Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 30 November 2007

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 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. 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------------
3Finland03 20072008442.0------------
4Costa Rica02 2006572238.6------------
5Denmark11 20071796838.0------------
6Norway09 20051696437.9------------
7Netherlands11 20061505536.705 2007752634.7
8Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
9Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
10Belgium06 20071505234.706 2007712738.0
11South Africa 104 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
12Austria10 20061835932.2N.A.621727.4
"New Zealand09 20051213932.2------------
13Iceland05 2007632031.7------------
14Germany09 200561319431.6N.A.691521.7
15Burundi07 20051183630.507 2005491734.7
16United Rep. of Tanzania12 20053199730.4------------
17Uganda02 20063329929.8------------
18Peru04 20061203529.2------------
19Belarus10 20041103229.111 2004581831.0
20Guyana08 2006692029.0------------
21Andorra04 200528828.6------------
22Switzerland10 20072005728.510 2007461021.7
23The F.Y.R. of Macedonia07 20061203428.3------------
24Timor-Leste06 2007651827.7------------
25Afghanistan09 20052496827.309 20051022322.5
26Namibia11 2004782126.911 200426726.9
27Trinidad and Tobago10 2002411126.810 2002311032.3
28Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
29Viet Nam05 200749312725.8------------
30Iraq12 20052757025.5------------
"Suriname05 2005511325.5------------
31Lao People's Democratic Rep.04 20061152925.2------------
32Ecuador10 20061002525.0------------
33Lithuania10 20041413524.8------------
34Singapore05 2006942324.5------------
35Liechtenstein03 200525624.0------------
36Lesotho02 20071192823.503 2007331030.3
"Seychelles05 200734823.5------------
37Honduras11 20051283023.4------------
38Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
39Tunisia10 20041894322.807 20051111715.3
40Mexico07 200650011322.607 20061282217.2
41United Arab Emirates12 200640922.5------------
42Bulgaria06 20052405322.1------------
43Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
"Senegal06 20071503322.008 20071004040.0
44Ethiopia05 200552911621.910 20051122118.8
45Estonia03 20071012221.8------------
"Republic of Moldova03 20051012221.8------------
46Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20061001717.0
"Portugal02 20052304921.3------------
47Canada01 20063086420.8N.A.1003535.0
"Monaco02 200324520.8------------
48Philippines05 20072404920.405 200723417.4
"Poland10 20074609420.410 200710088.0
"Serbia01 20072505120.4------------
49China02 2003298060420.3------------
50Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
51Dominican Republic05 20061783519.705 20063213.1
"United Kingdom05 200564612719.7N.A.75114218.9
52Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Slovakia06 20061502919.3------------
53Latvia10 20061001919.0------------
54Venezuela12 20051673118.6------------
55France06 200757710718.509 20043315616.9
"Nicaragua11 2006921718.5------------
56Saint Vincent & the Grenadines12 200522418.2------------
57Sudan08 20054367918.108 20055024.0
58Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
59Mauritania11 2006951717.901 2007561017.9
60Tajikistan02 2005631117.503 200534823.5
"Uzbekistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
61Italy04 200663010917.304 20063224413.7
"Nepal01 20073295717.3------------
62Mauritius07 2005701217.1------------
63Bolivia12 20051302216.912 20052713.7
64El Salvador03 2006841416.7------------
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"Zimbabwe03 20051502516.711 2005662334.8
65United States of America11 20064357116.311 20061001616.0
66Greece09 20073004816.0------------
"Turkmenistan12 200450816.0------------
67Kazakhstan08 20071071715.908 20054724.3
68Czech Republic06 20062003115.510 2006811214.8
69Burkina Faso05 20071111715.3------------
"Cape Verde01 2006721115.3------------
70Bangladesh 210 20013455215.1------------
71Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"Chile12 20051201815.012 20053825.3
72Zambia09 20061572314.6------------
73Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200642614.303 200715213.3
"Cyprus05 200656814.3------------
74Israel03 20061201714.2------------
75Cameroon07 20071632314.1------------
76Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
77Malawi04 20041912613.6------------
78Republic of Korea04 20042994013.4------------
79Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20071662213.307 200749918.4
"Jamaica09 200760813.309 200721314.3
80Dominica05 200531412.9------------
"Sierra Leone08 20071241612.9------------
81Gabon12 20061201512.502 2003911415.4
"Liberia10 200564812.510 200530516.7
82Niger11 20041131412.4------------
83Bahamas05 200741512.205 200715853.3
"Slovenia10 2004901112.212.20024037.5
84Guatemala09 20071581912.0------------
"Maldives01 200550612.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic04 20072503012.0------------
85San Marino06 200660711.7------------
86Azerbaijan11 20051241411.3------------
"Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
87Romania11 20043313711.211 2004137139.5
88Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Saint-Lucia 312 200618211.101 200711218.2
"Uruguay10 2004991111.110 20043139.7
89Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
90Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
91Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Central African Republic05 20051051110.5------------
"Morocco09 20073253410.509 200627031.1
92Hungary04 20063864010.4------------
93Mali07 20071471510.2------------
94Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
95Cambodia07 2003123129.801 200661914.8
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
96Gambia01 20075359.4------------
"Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
"Japan09 2005480459.407 20072424217.4
97Armenia05 2007131129.2------------
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
98Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
"Turkey07 2007549509.1------------
99Brazil10 2006513458.810 2006811012.3
100Thailand10 2006242218.7------------
101Montenegro09 20068178.6------------
"Togo10 20078178.6------------
102Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
103Benin03 20078378.4------------
"Colombia03 2006166148.403 20061021211.8
"Dem. Republic of the Congo07 2006500428.401 200710854.6
"Ukraine09 2007450388.4------------
104India04 2004545458.307.20062422610.7
105Somalia08 2004256218.2------------
106Madagascar09 2007127107.903 2001901011.1
107Algeria05 2007389307.712 200612943.1
"Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 2006468367.7------------
108Congo06 2007137107.310 200560813.3
"Kenya12 2002219167.3------------
109Albania07 2005140107.1------------
110Nigeria04 2007358257.004 200710998.3
111Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
"Saint Kitts and Nevis10 20041516.7------------
112Mongolia06 20047656.6------------
113Chad04 2002155106.5------------
114Jordan11 200711076.411 200755712.7
115Samoa03 20064936.1------------
116Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
117Lebanon05 200512864.7------------
118Kiribati08 20074624.3------------
119Haiti02 20069844.102 200630413.3
"Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
120Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
121Tonga03 20053013.3------------
122Comoros04 20043313.0------------
123BhutanN.A.15042.7------------
124Bahrain11 20064012.512 2006401025.0
125Egypt11 200544292.006 2007264218.0
126Sao Tome and Principe 403 20065511.8------------
127Kuwait 506 20066511.5------------
128Papua New Guinea06 200710910.9------------
129Yemen04 200330110.304 200111121.8
130Kyrgyzstan02 20057200.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20051400.0------------
"Oman10 20078400.011 2007701420.0
"Palau11 20041600.011 2004900.0
"Qatar06 20053500.0------------
"Saudi Arabia04 200515000.0------------
"Solomon Islands04 20065000.0------------
"Tuvalu08 20061500.0------------
?Argentina10 2007257??10 200772??
?Australia11 2007150??11 200776??
?Croatia11 2007152??------------
?Marshall Islands11 200733??------------
?Nauru08 200718??------------
* 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: Although no woman was elected in the 2006 elections, Ms. Flood-Beaubrun became a member of the House by virtue of her election as Speaker. However, in November 2007, a by-election was won by Ms. Jeannine Rambally, making her the first woman to be elected in St. Lucia. There are therefore two women members of parliament.

4 - Kuwait: No woman candidate was elected in the 2006 elections. One woman was appointed to the 16-member cabinet sworn in in July 2006. A new cabinet sworn in in March 2007 included two women. As cabinet ministers also sit in parliament, there are two women out of a total of 65 members. One female minister resigned in August 2007, bringing the number of women to one.

5 - Sao Tome and Principe: Four women were elected on 26 March 2006. However, after the formation of the new government on 21 April 2006, the total number of women parliamentarians decreased to one (1.82 per cent).

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