Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 30 April 2004

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 30 April 2004. 183 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 200320630.0
2Sweden09 200234915845.3------------
3Denmark11 20011796838.0------------
4Finland03 20032007537.5------------
5Netherlands01 20031505536.706 2003752432.0
6Norway09 20011656036.4------------
7Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
8Belgium05 20031505335.305 2003712231.0
9Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
10Argentina10 20012568734.010 2001722433.3
11Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621321.0
12South Africa**04 200440013132.806 1999901731.5
13Germany09 200260319432.2N.A.691724.6
14Iceland05 2003631930.2------------
15Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
16Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
17New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
18Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
19Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
20Namibia11 1999721926.411 19982627.7
21Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
22Timor-Leste***08 2001882326.1------------
23Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
24Australia11 20011503825.310 2001762228.9
25Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
26Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
27Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
28Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
29Mexico07 200350011322.607 20001282015.6
30Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
31Pakistan10 20023427421.603 20031001818.0
32United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002956321.4------------
33Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
34Monaco02 200324520.8------------
35Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
36Canada11 20003016220.6N.A.1053432.4
37China03 2003298560420.2------------
"Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
38Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
39Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
"Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
40Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.412 2001311032.3
41Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Slovakia09 20021502919.3------------
42Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
43Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
44Dominica01 200032618.8------------
"Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
45Bolivia06 20021302418.506 200227414.8
46Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
47Peru04 20011202218.3------------
"The f.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202218.3------------
48United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A.67711316.7
49Croatia11 20031522717.8------------
"Philippines05 20012143817.805 200124312.5
50Suriname05 200051917.6------------
51Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
52Botswana10 199947817.0------------
"Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2002811012.3
53Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.711 20021500.0
"Luxembourg06 1999601016.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
54Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Singapore11 2001941516.0------------
55Angola09 19922203415.5------------
56Israel01 20031201815.0------------
57Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
58Andorra03 200128414.3------------
"United States of America11 20024356214.311 20021001313
59Greece03 20043004214.0------------
60Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 200015213.3------------
61Gambia01 200253713.2------------
62Republic of Korea04 20042993913.0------------
63Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
64Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
65Chile12 20011201512.512 20014924.1
66France06 20025747012.209 20013213510.9
"Slovenia10 2000901112.2------------
67Uruguay10 1999991212.110 19993139.7
68Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Dem. Republic of the Congo08 20035006012.008 200312032.5
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
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 20023253510.810 200327031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
73Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"El Salvador03 200384910.7------------
"Romania11 20003453710.711 200014085.7
74Lithuania10 20001411510.6------------
75Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
"Mongolia07 200076810.5------------
76Kazakhstan10 199977810.410 20023925.1
77Belarus10 2000971010.312 2000611931.1
78Mali07 20021471510.2------------
79Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
80Panama05 19997179.9------------
81Cambodia07 2003123129.803 199961813.1
"Hungary04 2002386389.8------------
"Russian Federation12 2003450449.8N.A.17863.4
82Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
83Ghana12 2000200199.5------------
84Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
85BhutanN.A. 150149.5------------
"Malawi06 1999193199.3------------
86Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911213.2
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
87Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
88Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
89Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
90Congo05 2002129118.507 200260915.0
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
91Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
92Serbia and Montenegro****09 2003126107.9------------
93Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
94Togo10 20028167.4------------
95Benin03 20038367.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
96Japan11 2003480347.107 20012473614.6
"Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
97Algeria05 2002389246.212 20031442819.4
98Nigeria04 2003359246.104 200310932.8
"Samoa03 20014936.1------------
99Maldives11 19995036.0------------
100Nepal05 1999205125.906 20016058.3
101Chad04 200215595.8------------
102Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji08 20017045.708 20013226.3
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
103Honduras11 200112875.5------------
"Jordan06 200311065.511 200355712.7
104Antigua and Barbuda03 20041915.303 199917211.8
"Liberia10 20037645.3------------
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
105Kiribati05 20034224.8------------
106Armenia05 200313164.6------------
107Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290134.5------------
108Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
109Madagascar12 200216063.803 2001901011.1
110Mauritania10 20018133.704 20025635.4
111Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
112Belize03 20033013.303 200313323.1
113Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
114Egypt11 2000454112.405 2001264155.7
115Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
116Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
117Vanuatu05 20025211.9------------
118Niger11 19998311.2------------
119Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
120Yemen04 200330110.3------------
121Bahrain10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"Kuwait07 20036500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20031400.0------------
"Nauru05 20031800.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.011 2000900.0
"Saudi Arabia05 200112000.0------------
"Solomon Islands12 20015000.0------------
"Tonga03 20023000.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates12 19974000.0------------
?Comoros04 200433??------------
?Equatorial Guinea04 2004100??------------
?Guinea-Bissau03 2004104??------------
?India04 2004545??11 20022422510.3
?Indonesia04 2004500??------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Malaysia03 2004219??2003542037.0
?Sri Lanka04 2004225??------------
* 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

*** 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

**** 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.

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