bought primarily by men are: (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
- Fleshjacks – 94% of Fleshjacks are bought by men.
- Fleshlights – 90%
- Sex toy accessories – 89%
- Small condoms – 88%
- Realistic sex dolls – 88%
The top five toys bought mostly by women are: (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
- Novelty gifts – 84% of novelty gifts are bought by women.
- Halloween costumes – 84%
- Body paint and rude food – 80%
- Plus-sized basque and corset – 80%
- Nipple tassels – 78%
44% of single men buy lube, and 35% buy anal sex toys. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
60% of single women buy vibrators, and 10% buy restraints. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴

Both men and women have fantasies, but they aren’t necessarily the same. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
- Men fantasize about:
  - Oral sex – 88% of men fantasize about oral sex.
  - Sex with two women – 85%
  - Sex with somebody other than their partner – 83%
  - Sex in an unusual place – 82%
- Women fantasize about:
  - Sex in a romantic location – 85% of women fantasize about this.
  - Sex in an unusual place – 82%
  - Oral sex – 76%
  - Performing oral sex on a man – 72%

Countries With Odd Sex Ratios

It takes two to tango, and that often means a man and a woman. In most places, there are about as many women as there are men, give or take.

However, some countries have far more of one sex or the other. Here’s what we found.

The world’s highest sex ratio is in Qatar, where there are three men for every woman. (Statistics Times, 2021)⁵
- The United Arab Emirates comes in second with about 222 men for every 100 women.
- Oman is third, with roughly 193 men for every 100 women.
- Bahrain, Maldives, and Kuwait have ratios of over 150 men per 100 women.
Hong Kong has the world’s lowest gender ratio, with 84.48 men for every 100 women. (Statistics Times, 2021)⁵
- Martinique has the second-lowest at 85.01 men per 100 women.
- Curacao (85.289 per 100), Nepal (85.488), and Guadeloupe (85.494) take the next three spots.
Over half (125 out of 201) of the countries assessed by the UN have more females than males. (Statistics Times, 2021)⁵
- 14 of these have a male ratio of less than 90 per 100 females, and 41 have less than 95.

Sex Around the World

Nearly everyone has sex, but no two people have sex the same way. Some do it often, while some barely do it at all.

Some people love to do it in public, others in their cars. Sexual habits vary from country to country, so we dug up the most interesting stats we could find on sexuality throughout the world.

About two-thirds of the populations of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland have had a one-night stand, but the global average is only 44%. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
Greeks, Italians, Chileans, and Croatians have the most anal sex; 55% of Greeks have tried anal at least once. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
Indians have less adventurous sex. Roughly two-thirds have never tried anal, threesomes, or any sexual aids – however, 61% of Indians (who have had sex) say they’re fully satisfied. (Dr. Felix, n.d.)⁴
People in Mexico and Nigeria tend to have more exciting sex. (Vox, 2015)⁶
Japanese people are significantly unhappy with their sex lives: (Vox, 2015)⁶
- Japan is the only country where more people report being unsatisfied with their sex lives than satisfied.
- Only 34% of Japanese people have sex weekly.
- Japan has some of the longest average working hours in the world, leaving less time for sex.
Only 48% of people worldwide say that they always or almost always orgasm, but this percentage changes drastically with gender: (Vox, 2015)⁶
- 61% of men always or almost always orgasm.
- Only 33% of women always or almost always orgasm.
he sexually-transmitted infection (STI) rate in Turkey is alarmingly high. (Vox, 2015)⁶
- Only 55% of Turks say they’ve never had an STI. Russia has the next-worst STI rate, with 67% of its population never having an STI.
- Turks report more sexual partners than any other country and don’t use protection 45% of the time.

Compared to the global average, people in Asia lose their virginity at older ages. The average ages of virginity loss by continent is as follows: (Vox, 2015)⁶
- Asia – 21.8 years old when virginity is lost, on average.
- Africa – 20 years old.
- North America – 18.7 years old.
- Europe – 18.5 years old.
- Oceania – 17.8 years old.
- South America – 17.4 years old.
Greeks and Nigerians tend to take their time with sex, while Indians and the French have shorter sessions. (Vox, 2015)⁶
- An average Nigerian couple (24 minutes) spends nearly twice as long in bed as the average Indian couple (13.2 minutes).

The World’s Most Satisfied Countries

We’ve covered what makes a good sex life, and we’ve seen what pleasure looks like in different countries, but who’s the most satisfied with their sex?

The answer might not be what you’re expecting.

80% of Russian adults say they have sex at least once a week. (DiscoverKL, 2017)⁷
Switzerland is often rated one of the most sexually satisfied nations in the world. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 21% of Swiss nationals say their sex lives and sexual performance are excellent.
- 32% have had sex in public places.
- Despite this, the Swiss have one of the world’s lowest teen birth rates.
A poll of 15,000 women put Spain at the top of the world’s “best male lover” list, and 25% of Spain’s population says their sexual performance is excellent. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 90% of Spanish men and women claimed to be quite satisfied or very satisfied with their sex lives.
  - 95% were satisfied with their sexual relations in the past year.
  - 97% of Spanish men and 96% of women said they were more satisfied by sex with a stable partner than with a casual one.
  - 77% of Spanish women and 73% of men said they habitually used contraception in the past year.
    - With a casual partner, these percentages increase to 92% of women and 86% of men.
Food, wine, and sexual seduction go hand-in-hand in Italy. Italian women who have 2 glasses of wine daily are more sexually satisfied than those who don’t drink. (Salon, 2014)⁸
32% of Italians over the age of 60 still have sex regularly. (DiscoverKL, 2017)⁷
64% of Italians rated their sex lives as satisfying, and a third expect sex to last longer than ten minutes. (Counsel and Heal, 2014)⁹
Second only to Spain, Brazil also has impressive lovers and high sexual satisfaction. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 82% of Brazilians have sex at least once a week, with the average Brazilian having sex 145 times per year.
According to a survey by Durex, Greeks have the most sex in the world, with an average of 164 times per year. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 51% of Greeks say they’re sexually satisfied.
The Netherlands is one of the most sexually progressive places in the world, and that’s reflected in their sexual satisfaction. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 64% of Dutch people are confident when it comes to asserting their sexual needs and desires.
- 22% of the Dutch population says their sex lives are excellent.

Mexico has been rated one of the world’s horniest countries and is the second most sexually satisfied country. 63% of Mexicans say they have a fulfilling sex life. (Banderas News, 2012)¹⁰
Indians, on average, lose their virginities at age 22 – later in life than any other country. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- India consistently rates among the top sexually satisfied nations in the world.
- Indian men are more likely to spend time on seduction and foreplay.
- Indians have quicker sex than anyone else, with an average time of 12 minutes.
- 61% of Indians are satisfied with their sex lives.
Australians rate high for sexual satisfaction with some interesting trends in their sexual experiences: (Salon, 2014)⁸
- 75% of Australians claim to have had sex in their vehicles.
- 7% of Australian women say they wouldn’t change anything about their sex lives.
- 20% of Australian women say that having a threesome is their favorite sexual fantasy.
- Australian men have 25 sexual partners on average, compared to just 13 for American men and only 10 for Australian women.
32% of Germans have had a one-night stand, and 30% have had sex in public. (Salon, 2014)⁸
67% of Nigerians say they’re sexually satisfied, making Nigeria the most sexually satisfied nation in the world. (Salon, 2014)⁸
- Nigerians take their time with sex and have the world’s longest average intercourse time of 24 minutes.
- 62% of Nigerian women admit to having cheated on their partners.
78% of people living in China have sex at least once a week. (Vagabondish, n.d.)¹¹
74% of Malaysians say they have sex at least once a week. (DiscoverKL, 2017)⁷

Which Country Has the Most Sex?

After all that we’ve covered so far, there’s only one question left: what country is having the most sex?

You may not be surprised to learn that it’s Greece, but there are a few unexpected contenders in the top 10.

These are the top 10 countries with the highest percentages of their populations having sex at least once a week: (Vagabondish, n.d.)¹¹
- Greece – 87% of Greeks have sex at least once a week.
- Brazil – 82%
- Russia – 80%
- China – 78%
- Italy – 76%
- Poland – 76%
- Malaysia – 74%
- Switzerland – 72%
- Spain – 72%
- Mexico – 71%

Who has the best sex? These numbers show the percentages of people in each country who are sexually satisfied. (Vagabondish, n.d.)¹¹
- Nigeria – 67%
- Mexico – 63%
- India – 61%
- Poland – 54%
- Greece – 51%
- Holland – 50%
- South Africa – 50%
- Spain – 49%
- Canada – 48%
- USA – 48%

Who loses their virginity the quickest? Here are the average ages of citizens of each country when they first have sex: (Vagabondish, n.d.)¹¹
- Iceland – 15.6
- Denmark – 16.1
- Sweden – 16.2
- Finland – 16.5
- Norway – 16.5
- Israel – 16.7
- Portugal – 16.9
- Bulgaria – 16.9
- Chile – 17.2
- Belgium – 17.2

A 2014 study found the following data on how many times a person in each country has sex in a year, on average: (Statista, 2014)¹²
- Greece – 164
- Brazil – 145
- Russia – 143
- Poland – 143
- India – 130
- Switzerland – 123
- Mexico – 123
- China – 122
- New Zealand – 122
- Italy -121

A 2008 study showed based on one-night stands, sexual attitudes, and number of partners found that the world’s most promiscuous countries are: (World Population Review, 2022)¹³
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Czechia (Czech Republic)
- Australia
- United States
- France
- Turkey
- Mexico
- Canada

A Durex survey found that: (World Population Review, 2022)¹³
- For males, Austrian men had the most sexual partners on average – 29.3.
- For females, women in New Zealand had the most sexual partners on average – 20.4.

Conclusion

Sex is one of the most, if not the most, intimate and personal experiences that people have. Everything affects our sexuality – stress, love, work, emotion, and even geography. People in some countries have more sex, better sex, and longer sex than others.

Part of this better sex involves unique fantasies and toys. Countries with sex-positive cultures and open communication will produce better sex lives. Greeks, on average, have sex the most, while Nigerians report the highest levels of sexual satisfaction.

However, your sex life doesn’t have to be dull or unsatisfying regardless of location. If you feel like it’s lacking, try something new. Talk with your partner, explore a fantasy, buy a toy – there’s always a path to satisfaction. You just have to find it.

For more interesting sex studies and statistics, head over to our guide here.

Footnotes

Durex, 2007. A sexual well-being survey of 26,000 people over the age of 16 across 26 countries.
Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2019. An academic article on sexual activity and sexual satisfaction in hundreds of 60 to 75-year-olds in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, and Portugal.
Victoria Milan, n.d. A survey of over 1 million active female members of Victoria Milan (a dating website for married/attached people) to determine where women have the highest sex drive.
Dr. Felix, n.d. An article on how sex varies from country to country in terms of frequency, method, sexual aids, and more.
Statistics Times, 2021. Complete statistics on sex ratios by country using data from the United Nations.
Vox, 2015. An article on sexual trends in different countries throughout the world using data from several sources.
DiscoverKL, 2017. An article on the most sexually active countries in the world and what makes them that way.
Salon, 2014. An article on the top 12 most sexually satisfied countries in the world and their sexual statistics.
Counsel and Heal, 2014. An article on the world’s best lovers using data from a study of over 6,000 participants from Italy, France, England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
Banderas News, 2012. An article on the results of a Durex survey showing that Mexico is one of the world’s horniest countries.
Vagabondish, n.d. An article on the 10 countries with the highest sex drives and rates of sexual satisfaction in the world.
Statista, 2014. A statistical report on the average sexual encounters per person per year organized by country.
World Population Review, 2022. An article on the world’s most promiscuous countries and how to determine promiscuity with available data.