Discover the countries in the world with more sheep than humans
It is an interesting fact to note that there exist countries around the world where the population of sheep exceeds that of humans. Some of these countries may not be the ones we typically associate with such an occurrence.
Even though China has the largest number of sheep in the world - 175 million in total- countries like Australia, New Zealand, Mauritania and Iceland top the list of residents with sheep outnumbering human beings, according to the 2024 World Population Review.
As of May 2024, the human population in Australia is approximately 26.7 million. In terms of sheep, Australia has a substantial sheep population, estimated to be around 63.5 million. This means that for every person in Australia, there are about 2.8 sheep, highlighting the country's significant sheep farming industry. From the vast grazing lands of the interior to the green pastures of the coastal regions, sheep farming plays a pivotal role in sustaining rural communities and driving economic activity.
In Mauritania, the sheep-human ratio stands at 1.8 sheep per person, with a human population of around 5 million and a sheep population of 13.7 million. Iceland follows closely with a human population of 376,500 and 527,700 sheep.
Mongolia stands out with an astonishing 4.5 sheep per person, given its human population of 3.47 million and a sheep count of about 30.9 million. New Zealand, a country with a human population of 5.25 million is also well-known for its sheep farming, with ratios of 7.7 sheep per person and a sheep count of 30 million.
With a human population of 3.4 million, Uruguay boasts a sheep population of about 7.5 million.
