Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 30 November 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 November 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 200375 2533.3
6Norway09 20011656036.4------------
7Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
8Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
9Belgium05 2003150 5234.705 2003712738.0
10Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621321.0
11Argentina10 2001256 8633.610 2001722433.3
12Germany09 2002601 19732.8N.A.691318.8
"South Africa (1)04 200440013132.804 200454??
13Iceland05 2003631930.2------------
14Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
15Belarus10 2004109 3229.411 2004571831.6
"Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
16New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
17Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
18Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
19Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
20Timor-Leste (2)08 2001882326.1------------
21Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
22Namibia (5)11 200472 1825.011 19982627.7
"Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
23Australia (4)10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
"Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
24Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
25Tunisia10 20041894322.8------------
26Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
27Mexico07 200350011322.607 20001282015.6
28Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
29Pakistan10 20023427421.603 20031001818.0
30United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002956321.4------------
31Canada06 20043086521.1N.A.105 3331.4
32Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
33Monaco02 200324520.8------------
34Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
35Lithuania10 20041412920.6------------
36China03 2003298560420.2------------
"Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
37Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
38Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
"Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
"Luxembourg06 2004601220.0------------
39Dominica01 200031619.4------------
"Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
40Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
41Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
42Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
43Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
44Bolivia06 20021302418.506 200227414.8
45Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
46Peru04 20011202218.3------------
"The F.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202218.3------------
47United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A. 70712617.8
48Croatia11 20031522717.8------------
49Suriname05 200051917.6------------
50Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
51Czech Republic06 20022003417.0 10 200481??
52Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.711 20021500.0
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
"Slovakia09 2002150 2516.7------------
53Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Singapore11 2001941516.0------------
54Angola09 19922203415.5------------
55Philippines05 20042363615.305 200424 416.7
56Israel01 20031201815.0------------
57United States of America11 20044356514.911 20041001414.0
58Malawi04 20041852714.6------------
59Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
60Andorra03 200128414.3------------
61Equatorial Guinea04 2004100 1414.0------------
"Greece03 20043004214.0------------
62Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
63Gambia01 200253713.2------------
64Republic of Korea04 20042993913.0------------
65Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
66Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
67Chile12 20011201512.512 2001 4824.2
68France06 20025747012.209 20043315616.9
"Slovenia10 2004901112.2------------
69Uruguay10 200499??10 200431??
70Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Dem. Republic of the Congo08 20035006012.008 200312032.5
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
71Indonesia04 2004550 6511.8------------
72Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
73Italy05 20016177111.505 2001321268.1
74Botswana10 200463 711.1------------
"Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.112 200111436.4
75Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.810 200327031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
76Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"El Salvador03 200384910.7------------
77Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
78Kazakhstan09 200477810.4 09 20043937.7
79Mali07 20021471510.2------------
80Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
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.15214 9.2------------
"Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911415.4
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
86Malaysia03 2004219209.1 03 2004701825.7
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
87Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
88Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
98Congo05 2002129118.507 200260915.0
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
90India04 2004545 458.306 20042422811.6
91Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
92Serbia and Montenegro (3)02 2003126107.9------------
93Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
94Togo10 20028167.4------------
95Benin03 20038367.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
96Japan11 2003480347.107 2004242 3313.6
"Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
97Mongolia06 200474 56.8------------
98Algeria05 2002389246.212 20031442819.4
99Nigeria04 2003360226.104 200310932.8
"Samoa03 20014936.1------------
100Maldives11 19995036.0------------
101Nepal05 1999205125.906 20016058.3
102Chad04 200215595.8------------
103Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji08 20017045.708 20013226.3
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
104Honduras11 200112875.5------------
"Jordan06 200311065.511 200355712.7
105Liberia10 20037645.3------------
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
106Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
107Kiribati05 20034224.8------------
108Armenia05 200313164.6------------
109Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
110Madagascar12 200216063.803 2001901011.1
"Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
111Mauritania10 20018133.704 20025635.4
112Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
113Belize03 20033013.303 200313323.1
114Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 200429093.1------------
115Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
116Egypt11 2000454112.4 05 2004264186.8
117Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
118Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
119Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
120Yemen04 200330110.3------------
121Bahrain10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"Kuwait07 20036500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20031400.0------------
"Nauru10 200418 00.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.0 11 2004900.0
"Saint Kitts and Nevis10 200415 00.0------------
"Saudi Arabia05 200112000.0------------
"Solomon Islands12 20015000.0------------
"Tonga03 20023000.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates02 20034000.0------------
?Guinea-Bissau03 2004 102??------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Niger11 200483 ??------------
?Romania11 2004345 ??11 2004140??
* 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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