Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 15 June 2000

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 June 2000. 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. 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
1 Sweden 09 1998 349 149 42.7 --- --- --- ---
2 Denmark 03 1998 179 67 37.4 --- --- --- ---
3 Finland 03 1999 200 73 36.5 --- --- --- ---
4 Norway 09 1997 165 60 36.4 --- --- --- ---
5 Netherlands 05 1998 150 54 36.0 05 1999 75 20 26.7
6 Iceland 05 1999 63 22 34.9 --- --- --- ---
7 Germany 09 1998 669 207 30.9 01 2000 69 41 59.4
8 New Zealand 11 1999 120 37 30.8 --- --- --- ---
9 Mozambique 12 1999 250 75 30.0 --- --- --- ---
10 South Africa 06 1999 399 119 29.8 06 1999 53 17 32.1
11 Bosnia and Herzegovina 09 1998 42 12 28.6 09 1998 15 0 0.0
" Venezuela 02 2000 21 6 28.6 --- --- --- ---
12 Spain 03 2000 350 99 28.3 03 2000 259 59 22.8
13 Cuba 01 1998 601 166 27.6 --- --- --- ---
14 Austria 10 1999 183 49 26.8 N.A. 64 13 20.3
15 Grenada 01 1999 15 4 26.7 01 1999 13 1 7.7
16 Argentina 10 1999 257 68 26.5 12 1998 72 2 2.8
17 Turkmenistan 12 1999 50 13 26.0 --- --- --- ---
" Viet Nam 07 1997 450 117 26.0 --- --- --- ---
18 Namibia 11 1999 72 18 25.0 11 1998 26 2 7.7
19 Seychelles 03 1998 34 8 23.5 --- --- --- ---
20 Belgium 06 1999 150 35 23.3 06 1999 71 20 28.2
21 Switzerland 10 1999 200 46 23.0 10 1999 46 9 19.6
22 Australia 10 1998 147 33 22.4 10 1998 76 22 28.9
23 Monaco 02 1998 18 4 22.2 --- --- --- ---
24 China 1997-98 2984 650 21.8 --- --- --- ---
25 Lao People's Democratic Rep. 12 1997 99 21 21.2 --- --- --- ---
26 Croatia 01 2000 151 31 20.5 04 1997 67 4 6.0
27 Dem. People's Rep. of Korea 07 1998 687 138 20.1 --- --- --- ---
28 Canada 06 1997 301 60 19.9 N.A. 105 32 30.5
29 Costa Rica 02 1998 57 11 19.3 --- --- --- ---
30 Guyana 12 1997 65 12 18.5 --- --- --- ---
31 United Kingdom 05 1997 659 121 18.4 N.A. 666 105 15.8
32 Mexico 07 1997 500 91 18.2 07 1997 128 22 17.2
33 Uganda 06 1996 279 50 17.9 --- --- --- ---
34 Estonia 03 1999 101 18 17.8 --- --- --- ---
35 Lithuania 10 1996 137 24 17.5 --- --- --- ---
36 Portugal 10 1999 230 40 17.4 --- --- --- ---
37 Rwanda 11 1994 70 12 17.1 --- --- --- ---
38 Botswana 10 1999 47 8 17.0 --- --- --- ---
" Latvia 10 1998 100 17 17.0 --- --- --- ---
39 Luxembourg 06 1999 60 10 16.7 --- --- --- ---
40 United Rep. of Tanzania 10 1995 275 45 16.4 --- --- --- ---
41 Dominican Republic 05 1998 149 24 16.1 05 1998 30 2 6.7
42 Angola 09 1992 220 34 15.5 --- --- --- ---
43 Bahamas 03 1997 40 6 15.0 03 1997 16 5 31.3
" Czech Republic 06 1998 200 30 15.0 11 1998 81 9 11.1
" Tajikistan 02 2000 60 9 15.0 03 2000 33 4 12.1
44 Eritrea 02 1994 150 22 14.7 --- --- --- ---
45 Ecuador 05 1998 123 18 14.6 --- --- --- ---
46 Burundi 06 1993 118 17 14.4 --- --- --- ---
47 Slovakia 09 1998 150 21 14.0 --- --- --- ---
" Zimbabwe 04 1995 150 21 14.0 --- --- --- ---
48 Jamaica 12 1997 60 8 13.3 12 1997 21 5 23.8
" Saint Kitts and Nevis 07 1995 15 2 13.3 --- --- --- ---
" San Marino 05 1998 60 8 13.3 --- --- --- ---
49 Poland 09 1997 460 60 13.0 09 1997 100 11 11.0
50 United States of America 11 1998 435 56 12.9 11 1998 100 9 9.0
51 Israel 05 1999 120 15 12.5 --- --- --- ---
52 Mali 07 1997 147 18 12.2 --- --- --- ---
53 Senegal 05 1998 140 17 12.1 01 1999 60 11 18.3
" Uruguay 10 1999 99 12 12.1 10 1999 31 3 9.7
54 Azerbaijan 11 1995 125 15 12.0 --- --- --- ---
" Congo 01 1998 75 9 12.0 --- --- --- ---
" Ireland 06 1997 166 20 12.0 08 1997 60 11 18.3
55 Colombia 03 1998 161 19 11.8 03 1998 102 13 12.7
56 Bolivia 06 1997 130 15 11.5 06 1997 27 1 3.7
" Tunisia 10 1999 182 21 11.5 --- --- --- ---
57 Fiji 05 1999 71 8 11.3 06 1999 32 8 25.0
" Philippines 05 1998 222 25 11.3 05 1998 23 4 17.4
58 Cape Verde 12 1995 72 8 11.1 --- --- --- ---
" Italy 04 1996 630 70 11.1 04 1996 326 26 8.0
" Saint Lucia 05 1997 18 2 11.1 05 1997 11 2 18.2
59 France 05 1997 577 63 10.9 09 1998 321 19 5.9
60 Bulgaria 04 1997 240 26 10.8 --- --- --- ---
" Chile 12 1997 120 13 10.8 12 1997 48 2 4.2
" Trinidad and Tobago 11 1995 37 4 10.8 11 1995 31 9 29.0
61 Barbados 01 1999 28 3 10.7 01 1999 21 7 33.3
62 Kazakhstan 10 1999 77 8 10.4 09 1999 39 5 12.8
" Malaysia 11 1999 193 20 10.4 03 1998 69 18 26.1
" Syrian Arab Republic 11 1998 250 26 10.4 --- --- --- ---
63 Zambia 11 1996 158 16 10.1 --- --- --- ---
64 Slovenia 11 1996 90 9 10.0 --- --- --- ---
65 Panama 05 1999 71 7 9.9 --- --- --- ---
66 Nicaragua 10 1996 93 9 9.7 --- --- --- ---
67 Honduras 11 1997 128 12 9.4 --- --- --- ---
68 Gabon 12 1996 120 11 9.2 01 1997 91 12 13.2
" Malta 09 1998 65 6 9.2 --- --- --- ---
69 Bangladesh 06 1996 330 30 9.1 --- --- --- ---
" Sao Tome and Principe 11 1998 55 5 9.1 --- --- --- ---
70 Ghana 12 1996 200 18 9.0 --- --- --- ---
71 Republic of Moldova 03 1998 101 9 8.9 --- --- --- ---
72 Guatemala 11 1999 113 10 8.8 --- --- --- ---
" Guinea 06 1995 114 10 8.8 --- --- --- ---
" India 09 1999 543 48 8.8 03 2000 220 ? ?
" Sierra Leone 02 1996 80 7 8.8 --- --- --- ---
73 Hungary 05 1998 386 32 8.3 --- --- --- ---
" Malawi 06 1999 193 16 8.3 --- --- --- ---
74 Mauritius 12 1995 61 5 8.2 --- --- --- ---
" Samoa 04 1996 49 4 8.2 --- --- --- ---
75 Burkina Faso 05 1997 111 9 8.1 12 1995 176 21 11.9
76 Indonesia 06 1999 500 40 8.0 --- --- --- ---
" Madagascar 05 1998 150 12 8.0 --- --- --- ---
77 Mongolia 06 1996 76 6 7.9 --- --- --- ---
78 Guinea-Bissau 11 1999 102 8 7.8 --- --- --- ---
" Liberia 07 1997 64 5 7.8 07 1997 26 5 19.2
" Ukraine 03 1998 450 35 7.8 --- --- --- ---
79 Russian Federation 12 1999 441 34 7.7 N.A. 178 1 0.6
80 Iraq 03 2000 250 19 7.6 --- --- --- ---
81 Cambodia 07 1998 122 9 7.4 03 1999 61 8 13.1
82 Central African Republic 11 1998 109 8 7.3 --- --- --- ---
" Romania 11 1996 343 25 7.3 11 1996 143 2 1.4
83 Georgia 10 1999 235 17 7.2 --- --- --- ---
" Uzbekistan 12 1999 250 18 7.2 --- --- --- ---
84 Andorra 02 1997 28 2 7.1 --- --- --- ---
" Cyprus 05 1996 56 4 7.1 --- --- --- ---
85 Belize 08 1998 29 2 6.9 08 1998 8 3 37.5
86 The F.Y.R. of Macedonia 10 1998 120 8 6.7 --- --- --- ---
87 Benin 03 1999 83 5 6.0 --- --- --- ---
" Maldives 11 1999 50 3 6.0 --- --- --- ---
88 Nepal 05 1999 205 12 5.9 06 1999 60 9 15.0
89 Brazil 10 1998 513 29 5.7 10 1998 81 6 7.4
90 Cameroon 05 1997 180 10 5.6 --- --- --- ---
91 Antigua and Barbuda 03 1999 19 1 5.3 03 1999 17 2 11.8
92 Albania 06 1997 155 8 5.2 --- --- --- ---
93 Yugoslavia 11 1996 138 7 5.1 03 1998 40 4 10.0
94 Equatorial Guinea 03 1999 80 4 5.0 --- --- --- ---
" Japan 10 1996 500 25 5.0 07 1998 252 43 17.1
95 Kiribati 09 1998 41 2 4.9 --- --- --- ---
" Sri Lanka 08 1994 225 11 4.9 --- --- --- ---
" Togo 03 1999 81 4 4.9 --- --- --- ---
96 Saint Vincent & the Grenadines 06 1998 21 1 4.8 --- --- --- ---
" Thailand 11 1996 374 18 4.8 03 2000 200 ? ?
97 Belarus 11 1996 110 5 4.5 02 1997 62 18 29.0
98 Singapore 01 1997 93 4 4.3 --- --- --- ---
99 Turkey 04 1999 550 23 4.2 --- --- --- ---
100 Liechtenstein 02 1997 25 1 4.0 --- --- --- ---
101 Lesotho 05 1998 79 3 3.8 05 1998 33 9 27.3
" Mauritania 10 1996 79 3 3.8 04 2000 56 ? ?
102 Republic of Korea 04 2000 273 10 3.7 --- --- --- ---
103 Kenya 12 1997 224 8 3.6 --- --- --- ---
104 Algeria 06 1997 380 13 3.4 12 1997 144 8 5.6
" Iran (Islamic Rep. of) 02 2000 290 10 3.4 --- --- --- ---
" Nigeria 02 1999 351 12 3.4 02 1999 108 3 2.8
105 Armenia 05 1999 131 4 3.1 --- --- --- ---
" Swaziland 10 1998 65 2 3.1 10 1998 30 4 13.3
106 Marshall Islands 11 1999 33 1 3.0 --- --- --- ---
107 Paraguay 05 1998 80 2 2.5 05 1998 45 8 17.8
108 Chad 01 1997 125 3 2.4 --- --- --- ---
109 Kyrgyzstan 02 2000 43 1 2.3 02 2000 57 5 8.8
" Lebanon 08 1996 128 3 2.3 --- --- --- ---
110 Bhutan N.A. 150 3 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Egypt 11 1995 454 9 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Gambia 01 1997 49 1 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Solomon Islands 08 1997 49 1 2.0 --- --- --- ---
111 Papua New Guinea 06 1997 109 2 1.8 --- --- --- ---
112 Niger 11 1999 83 1 1.2 --- --- --- ---
113 Yemen 04 1997 301 2 0.7 --- --- --- ---
114 Morocco 11 1997 325 2 0.6 12 1997 270 2 0.7
115 Djibouti 12 1997 65 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Jordan 11 1997 80 0 0.0 11 1997 40 3 7.5
" Kuwait 07 1999 65 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Micronesia (Fed. States of) 03 1999 14 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Palau 11 1996 16 0 0.0 11 1996 14 1 7.1
" Tonga 03 1999 30 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Tuvalu 03 1998 12 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" United Arab Emirates 12 1997 40 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Vanuatu 03 1998 52 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
? Dominica 01 2000 32 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? El Salvador 03 2000 84 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Ethiopia 05 2000 546 ? ? 05 2000 108 ? ?
? Greece 04 2000 300 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Haiti 05 2000 83 ? ? 05 2000 27 ? ?
? Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 03 1997 760 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Nauru 04 2000 18 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Peru 04 2000 120 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Suriname 05 2000 51 ? ? --- --- --- ---
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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