Misc
Which Countries Feature Women on Banknotes?
Visualizing the Women on Banknotes Worldwide
A study by Swedish loan company Advisa analyzed 1,006 current international banknotes and found that only 15% featured images of women.
Who are these women, and which countries feature them on their bills?
This graphic by Ivett Kovács and Gabrielle Merite visualizes women on banknotes around the world, showing their main occupations, and the value of the banknotes they’re featured on.
The List: Women on Bills
To create this graphic, Ivett used data from the Standard Catalogue of World Paper Money, compiled by Vox.
According to the dataset, Queen Elizabeth II is the most featured woman worldwide.
Country | Denomination(s) | Woman | Description |
---|---|---|---|
🇦🇱 Albania | 100 lekë | Queen Teuta | Queen of Illyria |
🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇦🇷 Argentina | 100 pesos | Eva Perón | First Lady of Argentina |
🇦🇺 Australia | $50 | Edith Cowan | Suffragette |
🇦🇺 Australia | $10 | Mary Gilmore | Poet, journalist |
🇦🇺 Australia | $100 | Nellie Melba | Opera singer |
🇦🇺 Australia | $5 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇧🇸 Bahamas | $10, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇧🇿 Belize | $2, $10, $20, $50 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇨🇦 Canada | $20 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 2000 escudos | Cesária Évora | Singer |
🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | $1, $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇨🇱 Chile | 5000 pesos | Gabriela Mistral | Nobel Prize winner |
🇨🇴 Colombia | 10000 pesos | Policarpa Salavarrieta | Seamstress, spy |
🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 20000 colones | Carmen Lyra | Writer |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 50 koruna | Agnes of Bohemia | Bohemian princess |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 500 koruna | Božena Němcová | Writer |
🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 2000 koruna | Emmy Destinn | Opera singer |
🇩🇲 Dominica | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 200 pesos | Mirabal sisters | Sisters who opposed dictatorship |
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 500 pesos | Salomé Ureña | Poet and pedagogist |
🇫🇰 Falkland Islands | 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇬🇪 Georgia | 50 lari | Queen Tamar | The Queen Regnant of Georgia |
🇬🇮 Gibraltar | 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇬🇩 Grenada | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇬🇬 Guernsey | 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇭🇹 Haiti | 10 gourdes | Catherine Flon Arcahaie | Created Haitian flag |
🇮🇸 Iceland | 5000 kronur | Ragnheiður Jónsdóttir | Seamstress |
🇮🇲 Isle of Man | 1, 5, ,10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇯🇲 Jamaica | $500 | Nanny of the Maroons | National heroine of Jamaica |
🇯🇵 Japan | 5000 yen | Higuchi Ichiyō | Writer |
🇯🇪 Jersey | 1 ,5, 10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 50 som | Kurmanjan Datka | Stateswoman |
🇲🇼 Malawi | 200 kwacha | Rose Lomathinda Chibambo | Leader of African Congress |
🇲🇽 Mexico | 500 pesos | Frida Kahlo (and Diego Rivera) | Artist, Communist Party militant |
🇲🇽 Mexico | 200 pesos | Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz | Nun, scholar, poet |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | $10 | Kate Sheppard | Suffragette |
🇳🇿 New Zealand | $20 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇳🇬 Nigeria | 20 naira | Ladi Kwali | Potter |
🇳🇴 Norway | 100 kroner | Kirsten Falgstad | Opera singer |
🇳🇴 Norway | 500 kroner | Sigrid Undset | Nobel Prize winner |
🇵🇪 Peru | 200 soles | Rose of Lima | First catholic saint of the Americas |
🇵🇭 Philippines | 500 pesos | Corazon C. Aquino | First female president in Phillipines |
🇵🇭 Philippines | 1000 pesos | Josefa Llanes Escoda | Founder, Philippines Girl Scouts |
🇰🇳 St. Kitts and Nevis | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇱🇨 St. Lucia | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🏴 Scotland | 50 pounds | Mary Slessor | Missionary, activist |
🇷🇸 Serbia | 200 dinar | Nadežda Petrović | Painter |
🇰🇷 South Korea | 50000 won | Shin Saimdang | Artist, poet |
🇻🇨 St Vincent and Grenadines | $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇸🇭 St. Helena | 5, 10, 20 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇸🇪 Sweden | 20 kronor | Astrid Lindgren | Author of "Pippi Lockstocking" |
🇸🇪 Sweden | 50 kronor | Jenny Lind | Opera singer |
🇸🇪 Sweden | 500 kronor | Birgit Nilsson | Opera singer |
🇸🇪 Sweden | 100 kronor | Greta Garbo | Actress |
🇨🇭 Switzerland | 50 francs | Sophie Taeuber-Arp | Painter, sculptor |
🇸🇾 Syria | 500 pounds | Zenobia | Queen of the Palmyrene Empire |
🇹🇳 Tunisia | 10 dinars | Dido | Queen & founder of Carthage |
🇹🇷 Turkey | 50 lira | Fatma Aliye Topuz | First female Muslim novelist |
🇺🇦 Ukraine | 200 hryven | Lesya Ukrainka | Poet, writer |
🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds | Queen Elizabeth II | Queen of U.K., CAN, AUS, NZ+ |
🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 5 pounds | Elizabeth Fry | Prison reformer |
🇺🇾 Uruguay | 1000 pesos | Juana de Ibarbourou | Poet |
🇻🇪 Venezuela | 20 bolívares | Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi | Heroine of War of Independence |
Canada was the first country to use an image of Queen Elizabeth II on their money. In 1935, Canada printed her on a $20 banknote—the British monarch was only a 9-year-old princess at the time. Now, Queen E appears on a variety of different banknotes in 19 different countries. In the Cayman Islands, she’s on their $1, $5, $25, $50, and $100.
A few other queens or royal members have made it onto different banknotes too—Georgia’s 50 lari note has an image of Queen Tamar, who was the Queen of Georgia from 1184 to 1213, and Albania’s 100 lekë features Queen Teuta, a 3rd century queen of an Illyrian tribe.
While royals (especially Queen Elizabeth II) are frequently featured on bills worldwide, women in other positions have also made it onto banknotes.
Authors, singers, poets, and painters are featured on a number of different currencies. For instance, Sweden has Astrid Lindgren—the author of Pippi Longstocking—on their 20 kronor.
Sweden also features three other women on their bills: Birgit Nilsson, Jenny Lind, and Greta Garbo, making their banknote features an even 50/50 split between men and women.
A Quick History of Women Featured on U.S. Banknotes
Essentially the only time a woman was prominently featured on a U.S. banknote was in the late 19th century when Martha Washington—the wife of President George Washington—appeared on a $1 silver certificate.
This dearth of women on U.S. banknotes may soon come to an end. The Biden administration is now speeding up efforts to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill, an initiative that was delayed in recent years. When the plan was initially introduced by then Treasury secretary, Jacob Lew, in 2016, the new design was set to be unveiled in 2020 on the centennial of the 19th Amendment (which granted women the right to vote).
Women are Still Underrepresented
It’s worth noting that women are still consistently underrepresented in positions of power, and in the media.
And even when women do hold authoritative positions, research has shown they’re taken less seriously than their male counterparts.
That’s why events like International Women’s Day exist. It’s not just a time to celebrate women’s achievements—it’s also a day to shed light on existing gender bias, and ultimately take action to help combat gender inequality.
Want to be part of the change? Learn more about Women’s Day, or donate to fundraising efforts for female-focused charities.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Automotive
The Most Fuel Efficient Cars From 1975 to Today
This infographic lists the most fuel efficient cars over the past 46 years, including the current leader for 2023.

The Most Fuel Efficient Cars From 1975 to Today
When shopping for a new car, what is the most important factor you look for? According to Statista, it’s not design, quality, or even safety—it’s fuel efficiency.
Because of this, automakers are always looking for clever ways to improve gas mileage in their cars. Beating the competition by even the slimmest of margins can give valuable bragging rights within a segment.
In this infographic, we’ve used data from the EPA’s 2022 Automotive Trends Report to list off the most fuel efficient cars from 1975 to today.
Editor’s note: This is from a U.S. government agency, so the data shown skews towards cars sold in North America.
Data Overview
All of the information in the above infographic is listed in the table below. Data was only available in 5-year increments up until 2005, after which it switches to annual.
Model Year | Make | Model | Real World Fuel Economy (mpg) | Engine Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1975 | Honda | Civic | 28.3 | Gas |
1980 | VW | Rabbit | 40.3 | Diesel |
1985 | Chevrolet | Sprint | 49.6 | Gas |
1990 | Geo | Metro | 53.4 | Gas |
1995 | Honda | Civic | 47.3 | Gas |
2000 | Honda | Insight | 57.4 | Hybrid |
2005 | Honda | Insight | 53.3 | Hybrid |
2006 | Honda | Insight | 53 | Hybrid |
2007 | Toyota | Prius | 46.2 | Hybrid |
2008 | Toyota | Prius | 46.2 | Hybrid |
2009 | Toyota | Prius | 46.2 | Hybrid |
2010 | Honda | FCX | 60.2 | FCEV |
2011 | BMW | Active E | 100.6 | EV |
2012 | Mitsubishi | i-MiEV | 109 | EV |
2013 | Toyota | iQ EV | 117 | EV |
2014 | BMW | i3 | 121.3 | EV |
2015 | BMW | i3 | 121.3 | EV |
2016 | BMW | i3 | 121.3 | EV |
2017 | Hyundai | Ioniq Electric | 132.6 | EV |
2018 | Hyundai | Ioniq Electric | 132.6 | EV |
2019 | Hyundai | Ioniq Electric | 132.6 | EV |
2020 | Tesla | 3 | 138.6 | EV |
2021 | Tesla | 3 | 139.1 | EV |
From this dataset, we can identify three distinct approaches to maximizing fuel efficiency.
Downsizing
Prior to 2000, the best way for automakers to achieve good fuel efficiency was by downsizing. Making cars smaller (lighter) meant they could also be fitted with very small engines.
For example, the 1985 Chevrolet Sprint was rated at 49.6 MPG, but had a sluggish 0-60 time of 15 seconds.
Hybrids
The 2000s saw the introduction of mass-market hybrid vehicles like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. By including a small battery to support the combustion engine, automakers could achieve good MPGs without sacrificing so heavily on size.
While the Insight achieved better fuel economy than the Prius, it was the latter that became synonymous with the term “hybrid”. This was largely due to the Prius’ more practical 4-door design.
The following table compares annual U.S. sales figures for both models. Insight sales have fluctuated drastically because Honda has produced the model in several short spans (1999-2006, 2009-2014, 2018-2022).
Year | Insight Sales | Prius Sales |
---|---|---|
2005 | 666 | 107,155 |
2006 | 722 | 106,971 |
2007 | 3 | 181,221 |
2008 | - | 158,884 |
2009 | 20,572 | 150,831 |
2010 | 20,962 | 140,928 |
2011 | 15,549 | 136,464 |
2012 | 6,619 | 236,655 |
2013 | 4,802 | 234,228 |
2014 | 3,965 | 207,372 |
2015 | 1,458 | 184,794 |
2016 | 67 | 136,629 |
2017 | 3 | 108,661 |
2018 | 12,513 | 87,590 |
2019 | 23,686 | 69,718 |
2020 | 15,932 | 43,525 |
2021 | 18,685 | 59,010 |
2022 | 7,628 | 33,352 |
Source: goodcarbadcar.net
The Prius may have dominated the hybrid market for a long time, but it too has run into troubles. Sales have been declining since 2014, even setting historic lows in recent years.
There are several reasons behind this trend, with one being a wider availability of hybrid models from other brands. We also can’t ignore the release of the Tesla Model 3, which began shipping to customers in 2017.
Electric Vehicles
We’re currently in the middle of a historic transition to electric vehicles. However, because EVs do not use fuel, the EPA had to develop a new system called MPGe (miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent).
This new metric gives us the ability to compare the efficiency of EVs with traditional gas-powered cars. An underlying assumption of MPGe is that 33.7 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity is comparable to the energy content of a gallon of fuel.
The most fuel efficient car you can buy today is the 2023 Lucid Air, which achieves 140 MPGe. Close behind it is the 2023 Tesla Model 3 RWD, which is rated at 132 MPGe.
Check out this page to see the EPA’s top 10 most efficient vehicles for 2023.
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