Situation as of 10 November 1997 |
The data in the table below has been compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the basis of information provided by National Parliaments by 10 November 1997. 177 countries are classified by descending order of the percentage of women in the lower or single House. Comparative data on the world and regional averages as well as data concerning the two regional parliamentary assemblies elected by direct suffrage can be found on separate pages. You can use the PARLINE database to view detailed results of parliamentary elections by country. | ||
New: you can now consult an archive of statistical data on women in National Parliaments. |
Rank | Country | Lower or single House | Upper House or Senate | ||||||
Elections | Seats | Women | % W | Elections | Seats | Women | % W | ||
1 | Sweden | 09 1994 | 349 | 141 | 40.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
2 | Norway | 09 1997 | 165 | 60 | 36.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
3 | Finland | 03 1995 | 200 | 67 | 33.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
4 | Denmark | 09 1994 | 179 | 59 | 33.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
5 | Netherlands | 05 1994 | 150 | 47 | 31.3 | 05 1995 | 75 | 17 | 22.7 |
6 | New Zealand | 10 1996 | 120 | 35 | 29.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
7 | Seychelles | 07 1993 | 33 | 9 | 27.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
8 | Austria | 12 1995 | 183 | 48 | 26.2 | 11 1994 | 64 | 13 | 20.3 |
" | Germany | 10 1994 | 672 | 176 | 26.2 | 1997* | 69 | 13 | 18.8 |
" | Viet Nam | 07 1997 | 450 | 118 | 26.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
9 | Iceland | 04 1995 | 63 | 16 | 25.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
10 | Mozambique | 10 1994 | 250 | 63 | 25.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
11 | South Africa | 04 1994 | 400 | 100 | 25.0 | 04 1994 | 90 | 16 | 17.8 |
12 | Spain | 03 1996 | 348 | 86 | 24.7 | 03 1996 | 256 | 34 | 13.3 |
13 | Cuba | 02 1993 | 589 | 134 | 22.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
14 | Namibia | 12 1994 | 72 | 16 | 22.2 | 01 1992 | 26 | 1 | 3.8 |
15 | China | 1992- 93 | 2978 | 626 | 21.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Eritrea | 02 1994 | 105 | 22 | 21.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Switzerland | 10 1995 | 200 | 42 | 21.0 | 10 1995 | 46 | 8 | 17.4 |
16 | Canada | 06 1997 | 301 | 62 | 20.6 | 1994 | 104 | 24 | 23.1 |
17 | Dem. People's Rep. of Korea | 04 1990 | 687 | 138 | 20.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
18 | Grenada | 06 1995 | 15 | 3 | 20.0 | 06 1995 | 13 | ? | ? |
" | Guyana | 10 1992 | 65 | 13 | 20.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Luxembourg | 06 1994 | 60 | 12 | 20.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
19 | United Kingdom | 05 1997 | 659 | 120 | 18.2 | 1997* | 1077 | 81 | 7.5 |
20 | Uganda | 06 1996 | 276 | 50 | 18.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
21 | Turkmenistan | 12 1994 | 50 | 9 | 18.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
22 | Lithuania | 10 1996 | 137 | 24 | 17.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | United Rep. of Tanzania | 10 1995 | 275 | 48 | 17.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
23 | Rwanda | 11 1994 | 70 | 12 | 17.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
24 | Costa Rica | 02 1994 | 57 | 9 | 15.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
25 | Suriname | 05 1996 | 51 | 8 | 15.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
26 | Australia | 03 1996 | 148 | 23 | 15.5 | 03 1996 | 76 | 23 | 30.3 |
" | El Salvador | 03 1997 | 84 | 13 | 15.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
27 | Bahamas | 03 1997 | 40 | 6 | 15.0 | 03 1997 | 16 | 5 | 31.3 |
" | Czech Republic | 05 1996 | 200 | 30 | 15.0 | 11 1996 | 81 | 9 | 11.1 |
28 | Slovakia | 10 1994 | 150 | 22 | 14.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Zimbabwe | 04 1995 | 150 | 22 | 14.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
29 | Mexico | 07 1997 | 500 | 71 | 14.2 | 07 1997 | 128 | ? | ? |
30 | Kazakstan | 12 1995 | 67 | 9 | 13.4 | 12 1995 | 47 | 4 | 8.5 |
31 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 07 1995 | 15 | 2 | 13.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
32 | Poland | 09 1997 | 460 | 60 | 13.0 | 09 1997 | 100 | 11 | 11.0 |
" | Portugal | 10 1995 | 230 | 30 | 13.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
33 | Belgium | 05 1995 | 150 | 19 | 12.7 | 05 1995 | 71 | 16 | 22.5 |
34 | Guatemala | 11 1995 | 80 | 10 | 12.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
35 | Mali | 07 1997 | 147 | 18 | 12.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
36 | Azerbaijan | 11 1995 | 125 | 15 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Ireland | 06 1997 | 166 | 20 | 12.0 | 08 1997 | 60 | ? | ? |
37 | Saint Lucia | 05 1997 | 17 | 2 | 11.8 | 05 1997 | 11 | 2 | 18.2 |
38 | Colombia | 03 1994 | 163 | 19 | 11.7 | 03 1994 | 102 | 7 | 6.9 |
" | Dominican Republic | 05 1994 | 120 | 14 | 11.7 | 05 1994 | 30 | 1 | 3.3 |
" | Jamaica | 03 1993 | 60 | 7 | 11.7 | 03 1993 | 21 | 3 | 14.3 |
" | San Marino | 05 1993 | 60 | 7 | 11.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Senegal | 05 1993 | 120 | 14 | 11.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | United States of America | 11 1996 | 435 | 51 | 11.7 | 11 1996 | 100 | 9 | 9.0 |
39 | Hungary | 05 1994 | 386 | 44 | 11.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Indonesia | 05 1997 | 500 | 57 | 11.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
40 | Cape Verde | 12 1995 | 72 | 8 | 11.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Italy | 04 1996 | 630 | 70 | 11.1 | 04 1996 | 326 | 26 | 8.0 |
" | Philippines | 05 1995 | 217 | 24 | 11.1 | 05 1995 | 24 | 4 | 16.7 |
" | Trinidad and Tobago | 11 1995 | 36 | 4 | 11.1 | 11 1995 | 31 | 9 | 29.0 |
41 | Estonia | 03 1995 | 101 | 11 | 10.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | France | 05 1997 | 577 | 63 | 10.9 | 09 1995 | 321 | 18 | 5.6 |
42 | Bulgaria | 04 1997 | 240 | 26 | 10.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Nicaragua | 10 1996 | 93 | 10 | 10.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Peru | 04 1995 | 120 | 13 | 10.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
43 | Barbados | 09 1994 | 28 | 3 | 10.7 | 09 1994 | 21 | 6 | 28.6 |
44 | Russian Federation | 12 1995 | 450 | 46 | 10.2 | 1997* | 178 | 1 | 0.6 |
45 | Guinea-Bissau | 07 1994 | 100 | 10 | 10.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
46 | Panama | 05 1994 | 72 | 7 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Zambia | 11 1996 | 155 | 15 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
47 | Syrian Arab Republic | 08 1994 | 250 | 24 | 9.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
48 | Angola | 09 1992 | 220 | 21 | 9.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 02 1994 | 21 | 2 | 9.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
49 | Dominica | 06 1995 | 32 | 3 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Lao People's Democratic Rep. | 12 1992 | 85 | 8 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
50 | Bangladesh | 06 1996 | 330 | 30 | 9.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
51 | Burkina Faso | 05 1997 | 111 | 10 | 9.0 | 12 1995 | 176 | 21 | 11.9 |
" | Ghana | 12 1996 | 200 | 18 | 9.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Latvia | 09 1995 | 100 | 9 | 9.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
52 | Equatorial Guinea | 11 1993 | 80 | 7 | 8.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
53 | Botswana | 10 1994 | 47 | 4 | 8.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
54 | Gabon | 12 1996 | 120 | 10 | 8.3 | 01 1997 | 89 | 10 | 11.2 |
" | Tuvalu | 11 1993 | 12 | 1 | 8.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
55 | Côte d'Ivoire | 11 1995 | 175 | 14 | 8.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
56 | Croatia | 10 1995 | 127 | 10 | 7.9 | 04 1997 | 68 | 4 | 5.9 |
" | Mongolia | 06 1996 | 76 | 6 | 7.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
57 | Honduras | 11 1993 | 128 | 10 | 7.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malaysia | 04 1995 | 192 | 15 | 7.8 | 04 1995 | 69 | 12 | 17.4 |
" | Slovenia | 11 1996 | 90 | 7 | 7.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
58 | Mauritius | 12 1995 | 66 | 5 | 7.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
59 | Chile | 12 1993 | 120 | 9 | 7.5 | 12 1993 | 46 | 3 | 6.5 |
" | Israel | 05 1996 | 120 | 9 | 7.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
60 | Romania | 11 1996 | 343 | 25 | 7.3 | 11 1996 | 143 | 2 | 1.4 |
" | Sao Tome and Principe | 10 1994 | 55 | 4 | 7.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
61 | Benin | 03 1995 | 83 | 6 | 7.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | India | 04 1996 | 545 | 39 | 7.2 | 04 1996 | 245 | 19 | 7.8 |
62 | Andorra | 02 1997 | 28 | 2 | 7.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Uruguay | 11 1994 | 99 | 7 | 7.1 | 11 1994 | 31 | 2 | 6.5 |
63 | Guinea | 06 1995 | 114 | 8 | 7.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
64 | Georgia | 11 1995 | 231 | 16 | 6.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
65 | Tunisia | 03 1994 | 163 | 11 | 6.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
66 | Brazil | 10 1994 | 513 | 34 | 6.6 | 10 1994 | 81 | 6 | 7.4 |
67 | Iraq | 03 1996 | 250 | 16 | 6.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
68 | Armenia | 07 1995 | 190 | 12 | 6.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Greece | 09 1996 | 300 | 19 | 6.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Maldives | 12 1994 | 48 | 3 | 6.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
69 | Uzbekistan | 12 1994 | 250 | 15 | 6.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
70 | Venezuela | 12 1993 | 203 | 12 | 5.9 | 12 1993 | 50 | 4 | 8.0 |
71 | Cambodia | 05 1993 | 120 | 7 | 5.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malta | 10 1996 | 69 | 4 | 5.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
72 | Cameroon | 05 1997 | 180 | 10 | 5.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malawi | 05 1994 | 177 | 10 | 5.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Monaco | 01 1993 | 18 | 1 | 5.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Thailand | 11 1996 | 393 | 22 | 5.6 | 03 1996 | 260 | 21 | 8.1 |
73 | Cyprus | 05 1996 | 56 | 3 | 5.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
74 | Antigua and Barbuda | 03 1994 | 19 | 1 | 5.3 | 03 1994 | 17 | 3 | 17.6 |
" | Sri Lanka | 08 1994 | 225 | 12 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Sudan | 03 1996 | 400 | 21 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
75 | Yugoslavia | 11 1996 | 138 | 7 | 5.1 | 12 1993 | 40 | 3 | 7.5 |
76 | Iran (Islamic Rep. of) | 03 1996 | 266 | 13 | 4.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
77 | Republic of Moldova | 02 1994 | 104 | 5 | 4.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Singapore | 01 1997 | 84 | 4 | 4.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
78 | Japan | 10 1996 | 500 | 23 | 4.6 | 07 1995 | 252 | 35 | 13.9 |
" | Lesotho | 03 1993 | 65 | 3 | 4.6 | 05 1993 | 33 | 8 | 24.2 |
79 | Fiji | 02 1994 | 70 | 3 | 4.3 | 02 1994 | 34 | 3 | 8.8 |
80 | Samoa | 04 1996 | 49 | 2 | 4.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
81 | Liechtenstein | 02 1997 | 25 | 1 | 4.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
82 | Ukraine | 03 1994 | 450 | 17 | 3.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
83 | Ecuador | 05 1996 | 82 | 3 | 3.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Madagascar | 06 1993 | 134 | 5 | 3.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
84 | Haiti | 06 1995 | 83 | 3 | 3.6 | 04 1997 | 27 | ? | ? |
85 | Central African Republic | 08 1993 | 85 | 3 | 3.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
86 | Belize | 06 1993 | 29 | 1 | 3.4 | 06 1993 | 8 | 3 | 37.5 |
" | Nepal | 11 1994 | 205 | 7 | 3.4 | 06 1995 | 60 | 5 | 8.3 |
87 | The F.Y.R. of Macedonia | 10 1994 | 120 | 4 | 3.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
88 | Algeria | 06 1997 | 380 | 12 | 3.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
89 | Swaziland | 09 1993 | 64 | 2 | 3.1 | 09 1993 | 30 | 6 | 20.0 |
90 | Kenya | 12 1992 | 202 | 6 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Republic of Korea | 04 1996 | 299 | 9 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
91 | Tajikistan | 02 1995 | 181 | 5 | 2.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
92 | Paraguay | 05 1993 | 80 | 2 | 2.5 | 05 1993 | 45 | 5 | 11.1 |
93 | Chad | 01 1997 | 125 | 3 | 2.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Turkey | 12 1995 | 550 | 13 | 2.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
94 | Lebanon | 08 1996 | 128 | 3 | 2.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Pakistan | 02 1997 | 217 | 5 | 2.3 | 03 1997 | 87 | 3 | 3.4 |
95 | Bhutan | 1997* | 150 | 3 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Egypt | 11 1995 | 454 | 9 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Ethiopia | 05 1995 | 537 | 11 | 2.0 | 05 1995 | 120 | ? | ? |
" | Gambia | 01 1997 | 49 | 1 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
96 | Papua New Guinea | 06 1997 | 109 | 2 | 1.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
97 | Congo | 10 1993 | 125 | 2 | 1.6 | 10 1996 | 60 | 2 | 3.3 |
98 | Kyrgyzstan | 02 1995 | 70 | 1 | 1.4 | 02 1995 | 35 | 4 | 11.4 |
99 | Mauritania | 10 1996 | 79 | 1 | 1.3 | 04 1996 | 56 | 0 | 0.0 |
100 | Niger | 11 1996 | 83 | 1 | 1.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Togo | 02 1994 | 81 | 1 | 1.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
101 | Morocco | 09 1993 | 333 | 2 | 0.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
102 | Comoros | 12 1996 | 43 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Djibouti | 12 1992 | 65 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Jordan | 11 1997 | 80 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 1993 | 40 | 2 | 5.0 |
" | Kiribati | 07 1994 | 41 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
102 | Kuwait | 10 1996 | 50 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 03 1997 | 14 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Palau | 11 1996 | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 1996 | 14 | 1 | 7.1 |
" | Tonga | 01 1996 | 30 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | United Arab Emirates | 11 1995 | 40 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Albania | 06 1997 | 155 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Argentina | 10 1997 | 257 | ? | ? | 12 1995 | 72 | 4 | 5.6 |
? | Belarus | 11 1996 | 110 | ? | ? | 11 1996 | 64 | ? | ? |
? | Bolivia | 06 1997 | 130 | ? | ? | 06 1997 | 27 | 1 | 3.7 |
? | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 09 1996 | 42 | ? | ? | 09 1996 | 15 | ? | ? |
? | Liberia | 07 1997 | 64 | ? | ? | 07 1997 | 26 | ? | ? |
? | Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 1997* | 760 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Marshall Islands | 11 1995 | 33 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Nauru | 02 1997 | 18 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Solomon Islands | 08 1997 | 50 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Vanuatu | 11 1995 | 50 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Yemen | 04 1997 | 301 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |