Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 30 December 2003

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 December 2003. 181 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 2003752432.0
6Norway09 20011656036.4------------
7Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
8Belgium05 20031505335.305 2003712332.4
9Costa Rica02 2002572035.1------------
10Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621321.0
11Germany09 200260319432.2N.A.691724.6
12Argentina10 20012577930.710 2001722433.3
13Iceland05 2003631930.2------------
14Mozambique12 19992507530.0------------
15South Africa**06 199939911929.806 1999891731.5
16Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
17New Zealand07 20021203428.3------------
"Spain03 20003509928.303 20002596324.3
18Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
19Grenada11 200315426.711 200313??
20Namibia11 1999721926.411 19982627.7
21Bulgaria06 20012406326.2------------
22Timor-Leste***08 2001882326.1------------
23Turkmenistan12 1999501326.0------------
24Australia11 20011503825.310 2001762228.9
25Switzerland10 20032005025.010 200338923.7
26Uganda06 20013047524.7------------
27Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
28Saint Vincent & the Grenadines03 200122522.7------------
29Mexico07 200350011322.607 20001282015.6
30Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
31Pakistan10 20023427421.603 20031001818.0
32United Rep. of Tanzania10 20002956321.4------------
33Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
34Monaco02 200324520.8------------
35Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
36Canada11 20003016220.6N.A.1053432.4
37China03 2003298560420.2------------
"Poland09 20014609320.209 20011002323.0
38Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216??
"Guyana03 2001651320.0------------
39Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.412 2001311032.3
40Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Slovakia09 20021502919.3------------
41Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
42Portugal03 20022304419.1------------
43Dominica01 200032618.8------------
"Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
44Bolivia06 20021302418.506 200227414.8
45Burundi06 19931793318.401 2002531018.9
46Peru04 20011202217.5------------
"The f.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202218.3------------
47United Kingdom06 200165911817.9N.A.67711316.7
48Philippines05 20012143817.805 200124312.5
49Suriname05 200051917.6------------
50Dominican Republic05 20021502617.305 20023226.3
51Botswana10 199947817.0------------
"Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2002811012.3
52Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.711 20021500.0
"Luxembourg06 1999601016.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
53Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Singapore11 2001941516.0------------
54Angola09 19922203415.5------------
55Israel01 20031201815.0------------
56Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
57Andorra03 200128414.3------------
"United States of America11 20024356214.311 20021001313
58Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
"Saint Kitts and Nevis03 200015213.3------------
59Gambia01 200253713.2------------
60Republic of Moldova02 20011011312.9------------
61Tajikistan02 200063812.703 200034411.8
62Chile12 20011201512.512 20014924.1
63France06 20025747012.209 20013213510.9
"Slovenia10 2000901112.2------------
64Uruguay10 1999991212.110 19993139.7
65Colombia03 20021662012.003 200210298.8
"Liechtenstein02 200125312.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
"Zambia12 20011581912.0------------
66Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
67Italy05 20016187111.505 2001321268.1
"Tunisia10 19991822111.5------------
68Cape Verde01 200172811.1------------
"Saint Lucia12 200118211.112 200111436.4
69Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.810 2003270??
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
70Cyprus05 200156610.7------------
"El Salvador03 200384910.7------------
"Romania11 20003453710.711 200014085.7
71Lithuania10 20001411510.6------------
72Azerbaijan11 20001241310.5------------
"Malaysia11 19991912010.52003542037.0
"Mongolia07 200076810.5------------
73Kazakhstan10 199977810.410 20023925.1
74Belarus10 2000971010.312 2000611931.1
75Mali07 20021471510.2------------
76Kyrgyzstan02 200060610.002 20004512.2
"Zimbabwe06 20001501510.0------------
77Panama05 19997179.9------------
78Cambodia07 2003123129.803 199961813.1
"Hungary04 2002386389.8------------
79Sudan12 2000360359.7------------
"Venezuela07 2000165169.7------------
80BhutanN.A.150149.3------------
"Malawi06 1999193189.3------------
81Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911213.2
"Thailand01 2001500469.203 20002002110.5
82Sao Tome and Principe03 20025559.1------------
83Ghana12 2000200189.0------------
84Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
85India09 1999543488.811 20022422510.3
"Paraguay04 20038078.804 20034548.9
86Greece04 2000300268.7------------
87Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
88Congo05 2002129118.507 200260915.0
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
89Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
90Indonesia06 1999500408.0------------
91Serbia and Montenegro****09 2003126107.9------------
92Liberia07 19976457.807 199726519.2
93Ethiopia05 2000547427.705 2000120108.3
"Malta04 20036557.7------------
94Russian Federation12 1999449347.6N.A.17863.4
95Togo10 20028167.4------------
96Georgia *****10 1999235177.2------------
"Uzbekistan12 1999250187.2------------
97Japan11 2003480347.107 20012473815.4
"Kenya12 2002224167.1------------
98Algeria05 2002389246.212 2003144??
99Samoa03 20014936.1------------
100Benin03 20038356.0------------
"Maldives11 19995036.0------------
101Nepal05 1999205125.906 200160??
"Republic of Korea04 2000273165.9------------
102Chad04 200215595.8------------
103Albania06 200114085.7------------
"Fiji08 20017045.708 200132??
"Mauritius09 20007045.7------------
104Honduras11 200112875.5------------
"Jordan06 200311065.511 200355712.7
105Antigua and Barbuda03 19991915.303 199917211.8
"Ukraine03 2002450245.3------------
106Equatorial Guinea03 19998045.0------------
107Nigeria04 2003360174.904 200310732.8
108Armenia05 200313164.6------------
109Sri Lanka12 2001225104.4------------
"Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
110Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2000290124.1------------
111Madagascar12 200216063.803 2001901011.1
112Mauritania10 20018133.704 20025635.4
113Haiti05 20008333.605 200027725.9
114Belize03 20033013.303 200313323.1
115Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
116Egypt11 2000454112.405 2001264155.7
117Lebanon08 200012832.3------------
118Bangladesh10 200130062.0------------
119Vanuatu05 20025211.9------------
120Niger11 19998311.2------------
121Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
122Yemen04 200330110.3------------
123Bahrain10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"Kuwait07 20036500.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20031400.0------------
"Palau11 20001600.011 2000900.0
"Saudi Arabia05 200112000.0------------
"Solomon Islands12 2001500.00.0------------
"Tonga03 20023000.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates12 19974000------------
?Croatia11 2003151??------------
?Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 2003687??------------
?Dem. Republic of the Congo08 2000300??------------
?Kiribati05 200342??------------
?Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 1997760??------------
?Nauru05 200318??------------
* Figures correspond to the number of seats currently filled in Parliament

** 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

*** 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

**** 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.

***** Elections were held in November 2003. However, on 25 November 2003, the election results were annuled by the Supreme Court of Georgia. New elections will be held in March 2004.

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