South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Number of seats held by women in national parliaments
South Africa
179
in 2026
Sub-Saharan Africa
2,379
in 2026
South Africa rank
10th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
8th
Number of seats held by women in national parliaments over time
- South Africa
- Sub-Saharan Africa
How they compare
Sub-Saharan Africa currently reports 2,379 against 179 in South Africa, a difference of 2,200.
That makes Sub-Saharan Africa's figure about 13.3 times South Africa's.
Across all 27 years both countries report, Sub-Saharan Africa has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th of 210 countries.
Sub-Saharan Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 125.3 | 1,012 | 887.2 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2010s | 170.9 | 1,816 | 1,645 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2020s | 181.71 | 2,262 | 2,080 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of seats held by women in national parliaments, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Sub-Saharan Africa, at 2,379 against 179 in South Africa as of 2026.
- What is the difference in number of seats held by women in national parliaments between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 2,200, with Sub-Saharan Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 27 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2026.
- How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for number of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- South Africa ranks 10th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 8th of 210 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Number of seats held by women in national parliaments (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.