Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa
Northern Africa: Number of seats held by women in national parliaments was 340 in 2026. ▲ Rising
Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa, 2000–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2026, number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa stood at 340.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa peaked at 544 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 70, in 2000.
Northern Africa ranks 33rd of 42 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 70 | — |
| 2001 | 71 | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 71 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 115 | +62.0% |
| 2004 | 115 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 137 | +19.1% |
| 2006 | 204 | +48.9% |
| 2007 | 218 | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 223 | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 223 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 243 | +9.0% |
| 2011 | 273 | +12.3% |
| 2012 | 279 | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 391 | +40.1% |
| 2014 | 393 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 397 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 530 | +33.5% |
| 2017 | 544 | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 517 | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 530 | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 374 | -29.4% |
| 2021 | 450 | +20.3% |
| 2022 | 377 | -16.2% |
| 2023 | 319 | -15.4% |
| 2024 | 344 | +7.8% |
| 2025 | 344 | +0.0% |
| 2026 | 340 | -1.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +62.0% | 71 | 115 |
| 2006 | +48.9% | 137 | 204 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 144.7 | 70 | 223 | 10 |
| 2010s | 409.7 | 243 | 544 | 10 |
| 2020s | 364 | 319 | 450 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Northern Africa
More gender data for Northern Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 86,725 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.3366 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 210,255 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 210,255 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.34 (2027)
- SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate 5.09 (2025)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 18.11 (2025)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 19.8% (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 32.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa?
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa was 340 in 2026, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 544 in 2017.
- What is the lowest number of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 70 in 2000.
- How does Northern Africa rank for number of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Northern Africa ranks 33rd out of 42 groups with data for 2026.
- Is number of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of seats held by women in national parliaments (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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