Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 31 December 2006

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 31 December 2006. 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. 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 200326934.6
2Sweden09 200634916547.3------------
3Costa Rica02 2006572238.6------------
4Finland03 20032007638.0------------
5Norway09 20051696437.9------------
6Denmark02 20051796636.9------------
7Netherlands11 20061505536.706 2003752229.3
8Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
9Argentina10 20052579035.010 2005723143.1
10Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
11Belgium05 20031505234.705 2003712738.0
12Iceland05 2003632133.3------------
13South Africa 104 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
14Austria10 20061835932.2N.A.621727.4
"New Zealand09 20051213932.2------------
15Germany09 200561419431.6N.A.691521.7
16Burundi07 20051183630.507 2005491734.7
17United Rep. of Tanzania12 20053199730.4------------
18Uganda02 20063329929.8------------
19Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
20Peru04 20061203529.2------------
21Belarus10 20041103229.111 2004581831.0
22Guyana08 2006692029.0------------
23Andorra04 200528828.6------------
24The F.Y.R. of Macedonia07 20061203428.3------------
25Afghanistan09 20052496827.309 20051022322.5
"Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
26Namibia11 2004782126.911 200426726.9
27Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
28Iraq12 20052757025.5------------
"Suriname05 2005511325.5------------
29Timor-Leste 208 2001872225.3------------
30Lao People's Democratic Rep.04 20061152925.2------------
31Ecuador10 20061002525.0------------
"Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
32Lithuania10 20041413524.8------------
33Australia10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
34Liechtenstein03 200525624.0------------
35Honduras11 20051283023.4------------
36Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
37Tunisia10 20041894322.807 20051121513.4
38Mexico07 200650011322.607 20061282217.2
39Bulgaria06 20052405322.1------------
40Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
41Ethiopia05 200552911621.910 20051122118.8
42Republic of Moldova03 20051012221.8------------
43Croatia11 20031523321.7------------
44Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20061001717.0
"Portugal02 20052304921.3------------
45Singapore 305 2006851821.2------------
46Canada01 20063086420.8N.A.1003535.0
"Monaco02 200324520.8------------
47Poland09 20054609420.409 20051001313.0
48China02 2003298060420.3------------
49Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
50Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
"Slovakia06 20061503020.0------------
51Dominican Republic05 20061783519.705 20063213.1
"United Kingdom05 200564612719.7N.A.75114218.9
52Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
53Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
54Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
55Latvia10 20061001919.0------------
56Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
57Saint Vincent & the Grenadines12 200522418.2------------
58Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
"Venezuela12 20051673018.0------------
59Mauritania11 2006951717.9------------
60Sudan08 20054508017.808 20055024.0
61Tajikistan02 2005631117.503 200534823.5
"Uzbekistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
62Italy04 200663010917.304 20063224413.7
63Mauritius07 2005701217.1------------
64Bolivia12 20051302216.912 20052713.7
65El Salvador03 2006841416.7------------
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"Zimbabwe03 20051502516.711 2005662334.8
66United States of America11 20064357116.311 20061001616.0
67Turkmenistan12 200450816.0------------
68Czech Republic06 20062003115.510 2006811214.8
69Cape Verde01 2006721115.3------------
"Philippines05 20042363615.305 200424416.7
70Nicaragua11 2006921415.2------------
71Bangladesh 410 20013455215.1------------
72Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"Chile12 20051201815.012 20053825.3
73Zambia09 20061572314.6------------
74Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
75Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200642614.310 20021516.7
"Cyprus05 200656814.3------------
76Israel03 20061201714.2------------
77Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
78Malawi04 20041912613.6------------
79Republic of Korea04 20042994013.4------------
80Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
81Gambia01 200253713.2------------
82Greece03 20043003913.0------------
83Dominica05 200531412.9------------
84Gabon12 20061201512.502 2003911415.4
"Liberia10 200564812.510 200530516.7
85Niger11 20041131412.4------------
86France06 20025747012.209 20043315616.9
"Slovenia10 2004901112.212.20024037.5
87Maldives01 200550612.0------------
"Serbia12 20032503012.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
88Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
"San Marino06 200660711.7------------
89Azerbaijan11 20051241411.3------------
"Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
90Romania11 20043313711.211 2004137139.5
91Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Uruguay10 2004991111.110 20043139.7
92Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
93Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.809 200627031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
94Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Central African Republic05 20051051110.5------------
95Hungary04 20063864010.4------------
"Kazakhstan09 200477810.409 20043925.1
96Mali07 20021471510.2------------
97Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
98Cambodia07 2003123129.801 200661914.8
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
99Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
"Japan09 2005480459.407 20042423514.5
100Malta04 20036569.2------------
101Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
102Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
103Brazil10 2006513458.810 2006811012.3
104Thailand10 2006242218.7------------
"Ukraine03 2006450398.7------------
105Montenegro09 20068178.6------------
"Togo10 20028178.6------------
106Congo05 2002129118.510 200560813.3
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
107Colombia03 2006166148.403 20061021211.8
"Dem. Republic of the Congo07 2006500428.408 200312032.5
108India04 2004545458.307.20062422610.7
109Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
110Somalia08 2004269217.8------------
111Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 2006468367.7------------
112Kenya12 2002219167.3------------
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20065547.3------------
113Benin03 20038367.2------------
114Albania07 2005140107.1------------
"Kiribati05 20034237.1------------
115Madagascar12 2002160116.903 2001901011.1
116Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
117Mongolia06 20047656.6------------
118Chad04 2002155106.5------------
119Algeria05 2002389246.212 200614442.8
120Nigeria04 2003360226.104 200310943.7
"Samoa03 20064936.1------------
121Nepal05 1999204125.906 200118316.7
122Jordan06 200311065.511 200555712.7
123Armenia05 200313175.3------------
124United Arab Emirates12 20062015.0------------
125Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
126Lebanon05 200512864.7------------
127Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
128Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
129Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
130Tonga03 20053013.3------------
131Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
132BhutanN.A.15042.7------------
133Bahrain11 20064012.512 2006401025.0
134Oman10 20038322.4N.A.58915.5
135Egypt11 200544292.005 2004264186.8
"Haiti02 20069822.002 200630413.3
136Kuwait 506 20066511.5------------
137Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
138Yemen04 200330110.304 200111121.8
139Kyrgyzstan02 20057200.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20051400.0------------
"Nauru10 20041800.0------------
"Palau11 20041600.011 2004900.0
"Qatar06 20053500.0------------
"Saint Kitts and Nevis10 20041500.0------------
"Saint Lucia12 20061700.012.200111436.4
"Saudi Arabia04 200515000.0------------
"Solomon Islands04 20065000.0------------
"Tuvalu08 20061500.0------------
* 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 - Timor-Leste: The purpose of the elections held on 30 August 2001 was to elect the members of the Constituant 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 - Singapore: The parliament convened on 2 November 2006 following the elections held in May. Nine members are yet to be appointed to the parliament.

4 - 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.

5 - 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.

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