Sex is something that we do all over the world, and have done since the dawn of time – how else do you think we all got here?
The pandemic took a major toll on our sex lives, with around 30% of people seeing a sharp decline in sexual activity, while those living in separate households experienced little to none. But it seems that since lockdown restrictions have steadily lifted, we have been doing some thorough research on the best way to spice up our bedroom antics.
Whether we’re all tired of doing the same old thing in the bedroom, want to take intimacy to the next level, make sex more pleasurable or just try something fun and new, sexual curiously has heightened over the last month, with Google searches for ‘sex’ increasing by 58%.
The team here at WeThrift have dared to peek under the sheets to ask, and answer, several questions about sex. We have crunched the numbers to reveal:
- The countries with the highest rate of sexual curiosity.
- The most popular sex positions by country.
- The most popular porn categories around the world.
- The most popular sex toys around the world.
And we haven’t stopped there. Our experts have also provided the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about sex from around the world. Covering every base, including discovering how to squirt to understanding why sex might hurt sometimes.
Which countries have the highest rate of sexual curiosity?
No matter how vanilla you might be, we have probably thought about ways we’d like to spice it up from time to time, but which country is the most curious about sex?
The USA is officially the most sexually curious country in the world. Our research discovered a whopping 54,855,300 searches across ten popular sex terms, including porn, fetishes and sexual health, in the United States. This means that an enormous 16.57% of the American population is searching for sex terms on the internet each month.
Coming up behind are New Zealand, with 12.36% of Kiwi’s delving into sexually curious searches online each month. New Zealand has a much smaller population compared to other countries in this list, but the country proves that size doesn’t always matter and their 596,010 online sex searches per month are still enough to fire them into second place.
Elsewhere, New Zealand’s neighbours Australia came in at sixth place, with a total of 2,781,700 online searches equalling a 10.91% sexually curious population. Meanwhile, Ireland has been caught out with the third-highest rate of sexual curiosity in the world. 11.56% of the Irish population indulges in sexual searches per month, resulting in 570,800 online hits. The United Kingdom just about squeezes into tenth place with 5,989,200 online searches indicating that 8.82% of the British population are sexually curious.
Scandinavia might just be the most sexually curious part of the world with four Scandinavian nations cropping up in the top ten. The highest ranking is Finland in fourth place with 629,430 total searches and 11.36% of the population searching per month. Denmark finished in fifth place with an 11.30% rate of sexual curiosity. Meanwhile, Norway and Sweden came in at seventh and ninth place respectively, with sexual curiosity ratings of 10.47% and 9.26%.
What is the most popular sex position in each country?
There are plenty of different positions for partners around the world to spice up their sex lives. But which country from around the world does it best?
Interestingly, our data has revealed that wherever you are in the world, partners tend to prefer positions where the receiver is on top. The data also reveals that Reverse Cowgirl is officially the most popular sex position, with over a third (12 out of 30) of the countries we looked at putting this position on top. Reverse Cowgirl is the most popular sex position in nations as far as Spain to Argentina, and from the Netherlands to Hong Kong. For those unfamiliar, the Reverse Cowgirl position is a spin on the traditional ‘girl-on-top’ or Cowgirl position, whereby the receiver sits on top, with their back turned to the giver.
The 69 and the Standing 69 positions are also proven to be popular positions around the world. Research reveals that these positions, which involve two partners performing oral sex on each other simultaneously, are especially popular in mainland Europe with France, Germany and Italy all favouring the 69 or Standing 69 positions. The Standing 69 gets a special mention for being the most popular position in India, the nation synonymous with innovative eroticism, thanks to the Kama Sutra – so surely they’re onto something?
Things get a little more experimental as we travel around the world. Ireland is the only country where the Butter Churner position prevails. The peculiarly named position basically involves the receiver lying on their back with their legs raised above and behind their head, while the giver penetrates from above. Lovers in Ireland may be more influenced by what they watch on TV than anywhere else in the world. This is because the popularity of the Butter Churner was referenced on the 2020 edition of the ITV dating show, Love Island, where one of the contestants expressed his enthusiasm for the position before an audience of millions.
Across the water in the UK, the Pretzel position is the most popular. This somewhat complicated sex position is also the most popular position for partners in Indonesia. The Pretzel position is said to be one of the more intimate positions, with the complex tangling of legs providing all the deep penetration of the more traditional Doggy Style, whilst allowing the partners to engage in eye contact.
There’s a slightly less intimate approach in South Africa, where partners prefer the Wheelbarrow position, whereby the giver holds the receiver up by their legs and penetrates repeatedly from behind.
This map shows the most popular porn category in each country
Whether you watch it alone or enjoy it with a partner, regularly or once in a blue moon, we all probably indulge in porn, and we all have our preferences. With so many different types of porn available at the click of a button, which categories are the most-watched around the world?
It’s official – the most popular category in the world is MILF. From the 30 countries studied by our expert team, MILF porn was discovered to be the most popular category in 12 of them, which is over a third. MILF porn is popular on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, with research revealing that porn fans in the UK and the USA tend to prefer MILF porn to any other category. For those not quite up to date with the latest sexual lingo, MILF is an acronym that stands for ‘Mum I’d Like To F***’. Charming right? The popular porn category generally equates to any pornographic content featuring women aged between 30 and 50.
If you reside in either Australia or Mexico, then there’s a good chance that you like your pornstars even older, as our research reveals that Mature is the most popular porn category in these countries. Generally speaking, Mature porn is any content that features a person of any gender, although it is usually a woman, over the age of 50 engaging in some form of sexual activity. The average life expectancy in Mexico is 75 years, while in Australia it is 83 years, giving Australians eight extra years to live out their deepest, maturest sexual fantasies.
However, for porn fans in France and Russia, two people are not enough, as research reveals Gangbang to be the most popular porn category in these countries. With the concept of a Threesome already being a pretty well-established porn category, content is generally expected to feature at least four people to qualify under the Gangbang banner.
Elsewhere, Spain is the country with the most unique taste in porn with Anal porn being more popular here than anywhere else in the world. While each of the 30 countries in our list shared a porn preference with at least one other nation, Spain has opted to take the back door to get its kicks. Other more refined categories include Blow Job which is preferred in Italy and Sweden, and Feet, which is fancied by people in Turkey and the Netherlands.
The most popular sex toy in every country revealed
Some of us are never satisfied, so, luckily, there are plenty of toys out there to spice up our sex lives, when the tools we come naturally equipped with don’t quite do the trick. But with so many sex toys available on the market, which ones are the most popular?
Research has revealed that Butt Plugs and Cock Rings are overwhelming the most popular sex toys around the world. 12 out of 30 countries prefer to use the Butt Plug in the bedroom, while 11 out of 30 countries would rather opt for the Cock Ring, meaning that the two sex toys combined account for almost five-sixths of the countries in the list. Fans of the Butt Plug can be found in Germany, India and Poland, while the majority of the world’s Cock Ring enthusiasts reside in Brazil, France and Singapore.
However, some countries do have a more unique taste in sex toys. Romania is the only country displayed in our research where the Strap-On is the most popular sex toy.
Elsewhere in Europe, residents of the Czech Republic tend to opt for Sounding Rods as their sex toy of choice. For those unfamiliar, Sounding Rods are a specially designed sex toy aimed at males, consisting of a chain of small metal or glass balls that are intended to be inserted down the urethra of the penis. Although the toys can enhance sexual pleasure, they are advised to be used with caution as they can cause permanent damage if used irresponsibly, leading to lasting pain while urinating or ejaculating.
Other popular sex toys from around the world include the Penis Pump in South Africa, which was initially designed to assist men suffering from erectile dysfunction. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the most popular sex toy is the Vibrating Panties, which attaches a small vibrator to a piece of underwear and is primarily marketed at women.
The most Googled questions about sex answered!
None of us wants to admit it, but we probably all have lots of questions about sex that we don’t know the answer to. But which questions are people around the world asking the most?
Research has revealed that the most frequently asked question about sex is “How to squirt?” This question has a global search volume of 84,000 per month, which is more than triple the number of the second most frequently asked question about sex, suggesting that squirting is something that nearly all of us are in the dark about.
Squirting is something you are only able to do if you have a vagina, so the sheer volume of people Googling the answer to this question implies that women are far more curious about delving into those deep unknowns regarding sex.
The second most commonly asked question about sex is “How to increase sex drive”. Research has found that 25,000 of us around the world are Googling the answer to this question, demonstrating that those having concerns about low sex drive are not alone. If you are interested in how to learn to increase your sex drive, Earim Chaudry, MD of men’s health platform Manual has provided the answer.
“Low sex drive, or loss of libido, is extremely common in both men and women. There are a variety of internal and external factors that can affect your sexual desire, from your hormone levels to your sleeping habits, stress and anxiety. While a low sex drive is not usually problematic, it can cause problems for relationships and self-esteem. Fortunately, there are a variety of natural ways you can increase your libido or your partners.
High stress and anxiety levels can cause a barrier to sexual functioning. Individuals with a stressful job, challenging responsibilities or other demands, may feel fatigued, and as a result, have a decreased libido. When stress and anxiety levels are managed, sexual function and desire tend to improve.
Poor sleeping habits can lead to low energy, fatigue and tiredness. Often an outcome of this is low libido or decreased interest in sexual activity. If you are occasionally experiencing insomnia, try finding a method that will improve your sleep habits. If you have a more serious problem, it’s important to contact your doctor for treatment.
Exercise can improve sexual function and libido in both men and women. When it comes to finding the best workout, strength training is key. It’s all about increasing your testosterone levels, which is the hormone responsible for sexual arousal.
Alcohol can have a major influence on your libido level. While alcohol may enhance your sexual desires at the moment, it’s a depressant so it only boosts it temporarily. If you are experiencing a low sex desire, then it’s all the more reason to avoid drinking alcohol.”
Other burning questions had by people around the world is “Why does it hurt when I have sex” (13,000 searches per month) and “Why do I bleed after sex” (11,000 searches per month). The popularity of these types of questions implies that people around the world are much more concerned with sexual health, as opposed to sexual pleasure – and sadly have far less prior knowledge on the subject of sexual health.
If you are looking for a healthier understanding of your sex life, then Pharmacist Abbas Kanani at Chemist Click is here to help by answering your questions:
“There are several reasons this could be. If you are a female experiencing pain, a common cause is lack of lubrication. Lack of friction can make penetrative sex painful for both men and women. Engaging in foreplay can encourage natural lubrication from bodily fluids produced by the genitals when stimulated.
Lubricants such as KY jelly are also very useful. UTI’s and STI’s can also make sex painful. If you have blisters, unusual discharge, pain when urinating, this could indicate that you may have an infection, which will make intercourse painful and uncomfortable. You should visit a sexual health clinic for testing and avoid sexual activity until you have the results. This ensures you will not pass on any infections to partners, during sex.
Vaginismus is a common condition affecting women, where vaginal muscles tighten involuntarily during sex. Vaginismus is usually caused by anxiety and can be painful for women, and men trying to penetrate. Training the vaginal muscles with dilators regularly can help to relax vaginal muscles. If you have had a traumatic sexual experience that is triggering vaginismus as a reflex mechanism, counselling and therapy can help you to relax during sex.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue growth occurs around the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Pressure around the area can be very painful, making sex uncomfortable. The contraceptive pill can be prescribed by your doctor to help manage endometriosis. In server cases, laser therapy can also be an option.”
“Bleeding after sex can be an indication of an STI, such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea. For older women, menopause can cause vaginal dryness, and the lack of friction can cause bleeding from friction. Polyps are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, which can be aggravated by penetration, causing bleeding after sex. Endometriosis, vigorous sex, and UTI’s are also causes of bleeding after intercourse. More seriously, bleeding after sex can be a sign of cancer, although this is not common. If you experience bleeding after sex with an unexplained cause, you should visit your GP.”
Methodology
Which countries have the highest rate of sexual curiosity?
We analysed Google search data for each of the 30 countries to find which location is searching for ten popular sex terms the most over a monthly period; Sex, Fetish, Sex Toys, Porn, Kinks, Sex Positions, Orgasm, Contraception, Sexual Health and Sex Drive. Taking the search volume we have worked out what percentage of the countries population is searching each month.
What is the most popular sex position in each country?
We analysed Google trends data for each of the most popular sex positions to discover where they are most searched around the world to determine the favourite in each country.
This map shows the most popular porn category in each country
Taking the most popular porn categories from PornHub, we used AHREFS to uncover which countries around the world are searching for each category the most.
What is the most popular sex toy in each country?
Taking a seed list of common sex toys, we examined Google Trends data to come up with a country-by-county analysis showing what the most popular sex toys are around the world based on the number of searches in each location.
The most googled questions about sex answered!
We used search data from AHREFS to discover what questions regarding sexual pleasure and health are most commonly searched around the world.
For this study, we used a seed list of the top 30 countries with the highest GDP.