Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 25 November 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 25 November 2002. 181 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
ElectionsSeats*Women% WElectionsSeats*Women% W
1Sweden09 200234915745.0------------
2Denmark11 20011796838.0------------
3Finland03 19992007336.5------------
4Norway09 20011656036.4------------
5Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
6Iceland05 1999632234.9------------
7Netherlands05 20021505134.005 1999752026.7
8Germany09 200260319432.2N.A.691724.6
9Argentina10 20012577930.710 2001722433.3
10Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
11South Africa**06 199939911929.806 1999891731.5
12New Zealand07 20021203529.2------------
13Spain03 20003509928.303 20002596324.3
14Cuba01 199860116627.6------------
15Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
16Grenada01 199915426.701 19991317.7
17Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
18Dem. Rep. of East Timor***08 2001882326.1------------
19Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
20Rwanda11 1994741925.7------------
21Australia11 20011503825.310 1998762228.9
22Namibia11 1999721825.011 19982627.7
23Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
24Seychelles03 199834823.5------------
25Belgium06 19991503523.306 1999712028.2
26Switzerland10 19992004623.010 199946919.6
27Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
28Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
29United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002746122.3------------
30Monaco02 199818422.2------------
31Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
32China1997-98298465021.8------------
33Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
34Canada11 20003016220.6N.A.1053432.4
35Croatia01 20001513120.504 19976546.2
36Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
37Dem. People's Rep. of Korea07 199868713820.1------------
38Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
39Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.412 2001311032.3
40Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
41Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
42Dominica01 200032618.8------------
43Bolivia06 20021302418.506 200227414.8
44Burundi06 19931793318.401 200254??
45Peru04 20011202217.5------------
46Latvia10 20021001818.0------------
47United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A.71311716.4
48Estonia03 19991011817.8------------
"Philippines05 20012143817.805 200124312.5
49Suriname05 200051917.6------------
50The f.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202117.5------------
51Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
52Botswana10 199947817.0------------
"Czech Republic06 20022003417.011 2000811012.3
53Luxembourg06 1999601016.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
54Mexico07 20005008016.007 20001282015.6
55Angola09 19922203415.5------------
56Andorra03 200128414.3------------
57Israel05 19991201714.2------------
58United States of America11 20024356013.811 20021001313
59Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 200015213.3------------
60Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
61Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
62Chile12 20011201512.512 20014924.1
63Slovenia10 2000901112.2------------
64France06 20025777012.109 20013213510.9
"Uruguay10 1999991212.110 19993139.7
65Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
66Singapore11 2001851011.8------------
67Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
68Tunisia10 19991822111.5------------
69Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.105 199711218.2
70Morocco09 20023253510.89 200127010.4
71Barbados01 199928310.701 199921733.3
"Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"Romania11 20003453710.711 200014085.7
72Lithuania10 20001411510.6------------
73Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
"Mongolia07 200076810.5------------
74Kazakhstan10 199977810.409 199939512.8
"Malaysia11 19991932010.403 1998691826.1
"Syrian Arab Republic11 19982502610.4------------
75Belarus10 2000971010.312 2000611931.1
76Mali07 20021471510.2------------
77Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
78Panama05 19997179.9------------
79Italy05 2001630629.805 2001321257.8
80Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
81El Salvador03 20008489.5------------
82BhutanN.A.150149.3------------
"Malawi06 1999193189.3------------
83Gabon12 2001119119.201 1997911213.2
"Malta09 19986569.2------------
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
84Hungary04 2002386359.1------------
85Ghana12 2000200189.0------------
86Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
87Guatemala11 1999113108.8------------
"India09 1999543488.803 2000242229.1
88Greece04 2000300268.7------------
89Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
90Indonesia06 1999500408.0------------
91Guinea-Bissau11 199910287.8------------
"Liberia07 19976457.807 199726519.2
92Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
93Iraq03 2000250197.6------------
"Russian Federation12 1999449347.6N.A.17863.4
94Madagascar05 1998160127.503 200190??
95Cambodia07 199812297.403 199961813.1
96Central African Republic11 199810987.3------------
"Japan06 2000480357.307 20012473815.4
97Georgia10 1999235177.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
"Yugoslavia09 2000138107.209 20004012.5
98Belize08 19982926.906 19938337.5
99Algeria05 2002389246.212 199714485.6
100Samoa03 20014936.1------------
101Benin03 19998356.0------------
"Maldives11 19995036.0------------
102Nepal05 1999205125.906 200160??
"Republic of Korea04 2000273165.9------------
103Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji Islands08 20017045.708 200132??
"Gambia01 20025335.7------------
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
104Honduras11 200112875.5------------
105Antigua and Barbuda03 19991915.303 199917211.8
106Equatorial Guinea03 19998045.0------------
107Togo10 20028144.9------------
108Kiribati09 19984224.8------------
109Sri Lanka12 2001225104.4------------
110Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2000290124.1------------
111Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
"Kenya12 199722483.6------------
112Nigeria02 1999351123.402 199910832.8
113Armenia05 199913143.1------------
"Swaziland10 19986523.110 199830413.3
114Marshall Islands11 19993313.0------------
115Paraguay05 19988022.505 199845817.8
116Egypt11 2000454112.4------------
117Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
118Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
119Vanuatu05 20025211.9------------
120Jordan11 19978011.311 19974037.5
121Niger11 19998311.2------------
122Yemen04 199729920.7------------
123Djibouti12 19976500.0------------
"Kuwait07 19996500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 19991400.0------------
"Nauru04 20001800.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.011 2000900.0
"Solomon Islands12 20015000.0------------
"United Arab Emirates12 19974000------------
?Austria11 2002183??N.A.641320.3
?Bahamas05 200240??05 200216??
?Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242??11 20001500.0
?Brazil10 2002513??10 200280??
?Chad04 2002155??------------
?Congo05 2002137??07 200260??
?Ecuador10 2002123??------------
?Guinea06 2002114??------------
?Jamaica10 200260??10 200221??
?Lesotho05 2002120??05 199833927.3
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Mauritania10 200181??04 20005611.8
?Pakistan10 2002342??10 200292??
?Papua New Guinea06 2002109??------------
?Sao Tome and Principe03 200255??------------
?Sierra Leone05 200280??------------
?Slovakia09 2002150??------------
?Tonga03 200230??------------
?Turkey11 2002550??------------
?Tuvalu07 200215??------------
?Ukraine03 2002450??------------
* Figures correspond to the number of seats currently filled in Parliament

** 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

*** Democratic Republic of East Timor: The purpose of elections held on 30 August 2001 was to elect members of the Constituent Assembly of East Timor. This body became the National Parliament on 20 May 2002, the date on which the country became independent, without any new elections.

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