Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 28 March 2003

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 March 2003. 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 200234915845.3------------
2Denmark11 20011796838.0------------
3Finland03 20032007537.5------------
3Netherlands01 20031505536.705 1999752026.7
5Norway09 20011656036.4------------
6Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
7Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
8Iceland05 1999632234.9------------
9Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621321.0
10Germany09 200260319432.2N.A.691724.6
11Argentina10 20012577930.710 2001722433.3
12Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
13South Africa**06 199939911929.806 1999891731.5
14Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
15New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
"Spain03 20003509928.303 20002596324.3
16Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
17Grenada01 199915426.701 19991317.7
18Namibia11 1999721926.411 19982627.7
19Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
20Dem. Rep. of East Timor***08 2001882326.1------------
21Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
22Rwanda11 1994741925.7------------
23Australia11 20011503825.310 1998762228.9
24Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
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------------
30Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
31China1997-98298465021.8------------
32Pakistan10 20023427421.602 20031001717.0
33Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
34Monaco02 200324520.8------------
35Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
36Canada11 20003016220.6N.A.1053432.4
37Croatia01 20001513120.504 19976546.2
38Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
39Dem. People's Rep. of Korea07 199868713820.1------------
40Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216??
"Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
41Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.412 2001311032.3
42Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Slovakia09 20021502919.3------------
43Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
44Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
45Dominica01 200032618.8------------
"Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
46Bolivia06 20021302418.506 200227414.8
47Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
48Peru04 20011202217.5------------
"The f.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202218.3------------
49United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A.71311716.4
50Philippines05 20012143817.805 200124312.5
51Suriname05 200051917.6------------
52Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
53Botswana10 199947817.0------------
"Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2002811012.3
54Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.711 20021500.0
"Luxembourg06 1999601016.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
55Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Mexico07 20005008016.007 20001282015.6
56Angola09 19922203415.5------------
57Israel01 20031201815.0------------
58Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
59Andorra03 200128414.3------------
"United States of America11 20024356214.311 20021001313
60Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 200015213.3------------
61Gambia01 200253713.2------------
62Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
63Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
64Chile12 20011201512.512 20014924.1
65France06 20025747012.209 20013213510.9
"Slovenia10 2000901112.2------------
66Uruguay10 1999991212.110 19993139.7
67Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
68Singapore11 2001851011.8------------
69Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
70Italy05 20016187111.505 2001321268.1
"Tunisia10 19991822111.5------------
71Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.112 200111436.4
72Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.89 200127010.4
73Barbados01 199928310.701 199921733.3
"Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"Romania11 20003453710.711 200014085.7
74Lithuania10 20001411510.6------------
75Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
"Mongolia07 200076810.5------------
76Kazakhstan10 199977810.410 20023925.1
"Malaysia11 19991932010.403 1998691826.1
77Belarus10 2000971010.312 2000611931.1
78Mali07 20021471510.2------------
79Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
80Panama05 19997179.9------------
81Hungary04 2002386389.8------------
82Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
83BhutanN.A.150149.3------------
"Congo05 2002129129.307 200260915.0
"Malawi06 1999193189.3------------
84Gabon12 2001119119.202 200391??
"Malta09 19986569.2------------
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
85Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
86Ghana12 2000200189.0------------
87Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
88Guatemala11 1999113108.8------------
"India09 1999543488.811 20022422510.3
89Greece04 2000300268.7------------
90Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
91Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
92Indonesia06 1999500408.0------------
93Guinea-Bissau11 199910287.8------------
"Liberia07 19976457.807 199726519.2
94Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
95Iraq03 2000250197.6------------
"Russian Federation12 1999449347.6N.A.17863.4
96Cambodia07 199812297.403 199961813.1
"Togo10 20028167.4------------
97Japan06 2000480357.307 20012473815.4
98Georgia10 1999235177.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
99Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
100Algeria05 2002389246.212 199714485.6
101Samoa03 20014936.1------------
102Benin03 19998356.0------------
"Maldives11 19995036.0------------
103Nepal05 1999205125.906 200160??
"Republic of Korea04 2000273165.9------------
104Chad04 200215595.8------------
105Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji08 20017045.708 200132??
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
106Honduras11 200112875.5------------
107Antigua and Barbuda03 19991915.303 199917211.8
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
108Equatorial Guinea03 19998045.0------------
109Kiribati12 20024224.8------------
110Sri Lanka12 2001225104.4------------
"Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
111Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2000290124.1------------
112Madagascar12 200216063.803 2001901011.1
113Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
114Belize03 20022913.401 20028??
"Nigeria02 1999351123.402 199910832.8
115Armenia05 199913143.1------------
"Swaziland10 19986523.110 199830413.3
116Marshall Islands11 19993313.0------------
117Paraguay05 19988022.505 199845817.8
118Egypt11 2000454112.4------------
119Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
120Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
121Vanuatu05 20025211.9------------
122Jordan11 19978011.311 19974037.5
123Niger11 19998311.2------------
124Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
125Yemen04 199729920.7------------
126Bahrain10 20024000.0N.A.40512.5
"Kuwait07 19996500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 19991400.0------------
"Nauru04 20001800.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.011 2000900.0
"Solomon Islands12 2001500.00.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates12 19974000------------
?El Salvador03 200384??------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Mauritania10 200181??04 20005611.8
?Serbia and Montenegro****09 2003126??------------
?Tonga03 200230??------------
* 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

**** 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.

Women in politicsHome pageAreas of activityFunctioning and documents