Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 20 May 2001

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 20 May 2001. 178 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 N.A. 69 17 24.6
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 54 17 31.5
11 Spain 03 2000 350 99 28.3 03 2000 259 63 24.3
12 Cuba 01 1998 601 166 27.6 --- --- --- ---
13 Austria 10 1999 183 49 26.8 N.A. 64 13 20.3
14 Grenada 01 1999 15 4 26.7 01 1999 13 1 7.7
15 Argentina 10 1999 257 68 26.5 12 1998 72 2 2.8
16 Turkmenistan 12 1999 50 13 26.0 --- --- --- ---
" Viet Nam 07 1997 450 117 26.0 --- --- --- ---
17 Rwanda 11 1994 74 19 25.7 --- --- --- ---
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 Australia 10 1998 148 34 23.0 10 1998 76 22 28.9
" Switzerland 10 1999 200 46 23.0 10 1999 46 9 19.6
22 United Rep. of Tanzania 10 2000 274 61 22.3 --- --- --- ---
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 Canada 11 2000 301 62 20.6 N.A. 105 34 32.4
27 Croatia 01 2000 151 31 20.5 04 1997 65 4 6.2
28 Dem. People's Rep. of Korea 07 1998 687 138 20.1 --- --- --- ---
29 Costa Rica 02 1998 57 11 19.3 --- --- --- ---
30 Dominica 01 2000 32 6 18.8 --- --- --- ---
31 Portugal 10 1999 230 43 18.7 --- --- --- ---
32 Guyana 12 1997 65 12 18.5 --- --- --- ---
33 United Kingdom 05 1997 659 120 18.2 N.A. 666 104 15.6
34 Estonia 03 1999 101 18 17.8 --- --- --- ---
35 Uganda 06 1996 281 50 17.8 --- --- --- ---
36 Suriname 05 2000 51 9 17.6 --- --- --- ---
" Botswana 10 1999 47 8 17.0 --- --- --- ---
" Latvia 10 1998 100 17 17.0 --- --- --- ---
37 Luxembourg 06 1999 60 10 16.7 --- --- --- ---
" Senegal 04 2001 120 20 16.7 --- --- --- ---
38 Dominican Republic 05 1998 149 24 16.1 05 1998 30 2 6.7
39 Mexico 07 2000 500 80 16.0 07 2000 128 20 15.6
40 Angola 09 1992 220 34 15.5 --- --- --- ---
41 Bahamas 03 1997 40 6 15.0 03 1997 16 5 31.3
" Czech Republic 06 1998 200 30 15.0 11 2000 81 10 12.3
42 Eritrea 02 1994 150 22 14.7 --- --- --- ---
43 Ecuador 05 1998 123 18 14.6 --- --- --- ---
44 Burundi 06 1993 118 17 14.4 --- --- --- ---
45 Slovakia 09 1998 150 21 14.0 --- --- --- ---
" United States of America 11 2000 435 61 14.0 11 2000 100 13 13.0
46 Israel 05 1999 120 16 13.3 --- --- --- ---
" Jamaica 12 1997 60 8 13.3 12 1997 21 5 23.8
" Saint Kitts and Nevis 03 2000 15 2 13.3 --- --- --- ---
" San Marino 05 1998 60 8 13.3 --- --- --- ---
47 Poland 09 1997 460 60 13.0 09 1997 100 11 11.0
48 Tajikistan 02 2000 63 8 12.7 03 2000 34 4 11.8
49 Mali 07 1997 147 18 12.2 --- --- --- ---
" Slovenia 10 2000 90 11 12.2 --- --- --- ---
50 Uruguay 10 1999 99 12 12.1 10 1999 31 3 9.7
51 Congo 01 1998 75 9 12.0 --- --- --- ---
" Ireland 06 1997 166 20 12.0 08 1997 60 11 18.3
52 Colombia 03 1998 161 19 11.8 03 1998 102 13 12.7
53 Bolivia 06 1997 130 15 11.5 06 1997 27 1 3.7
" Tunisia 10 1999 182 21 11.5 --- --- --- ---
54 Cape Verde 01 2001 72 8 11.1 --- --- --- ---
" Saint Lucia 05 1997 18 2 11.1 05 1997 11 2 18.2
" Trinidad and Tobago 12 2000 36 4 11.1 11 1995 31 10 32.3
55 France 05 1997 577 63 10.9 09 1998 321 19 5.9
56 Bulgaria 04 1997 240 26 10.8 --- --- --- ---
" Chile 12 1997 120 13 10.8 12 1997 48 2 4.2
57 Barbados 01 1999 28 3 10.7 01 1999 21 7 33.3
" Romania 11 2000 345 37 10.7 11 2000 140 11 7.9
58 Lithuania 10 2000 141 15 10.6 --- --- --- ---
59 Azerbaijan 11 2000 124 13 10.5 --- --- --- ---
" Mongolia 07 2000 76 8 10.5 --- --- --- ---
60 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 --- --- --- ---
61 Belarus 10 2000 97 10 10.3 12 2000 61 19 31.1
62 Zambia 11 1996 158 16 10.1 --- --- --- ---
63 Kyrgyzstan 02 2000 60 6 10.0 02 2000 45 1 2.2
" Zimbabwe 06 2000 150 15 10.0 --- --- --- ---
64 Panama 05 1999 71 7 9.9 --- --- --- ---
65 Italy 05 2001 630 62 9.8 05 2001 326 25 7.7
66 Nicaragua 10 1996 93 9 9.7 --- --- --- ---
" Sudan 12 2000 360 35 9.7 --- --- --- ---
" Venezuela 07 2000 165 16 9.7 --- --- --- ---
67 El Salvador 03 2000 84 8 9.5 --- --- --- ---
68 Honduras 11 1997 128 12 9.4 --- --- --- ---
69 Bhutan N.A. 150 14 9.3 --- --- --- ---
" Malawi 06 1999 193 18 9.3 --- --- --- ---
70 Gabon 12 1996 120 11 9.2 01 1997 91 12 13.2
" Malta 09 1998 65 6 9.2 --- --- --- ---
" Thailand 01 2001 500 46 9.2 03 2000 200 21 10.5
71 Bangladesh 06 1996 330 30 9.1 --- --- --- ---
" Sao Tome and Principe 11 1998 55 5 9.1 --- --- --- ---
72 Ghana 12 2000 200 18 9.0 --- --- --- ---
73 Republic of Moldova 02 2001 101 9 8.9 --- --- --- ---
74 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 --- --- --- ---
75 Greece 04 2000 300 26 8.7 --- --- --- ---
76 Cote d'Ivoire 12 2000 223 19 8.5 --- --- --- ---
77 Hungary 05 1998 386 32 8.3 --- --- --- ---
78 Burkina Faso 05 1997 111 9 8.1 12 1995 162 21 13.0
79 Indonesia 06 1999 500 40 8.0 --- --- --- ---
" Madagascar 05 1998 150 12 8.0 --- --- --- ---
80 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 --- --- --- ---
" Ethiopia 05 2000 547 42 7.7 05 2000 120 10 8.3
82 Iraq 03 2000 250 19 7.6 --- --- --- ---
" Russian Federation 12 1999 449 34 7.6 N.A. 178 1 0.6
83 Cambodia 07 1998 122 9 7.4 03 1999 61 8 13.1
84 Central African Republic 11 1998 109 8 7.3 --- --- --- ---
" Japan 06 2000 480 35 7.3 07 1998 242 43 17.8
85 Georgia 10 1999 235 17 7.2 --- --- --- ---
" Uzbekistan 12 1999 250 18 7.2 --- --- --- ---
" Yugoslavia 09 2000 138 10 7.2 09 2000 40 1 2.5
86 Bosnia and Herzegovina 11 2000 42 3 7.1 11 2000 15 0 0.0
" Cyprus 05 1996 56 4 7.1 --- --- --- ---
87 Belize 08 1998 29 2 6.9 08 1998 8 3 37.5
88 The F.Y.R. of Macedonia 10 1998 120 8 6.7 --- --- --- ---
89 Singapore 01 1997 93 6 6.5 --- --- --- ---
90 Samoa 03 2001 49 3 6.1 --- --- --- ---
91 Benin 03 1999 83 5 6.0 --- --- --- ---
" Maldives 11 1999 50 3 6.0 --- --- --- ---
92 Nepal 05 1999 205 12 5.9 06 1999 60 9 15.0
" Republic of Korea 04 2000 273 16 5.9 --- --- --- ---
93 Brazil 10 1998 513 29 5.7 10 1998 81 6 7.4
" Mauritius 09 2000 70 4 5.7 --- --- --- ---
94 Cameroon 05 1997 180 10 5.6 --- --- --- ---
95 Antigua and Barbuda 03 1999 19 1 5.3 03 1999 17 2 11.8
96 Albania 06 1997 155 8 5.2 --- --- --- ---
97 Equatorial Guinea 03 1999 80 4 5.0 --- --- --- ---
98 Togo 03 1999 81 4 4.9 --- --- --- ---
99 Kiribati 09 1998 42 2 4.8 --- --- --- ---
100 Turkey 04 1999 550 23 4.2 --- --- --- ---
101 Sri Lanka 10 2000 225 9 4.0 --- --- --- ---
102 Lesotho 05 1998 79 3 3.8 05 1998 33 9 27.3
" Mauritania 10 1996 79 3 3.8 04 2000 56 1 1.8
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 --- --- --- ---
" Egypt 11 2000 454 11 2.4 --- --- --- ---
109 Lebanon 08 2000 128 3 2.3 --- --- --- ---
110 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 Jordan 11 1997 80 1 1.3 11 1997 40 3 7.5
113 Niger 11 1999 83 1 1.2 --- --- --- ---
114 Yemen 04 1997 299 2 0.7 --- --- --- ---
115 Morocco 11 1997 325 2 0.6 12 1997 270 2 0.7
116 Djibouti 12 1997 65 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Kuwait 07 1999 65 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Micronesia (Fed. States of) 03 1999 14 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Nauru 04 2000 18 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Palau 11 2000 16 0 0.0 11 2000 9 0 0.0
" Tonga 03 1999 30 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Tuvalu 03 1998 15 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" United Arab Emirates 12 1997 40 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Vanuatu 03 1998 52 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
? Andorra 03 2001 28 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Haiti 05 2000 82 ? ? 05 2000 19 ? ?
? Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 03 1997 760 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Liechtenstein 02 2001 25 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Peru 04 2001 120 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Philippines 05 2001 222 ? ? 05 2001 23 ? ?
? Saint Vincent & the Grenadines 03 2001 21 ? ? --- --- --- ---
* 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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