Situation as of 31 January 2007 |
The data in the table below has been compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the basis of information provided by National Parliaments by 31 January 2007. 189 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 2006 | 349 | 165 | 47.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
3 | Costa Rica | 02 2006 | 57 | 22 | 38.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
4 | Finland | 03 2003 | 200 | 76 | 38.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
5 | Norway | 09 2005 | 169 | 64 | 37.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
6 | Denmark | 02 2005 | 179 | 66 | 36.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
7 | Netherlands | 11 2006 | 150 | 55 | 36.7 | 06 2003 | 75 | 22 | 29.3 |
8 | Cuba | 01 2003 | 609 | 219 | 36.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Spain | 03 2004 | 350 | 126 | 36.0 | 03 2004 | 259 | 60 | 23.2 |
9 | Argentina | 10 2005 | 257 | 90 | 35.0 | 10 2005 | 72 | 31 | 43.1 |
10 | Mozambique | 12 2004 | 250 | 87 | 34.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
11 | Belgium | 05 2003 | 150 | 52 | 34.7 | 05 2003 | 71 | 27 | 38.0 |
12 | Iceland | 05 2003 | 63 | 21 | 33.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
13 | South Africa 1 | 04 2004 | 400 | 131 | 32.8 | 04 2004 | 54 | 18 | 33.3 |
14 | Austria | 10 2006 | 183 | 59 | 32.2 | N.A. | 62 | 17 | 27.4 |
" | New Zealand | 09 2005 | 121 | 39 | 32.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
15 | Germany | 09 2005 | 614 | 194 | 31.6 | N.A. | 69 | 15 | 21.7 |
16 | Burundi | 07 2005 | 118 | 36 | 30.5 | 07 2005 | 49 | 17 | 34.7 |
17 | United Rep. of Tanzania | 12 2005 | 319 | 97 | 30.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
18 | Uganda | 02 2006 | 332 | 99 | 29.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
19 | Seychelles | 12 2002 | 34 | 10 | 29.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
20 | Peru | 04 2006 | 120 | 35 | 29.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
21 | Belarus | 10 2004 | 110 | 32 | 29.1 | 11 2004 | 58 | 18 | 31.0 |
22 | Guyana | 08 2006 | 69 | 20 | 29.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
23 | Andorra | 04 2005 | 28 | 8 | 28.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
24 | The F.Y.R. of Macedonia | 07 2006 | 120 | 34 | 28.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
25 | Afghanistan | 09 2005 | 249 | 68 | 27.3 | 09 2005 | 102 | 23 | 22.5 |
" | Viet Nam | 05 2002 | 498 | 136 | 27.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
26 | Namibia | 11 2004 | 78 | 21 | 26.9 | 11 2004 | 26 | 7 | 26.9 |
27 | Grenada | 11 2003 | 15 | 4 | 26.7 | 11 2003 | 13 | 4 | 30.8 |
28 | Iraq | 12 2005 | 275 | 70 | 25.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Suriname | 05 2005 | 51 | 13 | 25.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
29 | Timor-Leste | 08 2001 | 87 | 22 | 25.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
30 | Lao People's Democratic Rep. | 04 2006 | 115 | 29 | 25.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
31 | Ecuador | 10 2006 | 100 | 25 | 25.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Switzerland | 10 2003 | 200 | 50 | 25.0 | 10 2003 | 46 | 11 | 23.9 |
32 | Lithuania | 10 2004 | 141 | 35 | 24.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
33 | Australia | 10 2004 | 150 | 37 | 24.7 | 10 2004 | 76 | 27 | 35.5 |
34 | Singapore | 05 2006 | 94 | 23 | 24.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
35 | Liechtenstein | 03 2005 | 25 | 6 | 24.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
36 | Honduras | 11 2005 | 128 | 30 | 23.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
37 | Luxembourg | 06 2004 | 60 | 14 | 23.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
38 | Tunisia | 10 2004 | 189 | 43 | 22.8 | 07 2005 | 112 | 15 | 13.4 |
39 | Mexico | 07 2006 | 500 | 113 | 22.6 | 07 2006 | 128 | 22 | 17.2 |
40 | United Arab Emirates | 12 2006 | 40 | 9 | 22.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
41 | Bulgaria | 06 2005 | 240 | 53 | 22.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
42 | Eritrea | 02 1994 | 150 | 33 | 22.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
43 | Ethiopia | 05 2005 | 529 | 116 | 21.9 | 10 2005 | 112 | 21 | 18.8 |
44 | Republic of Moldova | 03 2005 | 101 | 22 | 21.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
45 | Croatia | 11 2003 | 152 | 33 | 21.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
46 | Pakistan | 10 2002 | 342 | 73 | 21.3 | 03 2006 | 100 | 17 | 17.0 |
" | Portugal | 02 2005 | 230 | 49 | 21.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
47 | Canada | 01 2006 | 308 | 64 | 20.8 | N.A. | 100 | 35 | 35.0 |
" | Monaco | 02 2003 | 24 | 5 | 20.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
48 | Poland | 09 2005 | 460 | 94 | 20.4 | 09 2005 | 100 | 13 | 13.0 |
" | Serbia | 01 2007 | 250 | 51 | 20.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
49 | China | 02 2003 | 2980 | 604 | 20.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
50 | Dem. People's Rep. of Korea | 08 2003 | 687 | 138 | 20.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
51 | Bahamas | 05 2002 | 40 | 8 | 20.0 | 05 2002 | 16 | 7 | 43.8 |
" | Slovakia | 06 2006 | 150 | 30 | 20.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
52 | Dominican Republic | 05 2006 | 178 | 35 | 19.7 | 05 2006 | 32 | 1 | 3.1 |
" | United Kingdom | 05 2005 | 646 | 127 | 19.7 | N.A. | 751 | 142 | 18.9 |
53 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10 2002 | 36 | 7 | 19.4 | 10 2002 | 31 | 10 | 32.3 |
54 | Guinea | 06 2002 | 114 | 22 | 19.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
55 | Senegal | 04 2001 | 120 | 23 | 19.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
56 | Latvia | 10 2006 | 100 | 19 | 19.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
57 | Estonia | 03 2003 | 101 | 19 | 18.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
58 | Saint Vincent & the Grenadines | 12 2005 | 22 | 4 | 18.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
59 | Equatorial Guinea | 04 2004 | 100 | 18 | 18.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Venezuela | 12 2005 | 167 | 30 | 18.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
60 | Mauritania | 11 2006 | 95 | 17 | 17.9 | 01 2007 | 38 | 9 | 23.7 |
61 | Sudan | 08 2005 | 450 | 80 | 17.8 | 08 2005 | 50 | 2 | 4.0 |
62 | Tajikistan | 02 2005 | 63 | 11 | 17.5 | 03 2005 | 34 | 8 | 23.5 |
" | Uzbekistan | 12 2004 | 120 | 21 | 17.5 | 01 2005 | 100 | 15 | 15.0 |
63 | Italy | 04 2006 | 630 | 109 | 17.3 | 04 2006 | 322 | 44 | 13.7 |
" | Nepal | 01 2007 | 329 | 57 | 17.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
64 | Mauritius | 07 2005 | 70 | 12 | 17.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
65 | Bolivia | 12 2005 | 130 | 22 | 16.9 | 12 2005 | 27 | 1 | 3.7 |
66 | El Salvador | 03 2006 | 84 | 14 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Panama | 05 2004 | 78 | 13 | 16.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Zimbabwe | 03 2005 | 150 | 25 | 16.7 | 11 2005 | 66 | 23 | 34.8 |
67 | United States of America | 11 2006 | 435 | 71 | 16.3 | 11 2006 | 100 | 16 | 16.0 |
68 | Turkmenistan | 12 2004 | 50 | 8 | 16.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
69 | Czech Republic | 06 2006 | 200 | 31 | 15.5 | 10 2006 | 81 | 12 | 14.8 |
70 | Cape Verde | 01 2006 | 72 | 11 | 15.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Philippines | 05 2004 | 236 | 36 | 15.3 | 05 2004 | 24 | 4 | 16.7 |
71 | Nicaragua | 11 2006 | 92 | 14 | 15.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
72 | Bangladesh 2 | 10 2001 | 345 | 52 | 15.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
73 | Angola | 09 1992 | 220 | 33 | 15.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Chile | 12 2005 | 120 | 18 | 15.0 | 12 2005 | 38 | 2 | 5.3 |
74 | Zambia | 09 2006 | 157 | 23 | 14.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
75 | Sierra Leone | 05 2002 | 124 | 18 | 14.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
76 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10 2006 | 42 | 6 | 14.3 | 10 2002 | 15 | 1 | 6.7 |
" | Cyprus | 05 2006 | 56 | 8 | 14.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
77 | Israel | 03 2006 | 120 | 17 | 14.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
78 | Guinea-Bissau | 03 2004 | 100 | 14 | 14.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
79 | Malawi | 04 2004 | 191 | 26 | 13.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
80 | Republic of Korea | 04 2004 | 299 | 40 | 13.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
81 | 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 |
82 | Greece | 03 2004 | 300 | 39 | 13.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
83 | Dominica | 05 2005 | 31 | 4 | 12.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
84 | Gabon | 12 2006 | 120 | 15 | 12.5 | 02 2003 | 91 | 14 | 15.4 |
" | Liberia | 10 2005 | 64 | 8 | 12.5 | 10 2005 | 30 | 5 | 16.7 |
85 | Niger | 11 2004 | 113 | 14 | 12.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
86 | France | 06 2002 | 574 | 70 | 12.2 | 09 2004 | 331 | 56 | 16.9 |
" | Slovenia | 10 2004 | 90 | 11 | 12.2 | 12.2002 | 40 | 3 | 7.5 |
87 | Maldives | 01 2005 | 50 | 6 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Syrian Arab Republic | 03 2003 | 250 | 30 | 12.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
88 | 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 |
" | San Marino | 06 2006 | 60 | 7 | 11.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
89 | Azerbaijan | 11 2005 | 124 | 14 | 11.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Indonesia | 04 2004 | 550 | 62 | 11.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
90 | Romania | 11 2004 | 331 | 37 | 11.2 | 11 2004 | 137 | 13 | 9.5 |
91 | Botswana | 10 2004 | 63 | 7 | 11.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Uruguay | 10 2004 | 99 | 11 | 11.1 | 10 2004 | 31 | 3 | 9.7 |
92 | Ghana | 12 2004 | 230 | 25 | 10.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
93 | Djibouti | 01 2003 | 65 | 7 | 10.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Morocco | 09 2002 | 325 | 35 | 10.8 | 09 2006 | 270 | 3 | 1.1 |
" | Swaziland | 10 2003 | 65 | 7 | 10.8 | 10 2003 | 30 | 9 | 30.0 |
94 | Antigua and Barbuda | 03 2004 | 19 | 2 | 10.5 | 03 2004 | 17 | 3 | 17.6 |
" | Central African Republic | 05 2005 | 105 | 11 | 10.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
95 | Hungary | 04 2006 | 386 | 40 | 10.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Kazakhstan | 09 2004 | 77 | 8 | 10.4 | 09 2004 | 39 | 2 | 5.1 |
96 | Mali | 07 2002 | 147 | 15 | 10.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
97 | Paraguay | 04 2003 | 80 | 8 | 10.0 | 04 2003 | 45 | 4 | 8.9 |
98 | Cambodia | 07 2003 | 123 | 12 | 9.8 | 01 2006 | 61 | 9 | 14.8 |
" | Russian Federation | 12 2003 | 447 | 44 | 9.8 | N.A. | 178 | 6 | 3.4 |
99 | Gambia | 01 2007 | 53 | 5 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Georgia | 03 2004 | 235 | 22 | 9.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Japan | 09 2005 | 480 | 45 | 9.4 | 07 2004 | 242 | 35 | 14.5 |
100 | Malta | 04 2003 | 65 | 6 | 9.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
101 | Malaysia | 03 2004 | 219 | 20 | 9.1 | 03 2004 | 70 | 18 | 25.7 |
102 | Cameroon | 06 2002 | 180 | 16 | 8.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
103 | Brazil | 10 2006 | 513 | 45 | 8.8 | 10 2006 | 81 | 10 | 12.3 |
104 | Thailand | 10 2006 | 242 | 21 | 8.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Ukraine | 03 2006 | 450 | 39 | 8.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
105 | Montenegro | 09 2006 | 81 | 7 | 8.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Togo | 10 2002 | 81 | 7 | 8.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
106 | Congo | 05 2002 | 129 | 11 | 8.5 | 10 2005 | 60 | 8 | 13.3 |
" | Cote d'Ivoire | 12 2000 | 223 | 19 | 8.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
107 | Colombia | 03 2006 | 166 | 14 | 8.4 | 03 2006 | 102 | 12 | 11.8 |
" | Dem. Republic of the Congo | 07 2006 | 500 | 42 | 8.4 | 01 2007 | 108 | 5 | 4.6 |
108 | India | 04 2004 | 545 | 45 | 8.3 | 07.2006 | 242 | 26 | 10.7 |
109 | Guatemala | 11 2003 | 158 | 13 | 8.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
110 | Somalia | 08 2004 | 269 | 21 | 7.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
111 | Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | 03 2006 | 468 | 36 | 7.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
112 | Kenya | 12 2002 | 219 | 16 | 7.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Sao Tome and Principe | 03 2006 | 55 | 4 | 7.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
113 | Benin | 03 2003 | 83 | 6 | 7.2 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
114 | Albania | 07 2005 | 140 | 10 | 7.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Kiribati | 05 2003 | 42 | 3 | 7.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
115 | Madagascar | 12 2002 | 160 | 11 | 6.9 | 03 2001 | 90 | 10 | 11.1 |
116 | Belize | 03 2003 | 30 | 2 | 6.7 | 03 2003 | 12 | 3 | 25.0 |
117 | Mongolia | 06 2004 | 76 | 5 | 6.6 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
118 | Chad | 04 2002 | 155 | 10 | 6.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
119 | Algeria | 05 2002 | 389 | 24 | 6.2 | 12 2006 | 144 | 4 | 2.8 |
120 | Nigeria | 04 2003 | 360 | 22 | 6.1 | 04 2003 | 109 | 4 | 3.7 |
" | Samoa | 03 2006 | 49 | 3 | 6.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
121 | Saint Lucia 3 | 12 2006 | 18 | 1 | 5.6 | 01 2007 | 11 | 2 | 18.2 |
122 | Jordan | 06 2003 | 110 | 6 | 5.5 | 11 2005 | 55 | 7 | 12.7 |
123 | Armenia | 05 2003 | 131 | 7 | 5.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
124 | Sri Lanka | 04 2004 | 225 | 11 | 4.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
125 | Lebanon | 05 2005 | 128 | 6 | 4.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
126 | Turkey | 11 2002 | 550 | 24 | 4.4 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
127 | Haiti | 02 2006 | 98 | 4 | 4.1 | 02 2006 | 30 | 4 | 13.3 |
" | Iran (Islamic Rep. of) | 02 2004 | 290 | 12 | 4.1 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
128 | Vanuatu | 07 2004 | 52 | 2 | 3.8 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
129 | Tonga | 03 2005 | 30 | 1 | 3.3 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
130 | Comoros | 04 2004 | 33 | 1 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Marshall Islands | 11 2003 | 33 | 1 | 3.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
131 | Bhutan | N.A. | 150 | 4 | 2.7 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
132 | Bahrain | 11 2006 | 40 | 1 | 2.5 | 12 2006 | 40 | 10 | 25.0 |
133 | Oman | 10 2003 | 83 | 2 | 2.4 | N.A. | 58 | 9 | 15.5 |
134 | Egypt | 11 2005 | 442 | 9 | 2.0 | 05 2004 | 264 | 18 | 6.8 |
135 | Kuwait 4 | 06 2006 | 65 | 1 | 1.5 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
136 | Papua New Guinea | 06 2002 | 109 | 1 | 0.9 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
137 | Yemen | 04 2003 | 301 | 1 | 0.3 | 04 2001 | 111 | 2 | 1.8 |
138 | Kyrgyzstan | 02 2005 | 72 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Micronesia (Fed. States of) | 03 2005 | 14 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Nauru | 10 2004 | 18 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Palau | 11 2004 | 16 | 0 | 0.0 | 11 2004 | 9 | 0 | 0.0 |
" | Qatar | 06 2005 | 35 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 10 2004 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Saudi Arabia | 04 2005 | 150 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Solomon Islands | 04 2006 | 50 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
" | Tuvalu | 08 2006 | 15 | 0 | 0.0 | --- | --- | --- | --- |
* 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 all percentages given are therefore calculated on the basis of the 54 permanent seats. 2 - Bangladesh: In 2004, the number of seats in parliament was raised from 300 to 345, with the addition of 45 reserved seats for women. These reserved seats were filled in September and October 2005, being allocated to political parties in proportion to their share of the national vote received in the 2001 election. 3 - Sainte-Lucia: No woman was elected in the 2006 elections. However one woman was appointed Speaker of the House and therefore became a member of the House. 4 - Kuwait: No woman candidate was elected in the 2006 elections. One woman was appointed to the 16-member cabinet. As cabinet ministers also sit in parliament, there is therefore one woman out of a total of 65 members. |