Nordic countries are the most equal between the sexes, according to the World Economic Forum's latest gender gap ranking, released today.

Malta has been ranked 83rd from 130 countries, from 76 last year when 128 countries were surveyed. Malta is last among EU countries, with Greece and Cyprus at 75 and 76. It is even behind countries such as Armenia, Suriname,Bolivia and Malawi.

The index assessed inequalities between men and women in four areas:

* ECONOMICS - Relative salaries, labour force participation rates, access to high-skilled and senior employment

* EDUCATION - Relative literacy rates, enrolment in primary, secondary and tertiary schools

* POLITICS - Relative female representation in parliament, in ministerial posts, as heads of state

* HEALTH - Relative life expectancies, sex ratios at birth.

Malta performed best in the areas of educational attainment and health and worst in political empowerment, although men also had the edge over women in the area of economic participation and oportunity

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