Male births on the increase

Australian women in some age groups are in a majority. Those in their 30s outnumber the men in their age group by about 14,000, while there is a surplus of 16,000 for those over 40.

However, new research by The Weekend Australian indicates these numbers will reverse over the next two decades. By 2026, there will be an excess of 60,000 males in the 30 to 39-year-old age band, and an extra 38,000 men aged 40 to 49.

There are already 57,000 more men in the 20s age group. This is expected to rise to 73,000 by 2026. There has been a surplus of boys born over the past 20 years.