Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 15 May 2002

World and regional averages The data in the table below has been compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the basis of information provided by National Parliaments by 15 May 2002. 179 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. Regional parliamentary assemblies
New: you can now consult an archive of statistical data on women in National Parliaments.

World Classification
RankCountryLower or single HouseUpper House or Senate
ElectionsSeatsWomen% WElectionsSeatsWomen% W
1Sweden09 199834914942.7------------
2Denmark11 20011796838.0------------
3Finland03 19992007336.5------------
4Norway09 20011656036.4------------
5Iceland05 1999632234.9------------
6Germany09 199866621131.7N.A.691724.6
7Costa Rica02 2002571831.6------------
8New Zealand11 19991203730.8------------
9Argentina10 20012577930.710 2001722433.3
10Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
11South Africa06 199939911929.806 1999891731.5*
12Spain03 20003509928.303 20002596324.3
13Cuba01 199860116627.6------------
14Austria10 19991834926.8N.A.641320.3
15Grenada01 199915426.701 19991317.7
16Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
17Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
"Viet Nam07 199745011726.0------------
18Rwanda11 1994741925.7------------
19Australia11 20011503825.310 1998762228.9
20Namibia11 1999721825.011 19982627.7
21Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
22Seychelles03 199834823.5------------
23Belgium06 19991503523.306 1999712028.2
24Switzerland10 19992004623.010 199946919.6
25Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
26Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
27United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002746122.3------------
28Monaco02 199818422.2------------
29China1997-98298465021.8------------
30Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
31Canada11 20003016220.6N.A.1053432.4
32Croatia01 20001513120.504 19976546.2
33Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
34Dem. People's Rep. of Korea07 199868713820.1------------
35Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
36Burundi06 19931693319.502 200254??
37Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
38Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
39Dominica01 200032618.8------------
40Peru04 20011202217.5------------
41United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A.71311716.4
42Estonia03 19991011817.8------------
"Philippines05 20012143817.805 200124312.5
43Suriname05 200051917.6------------
44Botswana10 199947817.0------------
"Latvia10 19981001717.0------------
45Luxembourg06 1999601016.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
"Trinidad and Tobago12 200136616.712 200131??
46Dominican Republic05 19981492416.105 19983026.7
47Mexico07 20005008016.007 20001282015.6
48Angola09 19922203415.5------------
49Czech Republic06 19982003015.011 2000811012.3
50Eritrea02 19941502214.7------------
51Ecuador05 19981231814.6------------
52Andorra03 200128414.3------------
53Slovakia09 19981502114.0------------
"United States of America11 20004356114.011 20001001313
54Israel05 19991201613.3------------
"Jamaica12 199760813.312 199721523.8
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 200015213.3------------
55Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
56Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
57Chile12 20011201512.512 20014924.1
58Mali07 19971471812.2------------
"Slovenia10 2000901112.2------------
59Uruguay10 1999991212.110 19993139.7
60Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Congo01 199875912.0------------
"Ireland06 19971662012.008 1997601118.3
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
61Singapore11 2001851011.8------------
62Bolivia06 19971301511.506 19972713.7
"Tunisia10 19991822111.5------------
63Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.105 199711218.2
64France05 19975776310.909 20013213510.9
65Barbados01 199928310.701 199921733.3
"Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"Romania11 20003453710.711 200014085.7
66Lithuania10 20001411510.6------------
67Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
"Mongolia07 200076810.5------------
68Kazakhstan10 199977810.409 199939512.8
"Malaysia11 19991932010.403 1998691826.1
"Syrian Arab Republic11 19982502610.4------------
69Belarus10 2000971010.312 2000611931.1
70Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
71Burkina Faso05 2002111119.9------------
"Panama05 19997179.9------------
72Italy05 2001630629.805 2001321257.8
73Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
74El Salvador03 20008489.5------------
75BhutanN.A.150149.3------------
"Malawi06 1999193189.3------------
76Gabon12 2001119119.201 1997911213.2
"Malta09 19986569.2------------
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
77Ghana12 2000200189.0------------
78Guatemala11 1999113108.8------------
"Guinea06 1995114108.8------------
"India09 1999543488.803 2000242229.1
79Greece04 2000300268.7------------
80Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
81Indonesia06 1999500408.0------------
"Madagascar05 1998150128.003 200190??
82Guinea-Bissau11 199910287.8------------
"Liberia07 19976457.807 199726519.2
83Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
84Iraq03 2000250197.6------------
"Russian Federation12 1999449347.6N.A.17863.4
85Cambodia07 199812297.403 199961813.1
86Central African Republic11 199810987.3------------
"Japan06 2000480357.307 20012473815.4
87Georgia10 1999235177.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
"Yugoslavia09 2000138107.209 20004012.5
88Bosnia and Herzegovina11 20004237.111 20001500.0
89Belize08 19982926.906 19938337.5
90Brazil10 1998513356.810 19988056.3
91The f.Y.R. of Macedonia10 199812086.7------------
92Samoa03 20014936.1------------
93Benin03 19998356.0------------
"Maldives11 19995036.0------------
94Nepal05 1999205125.906 200160??
"Republic of Korea04 2000273165.9------------
95Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji Islands08 20017045.708 200132??
"Gambia01 20025335.7------------
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
96Cameroon05 1997180105.6------------
97Honduras11 200112875.5------------
98Antigua and Barbuda03 19991915.303 199917211.8
99Equatorial Guinea03 19998045.0------------
100Togo03 19998144.9------------
101Kiribati09 19984224.8------------
102Sri Lanka12 2001225104.4------------
103Turkey04 1999550234.2------------
104Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2000290124.1------------
105Lesotho05 19987933.805 199833927.3
106Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
"Kenya12 199722483.6------------
107Algeria06 1997380133.412 199714485.6
"Nigeria02 1999351123.402 199910832.8
108Armenia05 199913143.1------------
"Swaziland10 19986523.110 199830413.3
109Marshall Islands11 19993313.0------------
110Paraguay05 19988022.505 199845817.8
111Egypt11 2000454112.4------------
112Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
113Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
114Papua New Guinea06 199710921.8------------
115Jordan11 19978011.311 19974037.5
116Niger11 19998311.2------------
117Yemen04 199729920.7------------
118Morocco11 199732520.69 200127010.4
119Djibouti12 19976500.0------------
"Kuwait07 19996500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 19991400.0------------
"Nauru04 20001800.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.011 2000900.0
"Solomon Islands12 20015000.0------------
"Tuvalu03 19981500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates12 19974000------------
?Bahamas05 200240??05 200216??
?Chad04 2002155??------------
?Hungary04 2002386??------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Mauritania10 200181??04 20005611.8
?Netherlands05 2002150??05 1999752026.7
?Sao Tome and Principe03 200255??------------
?Sierra Leone05 200280??------------
?Tonga03 200230??------------
?Ukraine03 2002450??------------
?Vanuatu05 200252??------------
* South Africa: the figures on the distribution of seats do not include the 36 special rotating delegates appointed on an ad hoc basis, and the percentages given are therefore calculated on the basis of the 54 permanent seats

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