Australia’s banknotes are among the world’s most gender-equal, with five of the nine people on the banknotes being women. How do other nations compare with their banknotes?
Scandinavian countries run a close second, with four people on Sweden’s bank notes showing a female figure along with three in Denmark’s and two in Norway’s. Sweden’s placing is matched by Scotland. Following this, the Czech Republic and Colombia each feature two women on their banknotes. Also featuring two women are the Dominican Republic, England and Wales, Canada, Norway Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Argentina, and Israel feature two. This review of currency was conducted by Ubuy South Africa and submitted to Digital Journal for review.
An analysis of all the world’s banknotes currently in circulation revealed that only 80 banknotes feature depictions of women. Out of the major nations examined, Sweden, Australia, and Denmark are the only ones that have achieved gender parity on their banknotes, with women’s faces making up at least 50 percent of the total portraits featured.
The Australian banknotes feature notable women such as social reformers Dame Mary Gilmore and Catherine Helen Spence, businesswoman Mary Reibey, social worker and Australia’s first female parliamentarian Edith Cowan, and vocalist Dame Nellie Melba, all of whom have made significant contributions to Australian society. Given her recent role as Head of State, all notes feature Queen Elizabeth II on the reverse side (the former monarch appears on 19 different banknotes across different countries).
Sweden’s banknotes include notable women such as the author Astrid Lindgren, opera singers Jenny Lind and Birgit Nilsson as well as the actress Greta Garbo. Banknotes in
Denmark features the artist Anna Ancher, the actress Johanne Luise Heiberg and the author Karen Blixen. Norway features the Nobel prize winner, Sigrid Undset and the opera singer Kirsten Falgstad.
With the U.K. there are differences between Scottish, Northern Irish, and English & Welsh banknotes. Here Scotland is leading the way with banknotes featuring four women who have made significant contributions to Scottish society: Nan Shepherd, Mary Somerville, Elsie Inglis, and Mary Slessor. In England and Wales, the most recent change occurred in July 2017 when the 19th-century novelist Jane Austen appeared on the £10 note, replacing Charles Darwin. In the past social reformer Elizabeth Fry and nurse Florence Nightingale have also graced England’s banknotes.
The U.S., North Korea, Russia, China, South Africa and India represent large countries that do not feature any women on their banknotes.
In terms of the counties who feature women on their banknotes, the league is:
| Country | No. of women featured on banknotes |
| Australia | 5 |
| Sweden | 4 |
| Scotland | 4 |
| Czech Republic | 3 |
| Colombia | 3 |
| Denmark | 3 |
| Canada | 2 |
| England | 2 |
| Dominican Republic | 2 |
| Mexico | 2 |
| New Zealand | 2 |
| Norway | 2 |
| Philippines | 2 |
| Argentina | 2 |
| Israel | 2 |
| Albania | 1 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 |
| Bahamas | 1 |
| Belize | 1 |
| Cape Verde | 1 |
| Cayman Islands | 1 |
| Chile | 1 |
| Costa Rica | 1 |
| Dominica | 1 |
| Falkland Islands | 1 |
| Georgia | 1 |
| Gibraltar | 1 |
| Grenada | 1 |
| Guernsey | 1 |
| Haiti | 1 |
| Iceland | 1 |
| Isle of Man | 1 |
| Jamaica | 1 |
| Japan | 1 |
| Jersey | 1 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 1 |
| Malawi | 1 |
| Nigeria | 1 |
| Peru | 1 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 |
| Saint Lucia | 1 |
| Scotland | 1 |
| Serbia | 1 |
| South Korea | 1 |
| St Vincent/Grenadines | 1 |
| St. Helena | 1 |
| Switzerland | 1 |
| Syria | 1 |
| Tunisia | 1 |
| Turkey | 1 |
| Ukraine | 1 |
| Uruguay | 1 |
| Venezuela | 1 |
| Indonesia | 1 |
| South Korea | 1 |
Of the female figures featured on banknotes, the most popular category is writers. Here eight writers are featured including Astrid Lindgren in Sweden, who wrote the popular children’s book “Pippi Longstocking,” and Jane Austen in England and Wales.
