G20 'family photo': Women representation at an all-time low

The G20 group includes 18 of the 21 nations with the largest gross domestic product, plus South Africa and the European Union.

Leaders during the group photo at the G20 Leader's Summit inside Costa Salguero Center in Buenos Aires. Source: AAP

This year's photo had the smallest number of female heads of state in the history of G20 group photos.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was absent after her plane suffered from mechanical faults.

The reduced presence points to a dip in female representation of world leaders amongst the G20 membership of industrialised nations.

Leader summits have been held since 2008.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde were notable for their non-navy coloured suits.

At two, that amounts to the lowest number of female leaders since 2010. The highest number was five in 2012 and 2013.

Female representation in the G20 'family photo' over the decade:

2018 - 2 (British Prime Minister May, IMF managing director Lagarde)

2017 - 4 (German Chancellor Angela Merkel, May, Lagarde, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg)

2016 - 4 (Merkel, May, Lagarde, South Korea President Park Geun-hye)

2015 - 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff)

2014 - 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Rousseff)

2013 - 5 (Merkel, Lagarde, Park, Rousseff, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner)

2012 - 5 (Merkel, Lagarde, Rousseff, Kirchner, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard)

2011 - 4 (Merkel, Lagarde, Rousseff, Kirchner, Gillard)

2010 - 3 (Merkel, Gillard, Kirchner)

2009 - 2 (Merkel, Kirchner)

2008 - 2 (Merkel, Kirchner)