Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 30 April 2005

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 2005. 185 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 200234915845.3------------
3Norway09 20011656338.2------------
4Finland03 20032007537.5------------
5Denmark02 20051796636.9------------
6Netherlands01 20031505536.706 2003752229.3
7Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
8Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
9Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
10Belgium05 20031505234.705 2003712738.0
11Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621727.4
12Argentina10 20012558633.710 2001722433.3
13South Africa (1)09 200260119732.8N.A.691318.8
"Germany04 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
14Andorra04 200528932.1------------
15Iraq01 20052758731.6------------
16Guyana03 2001652030.8------------
17Iceland05 2003631930.2------------
18Belarus10 20041093229.411 2004571831.6
"Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
19New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
20Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
21Namibia11 2004782126.911 200426726.9
22Grenada11 200315426.711 200313538.5
23Bulgaria06 20012406326.3------------
24Timor-Leste (2)08 2001872225.3------------
25Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
26Australia (4)10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
27Mexico07 200350012124.207 20001282821.9
28Liechtenstein03 200525624.0------------
29Uganda06 20013057323.9------------
30Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
31Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
32Tunisia10 20041894322.8------------
33Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
34Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
"Lithuania10 20041413122.0------------
35Croatia11 20031523321.7------------
36United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002956321.4------------
37Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20031001818.0
"Portugal02 20052304921.3------------
38Canada06 20043086521.1N.A.893337.1
39Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
40Monaco02 200324520.8------------
41Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
42China02 2003298560420.2------------
"Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
43Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
44Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
45Suriname05 2000511019.6------------
46Dominica01 200031619.4------------
"Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
47Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
48Bolivia06 20021302519.206 200227311.1
"The F.Y.R. of Macedonia04 20011202319.2------------
"Senegal09 20021202319.2------------
49Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
50Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
51Peru04 20011202218.3------------
52United Kingdom06 200165911918.1N.A.70712617.8
53Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
54Uzbekistan02 2005631117.503 200534823.5
"Tajikistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
55Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
56Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2004811012.3
57Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.710.20021500.0
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
"Slovakia09 20021502516.7------------
58Cyprus05 200156916.1------------
59Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Singapore11 2001941516.0------------
"Turkmenistan12 200450816.0------------
60Philippines05 20042363615.305 200424416.7
61United States of America11 20044356615.211 20041001414.0
62Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"Israel01 20031201815.0------------
63Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
64Greece03 20043004214.0------------
"Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
65Malawi04 20041912613.6------------
66Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
67Gambia01 200253713.2------------
68Republic of Korea04 20042993913.0------------
69Zambia12 20011582012.7------------
70Chile12 20011201512.512 20014824.2
71Niger11 20041131412.4------------
72France06 20025747012.209 20043315616.9
"Slovenia10 2004901112.2------------
73Colombia03 20021652012.103 200210298.8
74Dem. Republic of the Congo08 20035006012.008 200312032.5
"Maldives01 200550612.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
75Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
76Italy05 20016167111.505 2001321268.1
77Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
78Romania11 20043313711.211 2004137139.5
79Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.112.200111436.4
"Uruguay10 2004991111.110 20043139.7
80Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
81Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.810 200327031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
82El Salvador03 200384910.7------------
"Zimbabwe03 20051501610.7------------
83Thailand02 20055005310.603 20002002110.5
84Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
85Kazakhstan09 200477810.409 20043937.7
86Mali07 20021471510.2------------
87Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
88Cambodia07 2003123129.803 199961813.1
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
89Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
90Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
91Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911415.4
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
92Hungary04 2002385359.1------------
"Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
93Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
94BhutanN.A.150138.7------------
95Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
96Congo05 2002129118.506 200260915.0
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
"Fiji08 20017168.508 200132412.5
97India04 2004543458.306 20042422811.6
98Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
99Serbia and Montenegro (3)02 2003126107.9------------
100Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
101Benin03 20038367.2------------
102Japan11 2003479347.107 20042423313.6
"Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
103Madagascar12 2002160116.903 2001901011.1
104Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
"Mongolia06 20047556.7------------
105Chad04 2002155106.5------------
106Albania06 200114096.4------------
"Nigeria04 2003360236.404 200310943.7
107Algeria05 2002389246.212 200314442.8
"Togo10 20028156.2------------
108Samoa03 20014936.1------------
109Nepal05 1999205125.906 20016058.3
110Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
111Honduras11 200112875.5------------
"Jordan06 200311065.511 200355712.7
112Armenia05 200313175.3------------
"Liberia10 20037645.3------------
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
113Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
114Kiribati05 20034224.8------------
115Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
116Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
117Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
118Mauritania10 20018133.704 20025635.4
119Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
120Kyrgyzstan02 20056323.2------------
121Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
122Egypt11 2000454132.905 2004264186.8
123Oman10 20038322.4200458915.5
124Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
125Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
126Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
127Yemen04 200330110.3------------
128Saudi Arabia10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"Bahrain07 20036500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates03 20051400.0------------
"Solomon Islands10 20041800.0------------
"Kuwait11 20041600.011 2004900.0
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)10 20041500.0------------
"Nauru05 200112000.0------------
"Palau12 20015000.0------------
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 20052600.0------------
"Tonga07 20021500.0------------
"Tuvalu02 20034000.0------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Republic of Moldova03 2005101??------------
* 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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