Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 28 February 2005

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 28 February 2005. 184 country 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
1Rwanda09 2003803948.809 200326934.6
2Sweden09 200234915845.3------------
3Norway09 20011656338.2------------
4Finland03 20032007537.5------------
5Denmark02 20051796636.9------------
6Netherlands01 20031505536.706 2003752229.3
7Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
8Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
9Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
10Belgium05 20031505234.705 2003712738.0
11Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621727.4
12Argentina10 20012558633.710 2001722433.3
13South Africa (1)04 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
"Germany09 200260119732.8N.A.691318.8
14Guyana03 2001652030.8------------
15Iceland05 2003631930.2------------
16Belarus10 20041093229.411 2004571831.6
"Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
17New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
18Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
19Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
20Bulgaria06 20012406326.3------------
21Timor-Leste (2)08 2001872225.3------------
22Namibia (5)11 2004721825.011 200426726.9
"Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
23Australia (4)10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
24Uganda06 20013057323.9------------
25Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
26Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
27Tunisia10 20041894322.8------------
28Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
29Mexico07 200350011322.607 20001282015.6
30Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
"Lithuania10 20041413122.0------------
31Croatia11 20031523321.7------------
32United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002956321.4------------
33Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20031001818.0
34Canada06 20043086521.1N.A.893337.1
35Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
36Monaco02 200324520.8------------
37Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
38China02 2003298560420.2------------
"Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
39Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
40Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
41Suriname05 2000511019.6------------
42Portugal02 20052264419.5------------
43Dominica01 200031619.4------------
"Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
44Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
45Bolivia06 20021302519.206 200227311.1
"The F.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202319.2------------
"Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
46Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
47Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
48Peru04 20011202218.3------------
49United Kingdom06 200165911918.1N.A.70712617.8
50Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
51Uzbekistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
52Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
53Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2004811012.3
54Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.7N.A.1500.0
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
"Slovakia09 20021502516.7------------
55Cyprus05 200156916.1------------
56Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Singapore11 2001941516.0------------
57Republic of Moldova02 20011011615.8------------
58Philippines05 20042363615.305 200424416.7
59Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"United States of America11 20044346515.011 20041001414.0
"Israel01 20031201815.0------------
60Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
61Andorra03 200128414.3------------
62Greece03 20043004214.0------------
"Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
"Malawi04 20041932714.0------------
63Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
64Gambia01 200253713.2------------
65Republic of Korea04 20042993913.0------------
66Zambia12 20011582012.7------------
67Chile12 20011201512.512 20014824.2
68Niger11 20041131412.4------------
69France06 20025747012.209 20043315616.9
"Slovenia10 2004901112.2------------
70Uruguay10 2004991212.110 20043139.7
71Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Dem. Republic of the Congo08 20035006012.008 200312032.5
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
72Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
73Italy05 20016167111.505 2001321268.1
74Romania11 20043323811.411 2004137139.5
75Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
76Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.112.200111436.4
77Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
78Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.810 200327031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
79El Salvador03 200384910.7------------
80Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
81Kazakhstan09 200477810.409 20043937.7
82Mali07 20021471510.2------------
83Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
84Cambodia07 2003123129.803 199961813.1
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
85Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
86Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
87Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911415.4
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
88Hungary04 2002385359.1------------
"Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
89Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
90BhutanN.A.150138.7------------
91Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
92Congo05 2002129118.506 200260915.0
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
"Fiji08 20017168.508 200132412.5
93India04 2004543458.306 20042422811.6
94Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
95Serbia and Montenegro (3)02 2003126107.9------------
96Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
97Benin03 20038367.2------------
"Thailand02 2005500367.203 20002002110.5
98Japan11 2003480347.107 20042423313.6
"Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
99Madagascar12 2002160116.903 2001901011.1
100Mongolia06 20047456.8------------
101Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
102Chad04 2002155106.5------------
103Albania06 200114096.4------------
104Algeria05 2002389246.212 200314442.8
"Togo10 20028156.2------------
105Samoa03 20014936.1------------
106Nepal05 1999205125.906 20016058.3
107Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
108Honduras11 200112875.5------------
"Jordan06 200311065.511 200355712.7
109Armenia05 200313175.3------------
"Liberia10 20037645.3------------
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
110Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
111Kiribati05 20034224.8------------
"Maldives01 20054224.8------------
112Nigeria04 2003360174.704 200310932.8
113Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
114Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
115Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
116Mauritania10 20018133.704 20025635.4
117Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
118Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
119Egypt11 2000454132.905 2004264186.8
120Oman10 20038322.4200458915.5
121Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
122Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
123Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
124Yemen04 200330110.3------------
125Saudi Arabia05 200112000.0------------
"Bahrain10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"United Arab Emirates02 20034000.0------------
"Solomon Islands12 20015000.0------------
"Kuwait07 20036500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20031400.0------------
"Nauru10 20041800.0------------
"Palau11 20041600.011 2004900.0
"Saint Kitts and Nevis10 20041500.0------------
"Tonga03 20023000.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Kyrgyzstan02 200560??02 200545??
?Tajikistan02 200563??03 200034??
?Turkmenistan12 200450??------------
* Figures correspond to the number of seats currently filled in Parliament

(1) 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

(2) Timor-Leste: The purpose of elections held on 30 August 2001 was to elect members of the Constituent Assembly of Timor-Leste. This body became the National Parliament on 20 May 2002, the date on which the country became independent, without any new elections

(3) Serbia and Montenegro: For the first time since Yugoslavia ceased to exist and the new State, Serbia and Montenegro, was created, indirect elections were held in the two assemblies of the two member states.

(4) Australia: The figures for the Senate reflects its composition to 1 July 2005.

(5) Namibia: The 6 additional non-voting members will be appointed by the President of the Republic after he will be sworn in on 21 March 2005.

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