The Sex Ratio at Birth in Kenya by County

The sex ratio at birth of a population is the number of males born in a given year for every 100 females that are born in that year. 

It is arrived at by dividing the total number of registered male births by the total number of registered female births. The result is then multiplied by 100.

The sex ratio at birth is different from the adult sex ratio, which measures the number of males in a population compared to females.

It is also different from the sex ratio at death, which describes the number of male deaths in a given year for every 100 female deaths in that year.

Quick Facts

1. In 2024, Kenya had a Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) of 106.
2. The total number of registered male births in 2024 was 570,830.
3. The total number of registered female births in 2024 was 539,724.
4. Marsabit County had the highest Sex Ratio at Birth of 131.
5. Migori County had the lowest Sex Ratio at Birth of 90.

Kenya’s Sex Ratio at Birth over the years

Kenya had a sex ratio at birth of 106 in 2024. This means that for every 100 female children born in 2024, 106 male children were born.^[1]

This was higher than the sex ratio at birth recorded in 2023, whereby there were 104 male children born for every 100 female children born.

Note that the World Health Organization (WHO) expects a sex ratio at birth of 105.^[2]

This means that, without interference or discrimination against any specific gender, WHO expects a sex ratio at birth of 105.

However, the acceptable range is between 103 and 107, suggesting that Kenya’s sex ratio at birth of 106 is within the normal range.

Some counties had a sex ratio above or below the normal range

Even though the national sex ratio at birth is within the normal range, some counties recorded extremely high or extremely low sex ratios at birth.

Counties with the highest sex ratios at birth were:

1. Marsabit 131
2. Nairobi 118
3. Samburu 115
4. Lamu 112
5. Garissa 112
6. Mandera 111
7. Narok 111
8. Tana River 110
9. Turkana 110

The high sex ratio at birth in counties like Marsabit suggests female births in the county are underreported.

Counties with the lowest sex ratios at birth were:

1. Migori 90
2. Siaya 100
3. Vihiga 100
4. Uasin Gishu 100
5. Nyamira 101
6. Kisumu 101
7. Bungoma 102
8. Kakamega 102
9. Makueni 102
10. Kilifi 102

In Migori County, only 90 male births for every 100 female births were recorded, indicating significant underreporting of male births.

See Also

1. Completeness of Birth Registration in Kenya by County
2. Completeness of death registration in Kenya by County
3. Number of deaths in Kenya per year
4. Crude Birth Rate in Kenya by County

References