A record 508 candidates will be contesting the 50 seats in the Solomon Islands parliament in next month's national election, according to figures released by the country's electoral commission.
The Solomon Islands Electoral Commission is yet to confirm the number of women to contest the election but media reports say there are 25 female candidates.
The Western province has the highest number of women contestants with a total of eight.
And at least two of the province's constituencies have each attracted two women candidates.
Malaita province is second with four female candidates, while Guadalcanal, Honiara and Isabel provinces each have three women stranding.
Makira province is fourth with two women candidates.
Twenty six women contested the last election in 2006.
Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua will be battling against five other candidates to retain a seat he's held for the last four years.
