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Gender parity in university enrolment by country

Are women and men enrolled in higher education in equal numbers?

Of the 95 countries compared in 2024, Egypt had the reading closest to parity, 0.99486, and Gambia had the reading furthest from parity, 1.82964. In the middle country the figure was 1.24352.

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Part ofEducation & KnowledgeGender & Equality

Gender parity in university enrolment · 2024

Context statistic

Closest to parity of 95Egypt

0.99486

012024 · position · derived

Who leads

The three countries at the closest to parity end of 95 compared, the three at the other end, and the first on each continent.

  1. 1

    Egypt

    Northern Africa

    0.99486

    1st of 95

    Photo: Rudolph.A.furtado · CC0, greyscale

  2. 2

    Saudi Arabia

    Western Asia

    1.00603

    2nd of 95

    Photo: Mardetanha · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. 3

    San Marino

    Southern Europe

    1.00605

    3rd of 95

    Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

Furthest from parity in 2024

  1. 95Gambia1.82964
  2. 94Cook Islands1.76818
  3. 93Qatar1.63836

Positions out of 95. Where a country sits says how it compares with the others measured, and nothing about why.

Closest to parity on each continent

02Every measured country

Gender parity in university enrolment on a map

Each country is shaded by its value, in five groups holding the same number of countries. Hover a country for its value, or select it to open its profile. Below the map, each continent’s middle country.

All regions

Darker is closer to parity (1.000), from either side.

  • 0.82964–0.38914 from parity
  • 0.38266–0.30043 from parity
  • 0.29461–0.21853 from parity
  • 0.21788–0.10949 from parity
  • 0.10924–0.00514 from parity
  • No reading in 2024 (108 measured in an earlier edition)
  • Africa

    1.02359

    the middle country, of 17 measured · 55 members

    Egypt0.99486

    Gambia1.82964

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Africa.

  • Asia

    1.18728

    the middle country, of 30 measured · 52 members

    Saudi Arabia1.00603

    Qatar1.63836

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Asia.

  • Europe

    1.24502

    the middle country, of 26 measured · 49 members

    San Marino1.00605

    Monaco1.43008

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Europe.

  • Oceania

    1.35468

    the middle country, of 8 measured · 21 members

    Fiji1.22297

    Cook Islands1.76818

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Oceania.

  • Americas

    1.38144

    the middle country, of 14 measured · 48 members

    Chile1.15266

    Guyana1.57474

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Americas.

21 sub-regions, closest to parity middle country first
  • Eastern Africa

    1.01806

    the middle country, of 6 measured · 19 members

    Tanzania0.82254

    Seychelles1.51060

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Eastern Africa.

  • Western Africa

    1.02359

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 16 members

    Ghana1.02359

    Gambia1.82964

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Western Africa.

  • Southern Asia

    1.05366

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 9 members

    Pakistan1.02749

    Bangladesh0.77146

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Southern Asia.

  • Eastern Asia

    1.10615

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 8 members

    Hong Kong1.09234

    Mongolia1.41294

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Eastern Asia.

  • Central Asia

    1.11256

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 5 members

    Tajikistan0.94528

    Kyrgyzstan1.20927

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Central Asia.

  • Western Europe

    1.19639

    the middle country, of 6 measured · 9 members

    Germany1.09973

    Monaco1.43008

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Western Europe.

  • South-eastern Asia

    1.21910

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 11 members

    Cambodia1.10924

    Malaysia1.30504

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in South-eastern Asia.

  • Eastern Europe

    1.22650

    the middle country, of 8 measured · 10 members

    Russia1.07060

    Poland1.36511

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Eastern Europe.

  • Southern Europe

    1.23164

    the middle country, of 5 measured · 17 members

    San Marino1.00605

    Serbia1.30245

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Southern Europe.

  • Western Asia

    1.31211

    the middle country, of 10 measured · 19 members

    Saudi Arabia1.00603

    Qatar1.63836

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Western Asia.

  • Northern Europe

    1.32453

    the middle country, of 7 measured · 13 members

    Finland1.24652

    Sweden1.40060

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Northern Europe.

  • Caribbean

    1.49244

    the middle country, of 6 measured · 24 members

    British Virgin Islands1.37126

    Aruba1.56791

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Caribbean.

  • Australia and New Zealand

    2 of 2 measured — too few for a middle: Australia, New Zealand.

    Australia1.31058

    New Zealand1.38266

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Australia and New Zealand.

  • Central America

    4 of 8 measured — too few for a middle: Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico.

    Mexico1.16029

    Belize1.44858

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Central America.

  • Melanesia

    1 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Fiji.

    Fiji1.22297

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Melanesia.

  • Micronesia

    3 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau.

    Marshall Islands1.26755

    Kiribati1.55934

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Micronesia.

  • Middle Africa

    2 of 9 measured — too few for a middle: Angola, Cameroon.

    Angola0.98869

    Cameroon0.96485

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Middle Africa.

  • Northern Africa

    3 of 6 measured — too few for a middle: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco.

    Egypt0.99486

    Algeria1.34599

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Northern Africa.

  • Polynesia

    2 of 7 measured — too few for a middle: Cook Islands, Samoa.

    Samoa1.56737

    Cook Islands1.76818

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Polynesia.

  • South America

    4 of 12 measured — too few for a middle: Brazil, Chile, Guyana, Suriname.

    Chile1.15266

    Guyana1.57474

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in South America.

  • Southern Africa

    1 of 5 measured — too few for a middle: Botswana.

    Botswana1.38914

    Closest to parity and furthest from parity reading in Southern Africa.

03The whole field at once

The spread

95 countries, one dot each, on one scale — further right is a higher value. Half the countries are above 1.24352; a quarter are above 1.34298, and a quarter below 1.10864. The bar in each row marks that continent’s middle country.

0.7511.251.51.75Africa17 comparedEgypt: 0.99486Angola: 0.98869Ghana: 1.02359Cameroon: 0.96485Côte d’Ivoire: 0.89365Senegal: 1.10803Tanzania: 0.82254Morocco: 1.19355Rwanda: 0.80431Kenya: 0.79348Zimbabwe: 1.21358Burkina Faso: 0.74008Mauritius: 1.33441Algeria: 1.34599Botswana: 1.38914Seychelles: 1.51060Gambia: 1.82964Burkina Faso 0.74008Gambia 1.82964Americas14 comparedChile: 1.15266Mexico: 1.16029El Salvador: 1.26045Suriname: 1.26812Honduras: 1.33067Brazil: 1.35513British Virgin Islands: 1.37126Trinidad and Tobago: 1.39163Belize: 1.44858Dominican Republic: 1.49152Cuba: 1.49336Barbados: 1.51004Aruba: 1.56791Guyana: 1.57474Chile 1.15266Guyana 1.57474Asia30 comparedSaudi Arabia: 1.00603Pakistan: 1.02749India: 1.05366Tajikistan: 0.94528Turkmenistan: 1.07170Hong Kong: 1.09234Macau: 1.10615South Korea: 0.89147Cambodia: 1.10924Bhutan: 1.10949Uzbekistan: 1.11256China: 1.13814Vietnam: 1.15941Kazakhstan: 1.16528Kyrgyzstan: 1.20927Nepal: 1.21788United Arab Emirates: 1.21853Philippines: 1.21910Azerbaijan: 1.21975Bangladesh: 0.77146Thailand: 1.25198Armenia: 1.27758Israel: 1.30043Malaysia: 1.30504Cyprus: 1.32378Jordan: 1.32591Mongolia: 1.41294Oman: 1.44688Bahrain: 1.46621Qatar: 1.63836Bangladesh 0.77146Qatar 1.63836Europe26 comparedSan Marino: 1.00605Russia: 1.07060Andorra: 1.08900Germany: 1.09973Switzerland: 1.12194Belarus: 1.14028Ukraine: 0.85395Luxembourg: 1.15878Hungary: 1.21093Spain: 1.23164Austria: 1.23400Moldova: 1.24207Albania: 1.24352Finland: 1.24652France: 1.24829Denmark: 1.29445Bulgaria: 1.29461Serbia: 1.30245Lithuania: 1.31260Slovakia: 1.31283Latvia: 1.32453Norway: 1.33645Estonia: 1.33997Poland: 1.36511Sweden: 1.40060Monaco: 1.43008Ukraine 0.85395Monaco 1.43008Oceania8 comparedFiji: 1.22297Marshall Islands: 1.26755Australia: 1.31058Palau: 1.32671New Zealand: 1.38266Kiribati: 1.55934Samoa: 1.56737Cook Islands: 1.76818Fiji 1.22297Cook Islands 1.76818middle country 1.24352

04All 203 ever measured

Every country

In order, closest to parity first. “=” marks a position shared with another country. UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) ranks nobody on this measure; the position is derived here by ordering the published values. Positions are ordered by distance from parity, not by the raw index, so a country as far above 1 as another is below it shares its position. Ordering by the raw number would crown the country where men are most under-represented as the most equal. The index says nothing about how many people study at all — that is the tertiary enrolment ratio.

The raw table

Showing 25 of 203 countries

  1. 1 of 95EgyptNorthern Africa0.99486
  2. 2 of 95Saudi ArabiaWestern Asia1.00603
  3. 3 of 95San MarinoSouthern Europe1.00605
  4. 4 of 95AngolaMiddle Africa0.98869
  5. 5 of 95GhanaWestern Africa1.02359
  6. 6 of 95PakistanSouthern Asia1.02749
  7. 7 of 95CameroonMiddle Africa0.96485
  8. 8 of 95IndiaSouthern Asia1.05366
  9. 9 of 95TajikistanCentral Asia0.94528
  10. 10 of 95RussiaEastern Europe1.07060
  11. 11 of 95TurkmenistanCentral Asia1.07170
  12. 12 of 95AndorraSouthern Europe1.08900
  13. 13 of 95Hong KongEastern Asia1.09234
  14. 14 of 95GermanyWestern Europe1.09973
  15. 15 of 95MacauEastern Asia1.10615
  16. 16 of 95Côte d’IvoireWestern Africa0.89365
  17. 17 of 95SenegalWestern Africa1.10803
  18. 18 of 95South KoreaEastern Asia0.89147
  19. 19 of 95CambodiaSouth-eastern Asia1.10924
  20. 20 of 95BhutanSouthern Asia1.10949
  21. 21 of 95UzbekistanCentral Asia1.11256
  22. 22 of 95SwitzerlandWestern Europe1.12194
  23. 23 of 95ChinaEastern Asia1.13814
  24. 24 of 95BelarusEastern Europe1.14028
  25. 25 of 95UkraineEastern Europe0.85395

Values for 2024. The change column compares 2024 with 2023 only; the sparkline covers the recent editions.

051971–2024 · 44 editions

Over time

Each point is one edition. Watch which side of 1 the line sits on: in most countries today it sits above, with more women than men enrolled.

0.250.50.7511.25197119771983199920052011201720232024AmericasOceaniaEuropeAsiaAfrica
  • the middle country
  • the middle half of countries
  • each continent’s middle country
The same, year by year
YearCountriesMiddle countryMiddle half
2024951.243521.10864 – 1.34298
20231281.258301.09020 – 1.35047
20221251.253911.09369 – 1.35879
20211241.231091.10223 – 1.35347
20201311.206801.08194 – 1.33474
20191291.204061.10484 – 1.32531
20181331.196631.05143 – 1.31537
20171351.202561.04436 – 1.30829
20161341.203161.02681 – 1.29965
20151461.193050.98265 – 1.29948
20141361.198820.96267 – 1.30422
20131291.201230.96006 – 1.30491
20121411.199270.86972 – 1.30220
20111341.149530.75106 – 1.29487
20101331.158060.77614 – 1.29771
20091251.173540.74015 – 1.29793
20081211.200170.91250 – 1.30610
20071111.190490.90769 – 1.30250
20061171.155920.85291 – 1.28366
20051161.132310.74216 – 1.27144
20041191.113530.75752 – 1.26751
20031181.145530.77588 – 1.27983
20021201.130710.77098 – 1.26615
20011041.129630.75706 – 1.26795
2000810.928070.54325 – 1.23823
1999750.896440.50522 – 1.22440
1992510.723240.32194 – 1.17435
1987510.619110.29047 – 1.11347
1986540.571900.35011 – 1.05369
1985550.608770.32345 – 0.95778
1984530.518360.35555 – 0.95981
1983530.484960.27502 – 0.94624
1982530.455560.26763 – 0.87069
1981520.470290.29830 – 0.97928
1980540.444220.28236 – 0.86597
1979580.424430.28683 – 0.85506
1978500.376320.23716 – 0.57636
1977550.414410.25172 – 0.63362
1976520.330320.20454 – 0.51177
1975540.321240.16444 – 0.53256
1974530.295860.18942 – 0.56478
1973540.317010.18266 – 0.62113
1972570.280780.15721 – 0.49373
1971570.263410.17124 – 0.56207

062023 → 2024

Who rose and fell

The biggest changes in value between the two newest editions. Places are shown second, because they also move when other countries do.

Moved closest to parity

before → after
  1. Cook Islands1.92358 → 1.76818 · 128th → 94th−0.15539
  2. Cameroon0.82861 → 0.96485 · 38th → 7th+0.13624
  3. Suriname1.36818 → 1.26812 · 99th → 54th−0.10005
  4. San Marino0.89585 → 1.00605 · 23rd → 3rd+0.11020
  5. Qatar1.73056 → 1.63836 · 126th → 93rd−0.09220

Moved furthest from parity

before → after
  1. Ukraine0.98755 → 0.85395 · 2nd → 25th−0.13360
  2. Bhutan1.01889 → 1.10949 · 4th → 20th+0.09060
  3. Uzbekistan1.02966 → 1.11256 · 9th → 21st+0.08290
  4. Senegal1.04648 → 1.10803 · 12th → 17th+0.06154
  5. Turkmenistan1.01287 → 1.07170 · 3rd → 11th+0.05883

84 countries were measured in both 2023 and 2024. The field changed from 128 to 95 countries, so a place can move for reasons that have nothing to do with the country itself.

07Across every edition

Gender parity in university enrolment in records

The extremes of the statistic. A record reached by more than one country names none of them.

08The measure

About gender parity in university enrolment

The gender parity index for tertiary enrolment compares women’s and men’s enrolment in universities and colleges. 1 means parity; below 1, fewer women than men are enrolled; above 1, fewer men than women. UNESCO adjusts it so that a gap in either direction counts the same.

What the number is: Adjusted gender parity index, tertiary gross enrolment (1 = parity).

09Where it fits

Connections

Its part in the Country Index, the statistics whose values line up most closely with it across countries, and others on the same subject.

All statistics

In the Country Index

Context, with no vote

This statistic is published in full under Education & Knowledge and Gender & Equality, but does not help decide any Country Index standing.

Education & KnowledgeGender & EqualityWhich statistics vote, and why

Moves with

Where gender parity in university enrolment is higher, these tend to be higher too.

Moves against

Where gender parity in university enrolment is higher, these tend to be lower.

Rank correlation (ρ, from −1 to 1) across countries, on each statistic’s newest edition, out of 216 statistics sharing at least 80 countries with this one. Two statistics that move together do not cause each other.

On the same subject

10Keep reading

Explore further

More from UIS

11Questions

Gender parity in university enrolment: questions and answers

Which country is closest to parity on the gender parity in university enrolment?

Egypt, at 0.99486, among the 95 countries compared in 2024.

How many countries does the Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment cover?

95 in 2024, and 203 at least once across all editions. The number measured varies from 50 to 146 between editions.

What is the world average gender parity in university enrolment?

This site does not calculate a world average, which would depend on how countries are weighted. In the middle country of the 95 compared in 2024, the figure was 1.24352.

Is this UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)’s own ranking?

No. UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) publishes the values but ranks nobody; the position on this page is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values, and equal values share a position.

How often is the Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment published?

This site holds 44 editions, describing 1971 to 2024.

Where does the data come from, and can I download it?

From UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), under CC BY-SA 4.0. From the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (GER.5T8.GPIA, the adjusted index). Editions reporting fewer than 50 countries are not written. Every edition is on this site’s Datasets pages as a full table, and downloads as a CSV file with every value unrounded.

12Method

Sources, method and citation

Source

Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment — UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)

From the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (GER.5T8.GPIA, the adjusted index). Editions reporting fewer than 50 countries are not written.

Newest edition

Report year 2024Data year 2024

Cite the source as: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. UIS Data Browser. Montreal: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0, checked 2026-09-29.

The full 2024 table, row for row

How this page reads the numbers

  • UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) ranks nobody on this measure. The position is derived by Nations Inquiry by ordering the published values; equal values share a position.
  • Which end is better follows the publisher’s own reading of the measure.
  • A country is named at an end only when it holds that value alone. Where several share it, the page says how many and names none first.
  • Values are stored exactly as published and trimmed only for display. “The middle country” is the median of the countries measured, not a world average.

The file itself, column by column — where it came from, what each column holds, and every edition as a CSV — is on its dataset page.

Photographs

The countries at the top of this statistic, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Gender parity in university enrolment by country: Gender Parity Index, Tertiary Enrolment, data from UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). https://nationsinquiry.com/statistics/tertiary-gender-parity

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