Situation as of 28 February 2005 |
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. | ||
New: you can now consult an archive of statistical data on women in National Parliaments. |
Rank | Country | Lower or single House | Upper House or Senate | ||||||
Elections | Seats* | Women | % W | Elections | Seats* | Women | % W | ||
1 | Rwanda | 09 2003 | 80 | 39 | 48.8 | 09 2003 | 26 | 9 | 34.6 |
2 | Sweden | 09 2002 | 349 | 158 | 45.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
3 | Norway | 09 2001 | 165 | 63 | 38.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
4 | Finland | 03 2003 | 200 | 75 | 37.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
5 | Denmark | 02 2005 | 179 | 66 | 36.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
6 | Netherlands | 01 2003 | 150 | 55 | 36.7 | 06 2003 | 75 | 22 | 29.3 |
7 | Cuba | 01 2003 | 609 | 219 | 36.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Spain | 03 2004 | 350 | 126 | 36.0 | 03 2004 | 259 | 60 | 23.2 |
8 | Costa Rica | 02 2002 | 57 | 20 | 35.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
9 | Mozambique | 12 2004 | 250 | 87 | 34.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
10 | Belgium | 05 2003 | 150 | 52 | 34.7 | 05 2003 | 71 | 27 | 38.0 |
11 | Austria | 11 2002 | 183 | 62 | 33.9 | N.A. | 62 | 17 | 27.4 |
12 | Argentina | 10 2001 | 255 | 86 | 33.7 | 10 2001 | 72 | 24 | 33.3 |
13 | South Africa (1) | 04 2004 | 400 | 131 | 32.8 | 04 2004 | 54 | 18 | 33.3 |
" | Germany | 09 2002 | 601 | 197 | 32.8 | N.A. | 69 | 13 | 18.8 |
14 | Guyana | 03 2001 | 65 | 20 | 30.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
15 | Iceland | 05 2003 | 63 | 19 | 30.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
16 | Belarus | 10 2004 | 109 | 32 | 29.4 | 11 2004 | 57 | 18 | 31.6 |
" | Seychelles | 12 2002 | 34 | 10 | 29.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
17 | New Zealand | 07 2002 | 120 | 34 | 28.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
18 | Viet Nam | 05 2002 | 498 | 136 | 27.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
19 | Grenada | 11 2003 | 15 | 4 | 26.7 | 11 2003 | 13 | 4 | 30.8 |
20 | Bulgaria | 06 2001 | 240 | 63 | 26.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
21 | Timor-Leste (2) | 08 2001 | 87 | 22 | 25.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
22 | Namibia (5) | 11 2004 | 72 | 18 | 25.0 | 11 2004 | 26 | 7 | 26.9 |
" | Switzerland | 10 2003 | 200 | 50 | 25.0 | 10 2003 | 46 | 11 | 23.9 |
23 | Australia (4) | 10 2004 | 150 | 37 | 24.7 | 10 2004 | 76 | 27 | 35.5 |
24 | Uganda | 06 2001 | 305 | 73 | 23.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
25 | Luxembourg | 06 2004 | 60 | 14 | 23.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
26 | Lao People's Democratic Rep. | 02 2002 | 109 | 25 | 22.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
27 | Tunisia | 10 2004 | 189 | 43 | 22.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
28 | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 03 2001 | 22 | 5 | 22.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
29 | Mexico | 07 2003 | 500 | 113 | 22.6 | 07 2000 | 128 | 20 | 15.6 |
30 | Eritrea | 02 1994 | 150 | 33 | 22.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Lithuania | 10 2004 | 141 | 31 | 22.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
31 | Croatia | 11 2003 | 152 | 33 | 21.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
32 | United Rep. of Tanzania | 10 2000 | 295 | 63 | 21.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
33 | Pakistan | 10 2002 | 342 | 73 | 21.3 | 03 2003 | 100 | 18 | 18.0 |
34 | Canada | 06 2004 | 308 | 65 | 21.1 | N.A. | 89 | 33 | 37.1 |
35 | Latvia | 10 2002 | 100 | 21 | 21.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
36 | Monaco | 02 2003 | 24 | 5 | 20.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
37 | Nicaragua | 11 2001 | 92 | 19 | 20.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
38 | China | 02 2003 | 2985 | 604 | 20.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Poland | 09 2001 | 460 | 93 | 20.2 | 09 2001 | 100 | 23 | 23.0 |
39 | Dem. People's Rep. of Korea | 08 2003 | 687 | 138 | 20.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
40 | Bahamas | 05 2002 | 40 | 8 | 20.0 | 05 2002 | 16 | 7 | 43.8 |
41 | Suriname | 05 2000 | 51 | 10 | 19.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
42 | Portugal | 02 2005 | 226 | 44 | 19.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
43 | Dominica | 01 2000 | 31 | 6 | 19.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Trinidad and Tobago | 10 2002 | 36 | 7 | 19.4 | 10 2002 | 31 | 10 | 32.3 |
44 | Guinea | 06 2002 | 114 | 22 | 19.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
45 | Bolivia | 06 2002 | 130 | 25 | 19.2 | 06 2002 | 27 | 3 | 11.1 |
" | The F.Y.R. of Macedonia | 09 2002 | 120 | 23 | 19.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Senegal | 04 2001 | 120 | 23 | 19.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
46 | Estonia | 03 2003 | 101 | 19 | 18.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
47 | Burundi | 06 1993 | 179 | 33 | 18.4 | 01 2002 | 53 | 10 | 18.9 |
48 | Peru | 04 2001 | 120 | 22 | 18.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
49 | United Kingdom | 06 2001 | 659 | 119 | 18.1 | N.A. | 707 | 126 | 17.8 |
50 | Equatorial Guinea | 04 2004 | 100 | 18 | 18.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
51 | Uzbekistan | 12 2004 | 120 | 21 | 17.5 | 01 2005 | 100 | 15 | 15.0 |
52 | Dominican Republic | 05 2002 | 150 | 26 | 17.3 | 05 2002 | 32 | 2 | 6.3 |
53 | Czech Republic | 06 2002 | 200 | 34 | 17.0 | 10 2004 | 81 | 10 | 12.3 |
54 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10 2002 | 42 | 7 | 16.7 | N.A. | 15 | 0 | 0.0 |
" | Panama | 05 2004 | 78 | 13 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | San Marino | 06 2001 | 60 | 10 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Slovakia | 09 2002 | 150 | 25 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
55 | Cyprus | 05 2001 | 56 | 9 | 16.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
56 | Ecuador | 10 2002 | 100 | 16 | 16.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Singapore | 11 2001 | 94 | 15 | 16.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
57 | Republic of Moldova | 02 2001 | 101 | 16 | 15.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
58 | Philippines | 05 2004 | 236 | 36 | 15.3 | 05 2004 | 24 | 4 | 16.7 |
59 | Angola | 09 1992 | 220 | 33 | 15.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | United States of America | 11 2004 | 434 | 65 | 15.0 | 11 2004 | 100 | 14 | 14.0 |
" | Israel | 01 2003 | 120 | 18 | 15.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
60 | Sierra Leone | 05 2002 | 124 | 18 | 14.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
61 | Andorra | 03 2001 | 28 | 4 | 14.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
62 | Greece | 03 2004 | 300 | 42 | 14.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Guinea-Bissau | 03 2004 | 100 | 14 | 14.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malawi | 04 2004 | 193 | 27 | 14.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
63 | Barbados | 05 2003 | 30 | 4 | 13.3 | 05 2003 | 21 | 5 | 23.8 |
" | Ireland | 05 2002 | 166 | 22 | 13.3 | 07 2002 | 60 | 10 | 16.7 |
64 | Gambia | 01 2002 | 53 | 7 | 13.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
65 | Republic of Korea | 04 2004 | 299 | 39 | 13.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
66 | Zambia | 12 2001 | 158 | 20 | 12.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
67 | Chile | 12 2001 | 120 | 15 | 12.5 | 12 2001 | 48 | 2 | 4.2 |
68 | Niger | 11 2004 | 113 | 14 | 12.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
69 | France | 06 2002 | 574 | 70 | 12.2 | 09 2004 | 331 | 56 | 16.9 |
" | Slovenia | 10 2004 | 90 | 11 | 12.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
70 | Uruguay | 10 2004 | 99 | 12 | 12.1 | 10 2004 | 31 | 3 | 9.7 |
71 | Colombia | 03 2002 | 166 | 20 | 12.0 | 03 2002 | 102 | 9 | 8.8 |
" | Liechtenstein | 02 2001 | 25 | 3 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Dem. Republic of the Congo | 08 2003 | 500 | 60 | 12.0 | 08 2003 | 120 | 3 | 2.5 |
" | Syrian Arab Republic | 03 2003 | 250 | 30 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
72 | Burkina Faso | 05 2002 | 111 | 13 | 11.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Jamaica | 10 2002 | 60 | 7 | 11.7 | 10 2002 | 21 | 4 | 19.0 |
" | Lesotho | 05 2002 | 120 | 14 | 11.7 | N.A. | 33 | 12 | 36.4 |
73 | Italy | 05 2001 | 616 | 71 | 11.5 | 05 2001 | 321 | 26 | 8.1 |
74 | Romania | 11 2004 | 332 | 38 | 11.4 | 11 2004 | 137 | 13 | 9.5 |
75 | Indonesia | 04 2004 | 550 | 62 | 11.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
76 | Botswana | 10 2004 | 63 | 7 | 11.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Cape Verde | 01 2001 | 72 | 8 | 11.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Saint Lucia | 12 2001 | 18 | 2 | 11.1 | 12.2001 | 11 | 4 | 36.4 |
77 | Ghana | 12 2004 | 230 | 25 | 10.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
78 | Djibouti | 01 2003 | 65 | 7 | 10.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Morocco | 09 2002 | 325 | 35 | 10.8 | 10 2003 | 270 | 3 | 1.1 |
" | Swaziland | 10 2003 | 65 | 7 | 10.8 | 10 2003 | 30 | 9 | 30.0 |
79 | El Salvador | 03 2003 | 84 | 9 | 10.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
80 | Antigua and Barbuda | 03 2004 | 19 | 2 | 10.5 | 03 2004 | 17 | 3 | 17.6 |
" | Azerbaijan | 11 2000 | 124 | 13 | 10.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
81 | Kazakhstan | 09 2004 | 77 | 8 | 10.4 | 09 2004 | 39 | 3 | 7.7 |
82 | Mali | 07 2002 | 147 | 15 | 10.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
83 | Paraguay | 04 2003 | 80 | 8 | 10.0 | 04 2003 | 45 | 4 | 8.9 |
" | Zimbabwe | 06 2000 | 150 | 15 | 10.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
84 | Cambodia | 07 2003 | 123 | 12 | 9.8 | 03 1999 | 61 | 8 | 13.1 |
" | Russian Federation | 12 2003 | 447 | 44 | 9.8 | N.A. | 178 | 6 | 3.4 |
85 | Sudan | 12 2000 | 360 | 35 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Venezuela | 07 2000 | 165 | 16 | 9.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
86 | Georgia | 03 2004 | 235 | 22 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
87 | Gabon | 12 2001 | 119 | 11 | 9.2 | 02 2003 | 91 | 14 | 15.4 |
" | Malta | 04 2003 | 65 | 6 | 9.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
88 | Hungary | 04 2002 | 385 | 35 | 9.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Malaysia | 03 2004 | 219 | 20 | 9.1 | 03 2004 | 70 | 18 | 25.7 |
" | Sao Tome and Principe | 03 2002 | 55 | 5 | 9.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
89 | Cameroon | 06 2002 | 180 | 16 | 8.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
90 | Bhutan | N.A. | 150 | 13 | 8.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
91 | Brazil | 10 2002 | 513 | 44 | 8.6 | 10 2002 | 81 | 10 | 12.3 |
92 | Congo | 05 2002 | 129 | 11 | 8.5 | 06 2002 | 60 | 9 | 15.0 |
" | Cote d'Ivoire | 12 2000 | 223 | 19 | 8.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Fiji | 08 2001 | 71 | 6 | 8.5 | 08 2001 | 32 | 4 | 12.5 |
93 | India | 04 2004 | 543 | 45 | 8.3 | 06 2004 | 242 | 28 | 11.6 |
94 | Guatemala | 11 2003 | 158 | 13 | 8.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
95 | Serbia and Montenegro (3) | 02 2003 | 126 | 10 | 7.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
96 | Ethiopia | 05 2000 | 547 | 42 | 7.7 | 05 2000 | 120 | 10 | 8.3 |
97 | Benin | 03 2003 | 83 | 6 | 7.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Thailand | 02 2005 | 500 | 36 | 7.2 | 03 2000 | 200 | 21 | 10.5 |
98 | Japan | 11 2003 | 480 | 34 | 7.1 | 07 2004 | 242 | 33 | 13.6 |
" | Kenya | 12 2002 | 224 | 16 | 7.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
99 | Madagascar | 12 2002 | 160 | 11 | 6.9 | 03 2001 | 90 | 10 | 11.1 |
100 | Mongolia | 06 2004 | 74 | 5 | 6.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
101 | Belize | 03 2003 | 30 | 2 | 6.7 | 03 2003 | 12 | 3 | 25.0 |
102 | Chad | 04 2002 | 155 | 10 | 6.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
103 | Albania | 06 2001 | 140 | 9 | 6.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
104 | Algeria | 05 2002 | 389 | 24 | 6.2 | 12 2003 | 144 | 4 | 2.8 |
" | Togo | 10 2002 | 81 | 5 | 6.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
105 | Samoa | 03 2001 | 49 | 3 | 6.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
106 | Nepal | 05 1999 | 205 | 12 | 5.9 | 06 2001 | 60 | 5 | 8.3 |
107 | Mauritius | 09 2000 | 70 | 4 | 5.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
108 | Honduras | 11 2001 | 128 | 7 | 5.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Jordan | 06 2003 | 110 | 6 | 5.5 | 11 2003 | 55 | 7 | 12.7 |
109 | Armenia | 05 2003 | 131 | 7 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Liberia | 10 2003 | 76 | 4 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Ukraine | 03 2002 | 450 | 24 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
110 | Sri Lanka | 04 2004 | 225 | 11 | 4.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
111 | Kiribati | 05 2003 | 42 | 2 | 4.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Maldives | 01 2005 | 42 | 2 | 4.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
112 | Nigeria | 04 2003 | 360 | 17 | 4.7 | 04 2003 | 109 | 3 | 2.8 |
113 | Turkey | 11 2002 | 550 | 24 | 4.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
114 | Iran (Islamic Rep. of) | 02 2004 | 290 | 12 | 4.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
115 | Vanuatu | 07 2004 | 52 | 2 | 3.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
116 | Mauritania | 10 2001 | 81 | 3 | 3.7 | 04 2002 | 56 | 3 | 5.4 |
117 | Haiti | 05 2000 | 83 | 3 | 3.6 | 05 2000 | 27 | 7 | 25.9 |
118 | Comoros | 04 2004 | 33 | 1 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Marshall Islands | 11 2003 | 33 | 1 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
119 | Egypt | 11 2000 | 454 | 13 | 2.9 | 05 2004 | 264 | 18 | 6.8 |
120 | Oman | 10 2003 | 83 | 2 | 2.4 | 2004 | 58 | 9 | 15.5 |
121 | Lebanon | 08 2000 | 128 | 3 | 2.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
122 | Bangladesh | 10 2001 | 300 | 6 | 2.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
123 | Papua New Guinea | 06 2002 | 109 | 1 | 0.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
124 | Yemen | 04 2003 | 301 | 1 | 0.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
125 | Saudi Arabia | 05 2001 | 120 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Bahrain | 10 2002 | 40 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 2002 | 40 | 6 | 15.0 |
" | United Arab Emirates | 02 2003 | 40 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Solomon Islands | 12 2001 | 50 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Kuwait | 07 2003 | 65 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 03 2003 | 14 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Nauru | 10 2004 | 18 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Palau | 11 2004 | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 2004 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
" | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 10 2004 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Tonga | 03 2002 | 30 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Tuvalu | 07 2002 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 03 1997 | 760 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
? | Kyrgyzstan | 02 2005 | 60 | ? | ? | 02 2005 | 45 | ? | ? |
? | Tajikistan | 02 2005 | 63 | ? | ? | 03 2000 | 34 | ? | ? |
? | Turkmenistan | 12 2004 | 50 | ? | ? | --- | --- | --- | --- |
* 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. |