Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 31 May 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 May 2006. 188 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------------
3Costa Rica02 2006572238.6------------
4Norway09 20051696437.9------------
5Finland03 20032007537.5------------
6Denmark02 20051796636.9------------
7Netherlands01 20031505536.706 2003752229.3
8Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
9Argentina10 20052579035.010 2005723041.7
10Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
11Belgium05 20031505234.705 2003712738.0
12Austria11 20021836233.9N.A.621727.4
13Iceland05 2003632133.3------------
14South Africa 104 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
15New Zealand09 20051213932.2------------
16Germany09 200561419531.8N.A.691318.8
17Guyana03 2001652030.8------------
18Burundi07 20051183630.507 2005491734.7
19United Rep. of Tanzania12 20053199730.4------------
20Seychelles12 2002341029.4------------
21Peru04 20061203529.2------------
22Belarus10 20041103229.111 2004581831.0
23Andorra04 200528828.6------------
24Uganda02 20063218927.7------------
25Afghanistan09 20052496827.309 20051022322.5
"Viet Nam05 200249813627.3------------
26Namibia11 2004782126.911 200426726.9
27Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
28Mexico07 200350012925.807 20001282821.9
29Iraq12 20052757025.5------------
"Suriname05 2005511325.5------------
30Timor-Leste 208 2001872225.3------------
31Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
32Australia10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
33Liechtenstein03 200525624.0------------
34Honduras11 20051283023.4------------
35Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
36Lao People's Democratic Rep.02 20021092522.9------------
37Tunisia10 20041894322.807 20051121513.4
38Bulgaria06 20052405322.1------------
39Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
"Lithuania10 20041413122.0------------
40Ethiopia05 200552911621.910 20051122118.8
41Republic of Moldova03 20051012221.8------------
42Croatia11 20031523321.7------------
43Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20061001717.0
"Portugal02 20052304921.3------------
44Singapore 305 2006851821.2------------
45Latvia10 20021002121.0------------
"Canada01 20063086420.8N.A.1003535.0
46Monaco02 200324520.8------------
47Nicaragua11 2001921920.7------------
48Poland09 20054609420.409 20051001313.0
49China02 2003298060420.3------------
50Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
51Bahamas05 200240820.005 200216743.8
52United Kingdom05 200564612719.7N.A.72112617.5
53Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
54Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Senegal04 20011202319.2------------
55The F.Y.R. of Macedonia09 20021202319.2------------
56Estonia03 20031011918.8------------
57Saint Vincent & the Grenadines12 200522418.2------------
58Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
"Venezuela12 20051673018.0------------
59Tajikistan02 2005631117.503 200534823.5
"Uzbekistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
60Italy04 200663010917.304 20063224413.7
61Mauritius07 2005701217.1------------
62Czech Republic06 20022003417.010 2004811012.3
63Bolivia12 20051302216.912 20052713.7
64Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200242716.710.20021500.0
"El Salvador03 2006841416.7------------
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"San Marino06 2001601016.7------------
"Slovakia09 20021502516.7------------
65Ecuador10 20021001616.0------------
"Turkmenistan12 200450816.0------------
"Zimbabwe03 20051502416.011 2005662131.8
66Philippines05 20042363715.705 200424416.7
67Cape Verde01 2006721115.3------------
68United States of America11 20044356615.211 20041001414.0
69Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"Chile12 20051201815.012 20053825.3
70Bangladesh 410 20013455114.8------------
71Sudan08 20054506614.708 20055024.0
72Sierra Leone05 20021241814.5------------
73Cyprus05 200656814.3------------
74Israel03 20061201714.2------------
75Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
76Malawi04 20041912613.6------------
77Republic of Korea04 20042994013.4------------
78Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20021662213.307 2002601016.7
79Gambia01 200253713.2------------
80Greece03 20043003913.0------------
81Dominica05 200531412.9------------
82Zambia12 20011582012.7------------
83Liberia10 200564812.510 200530516.7
84Niger11 20041131412.4------------
85France06 20025747012.209 20043315616.9
"Slovenia10 2004901112.212.20024037.5
86Dem. Republic of the Congo08 20035006012.008 200312032.5
"Maldives01 200550612.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic03 20032503012.0------------
87Burkina Faso05 20021111311.7------------
"Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"Lesotho05 20021201411.7N.A.331236.4
88Azerbaijan11 20051241411.3------------
"Fiji05 200671811.308 200132412.5
"Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
89Romania11 20043313711.211 2004137139.5
90Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Uruguay10 2004991111.110 20043139.7
91Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
92Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.810 200327031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
93Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Central African Republic05 20051051110.5------------
94Hungary04 20063864010.4------------
"Kazakhstan09 200477810.409 20043925.1
95Mali07 20021471510.2------------
96Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
97Cambodia07 2003123129.801 200661914.8
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
98Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
99BhutanN.A.150149.3------------
100Gabon12 2001119119.202 2003911415.4
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
101Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
102Japan09 2005480439.007 20042423414.0
103Cameroon06 2002180168.9------------
104Brazil10 2002513448.610 2002811012.3
"Togo10 20028178.6------------
105Congo05 2002129118.510 200560813.3
"Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
106India04 2004545458.306 20042502811.2
107Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
108Serbia and Montenegro 502 2003126107.9------------
109Somalia08 2004269217.8------------
110Kenya12 2002219167.3------------
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20065547.3------------
111Benin03 20038367.2------------
112Albania07 2005140107.1------------
"Ukraine03 2006450327.1------------
113Madagascar12 2002160116.903 2001901011.1
114Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
115Mongolia06 20047656.6------------
116Chad04 2002155106.5------------
117Nigeria04 2003360236.404 200310943.7
118Algeria05 2002389246.212 200314442.8
119Nepal05 1999204125.906 200118316.7
120Saint Lucia12 20011815.612.200111436.4
121Jordan06 200311065.511 200555712.7
122Armenia05 200313175.3------------
123Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
124Kiribati05 20034224.8------------
125Lebanon05 200512864.7------------
"Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 2006760364.7------------
126Turkey11 2002550244.4------------
127Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
"Samoa03 20064924.1------------
128Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
129Tonga03 20053013.3------------
130Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
131Oman10 20038322.4N.A.58915.5
132Egypt11 200544292.005 2004264186.8
"Haiti02 20069922.002 200629413.8
133Kuwait07 20036511.5------------
134Papua New Guinea06 200210910.9------------
135Yemen04 200330110.304 200111121.8
136Bahrain10 20024000.011 200240615.0
"Kyrgyzstan02 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------------
"Saudi Arabia04 200515000.0------------
"Solomon Islands04 20065000.0------------
"Tuvalu07 20021500.0------------
"United Arab Emirates02 20034000.0------------
?Colombia03 2006166??03 2006102??
?Dominican Republic05 2006178??05 200632??
?Thailand04 2006500??04 2006200??
* 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 parliamentarians elected in May 2006 will take up their seats at the first sitting of the 11th Parliament, scheduled for November 2006. Ten additionnal seats will be appointed. There were 15 women out of 94 members in the outgoing Parliament dissolved on 22 April 2006.

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 - Serbia and Montenegro: For the first time since the creation of the new State, indirect elections were held in the two assemblies of the two member states.

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