Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 31 August 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 31 August 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------------
5Norway09 20051696437.9------------
6Denmark02 20051796636.9------------
7Netherlands11 20061505536.705 2007752634.7
8Cuba01 200360921936.0------------
"Spain03 200435012636.003 20042596023.2
9Argentina10 20052579035.010 2005723143.1
10Mozambique12 20042508734.8------------
11Belgium06 20071505234.706 2007712738.0
12South Africa 104 200440013132.804 2004541833.3
13Austria10 20061835932.2N.A.621727.4
"New Zealand09 20051213932.2------------
14Iceland05 2007632031.7------------
15Germany09 200561419431.6N.A.691521.7
16Burundi07 20051183630.507 2005491734.7
17United Rep. of Tanzania12 20053199730.4------------
18Uganda02 20063329929.8------------
19Peru04 20061203529.2------------
20Belarus10 20041103229.111 2004581831.0
21Guyana08 2006692029.0------------
22Andorra04 200528828.6------------
23The F.Y.R. of Macedonia07 20061203428.3------------
24Timor-Leste06 2007651827.7------------
25Afghanistan09 20052496827.309 20051022322.5
26Namibia11 2004782126.911 200426726.9
27Grenada11 200315426.711 200313430.8
28Viet Nam05 200749312725.8------------
29Iraq12 20052757025.5------------
"Suriname05 2005511325.5------------
30Lao People's Democratic Rep.04 20061152925.2------------
31Ecuador10 20061002525.0------------
"Switzerland10 20032005025.010 2003461123.9
32Lithuania10 20041413524.8------------
33Australia10 20041503724.710 2004762735.5
34Singapore05 2006942324.5------------
35Liechtenstein03 200525624.0------------
36Lesotho02 20071192823.503 2007331030.3
"Seychelles05 200734823.5------------
37Honduras11 20051283023.4------------
38Luxembourg06 2004601423.3------------
39Tunisia10 20041894322.807 20051121513.4
40Mexico07 200650011322.607 20061282217.2
41Philippines05 20072365322.505 200722418.2
"United Arab Emirates12 200640922.5------------
42Bulgaria06 20052405322.1------------
43Eritrea02 19941503322.0------------
"Senegal06 20071503322.008 2007100??
44Ethiopia05 200552911621.910 20051122118.8
45Estonia03 20071012221.8------------
"Republic of Moldova03 20051012221.8------------
46Croatia11 20031523321.7------------
47Pakistan10 20023427321.303 20061001717.0
"Portugal02 20052304921.3------------
48Canada01 20063086420.8N.A.1003535.0
"Monaco02 200324520.8------------
49Poland09 20054609420.409 20051001313.0
"Serbia01 20072505120.4------------
50China02 2003298060420.3------------
51Dem. People's Rep. of Korea08 200368713820.1------------
52Dominican Republic05 20061783519.705 20063213.1
"United Kingdom05 200564612719.7N.A.75114218.9
53Trinidad and Tobago10 200236719.410 2002311032.3
54Guinea06 20021142219.3------------
"Slovakia06 20061502919.3------------
55Latvia10 20061001919.0------------
56Venezuela12 20051673118.6------------
57France06 200757710718.509 20043315616.9
"Nicaragua11 2006921718.5------------
58Saint Vincent & the Grenadines12 200522418.2------------
59Sudan08 20054367918.108 20055024.0
60Equatorial Guinea04 20041001818.0------------
61Mauritania11 2006951717.901 2007561017.9
62Tajikistan02 2005631117.503 200534823.5
"Uzbekistan12 20041202117.501 20051001515.0
63Italy04 200663010917.304 20063224413.7
"Nepal01 20073295717.3------------
64Mauritius07 2005701217.1------------
65Bolivia12 20051302216.912 20052713.7
66El Salvador03 2006841416.7------------
"Panama05 2004781316.7------------
"Zimbabwe03 20051502516.711 2005662334.8
67United States of America11 20064357116.311 20061001616.0
68Turkmenistan12 200450816.0------------
69Kazakhstan08 20071071715.908 20054724.3
70Czech Republic06 20062003115.510 2006811214.8
71Burkina Faso05 20071111715.3------------
"Cape Verde01 2006721115.3------------
72Bangladesh 210 20013455215.1------------
73Angola09 19922203315.0------------
"Chile12 20051201815.012 20053825.3
74Zambia09 20061572314.6------------
75Bosnia and Herzegovina10 200642614.303 200715213.3
"Cyprus05 200656814.3------------
"Sierra Leone08 20071121614.3------------
76Israel03 20061201714.2------------
77Guinea-Bissau03 20041001414.0------------
78Malawi04 20041912613.6------------
79Republic of Korea04 20042994013.4------------
80Barbados05 200330413.305 200321523.8
"Ireland05 20071662213.307 200749918.4
81Greece03 20043003913.0------------
82Dominica05 200531412.9------------
83Gabon12 20061201512.502 2003911415.4
"Liberia10 200564812.510 200530516.7
84Niger11 20041131412.4------------
85Bahamas05 200741512.205 200715853.3
"Slovenia10 2004901112.212.20024037.5
86Maldives01 200550612.0------------
"Syrian Arab Republic04 20072503012.0------------
87Jamaica10 200260711.710 200221419.0
"San Marino06 200660711.7------------
88Azerbaijan11 20051241411.3------------
"Indonesia04 20045506211.3------------
89Romania11 20043313711.211 2004137139.5
90Botswana10 200463711.1------------
"Uruguay10 2004991111.110 20043139.7
91Ghana12 20042302510.9------------
92Djibouti01 200365710.8------------
"Morocco09 20023253510.809 200627031.1
"Swaziland10 200365710.810 200330930.0
93Antigua and Barbuda03 200419210.503 200417317.6
"Central African Republic05 20051051110.5------------
94Hungary04 20063864010.4------------
95Mali07 20071471510.2------------
96Paraguay04 200380810.004 20034548.9
97Cambodia07 2003123129.801 200661914.8
"Russian Federation12 2003447449.8N.A.17863.4
98Gambia01 20075359.4------------
"Georgia03 2004235229.4------------
"Japan09 2005480459.407 20072424217.4
99Armenia05 2007130129.2------------
"Malta04 20036569.2------------
100Malaysia03 2004219209.103 2004701825.7
"Turkey07 2007549509.1------------
101Brazil10 2006513458.810 2006811012.3
102Thailand10 2006242218.7------------
"Ukraine03 2006450398.7------------
103Montenegro09 20068178.6------------
"Togo10 20028178.6------------
104Cote d'Ivoire12 2000223198.5------------
105Benin03 20078378.4------------
"Colombia03 2006166148.403 20061021211.8
"Dem. Republic of the Congo07 2006500428.401 200710854.6
106India04 2004545458.307.20062422610.7
107Guatemala11 2003158138.2------------
"Somalia08 2004256218.2------------
108Libyan Arab Jamahiriya03 2006468367.7------------
109Congo06 2007135107.410 200560813.3
110Kenya12 2002219167.3------------
"Sao Tome and Principe03 20065547.3------------
111Algeria05 2007389287.212 200612943.1
112Albania07 2005140107.1------------
113Nigeria04 2007358257.004 200710998.3
114Madagascar12 2002160116.903 2001901011.1
115Belize03 20033026.703 200312325.0
"Saint Kitts and Nevis10 20041516.7------------
116Mongolia06 20047656.6------------
117Chad04 2002155106.5------------
118Samoa03 20064936.1------------
119Saint-Lucia 312 20061815.601 200711218.2
120Jordan06 200311065.511 200555712.7
121Sri Lanka04 2004225114.9------------
122Lebanon05 200512864.7------------
123Haiti02 20069844.102 200630413.3
"Iran (Islamic Rep. of)02 2004290124.1------------
124Vanuatu07 20045223.8------------
125Tonga03 20053013.3------------
126Kuwait 406 20066523.1------------
127Comoros04 20043313.0------------
"Marshall Islands11 20033313.0------------
128BhutanN.A.15042.7------------
129Bahrain11 20064012.512 2006401025.0
130Oman10 20038322.4N.A.58915.5
131Egypt11 200544292.006 2007264??
132Papua New Guinea06 200710910.9------------
133Yemen04 200330110.304 200111121.8
134Kyrgyzstan02 20057200.0------------
"Micronesia (Fed. States of)03 20051400.0------------
"Palau11 20041600.011 2004900.0
"Qatar06 20053500.0------------
"Saudi Arabia04 200515000.0------------
"Solomon Islands04 20065000.0------------
"Tuvalu08 20061500.0------------
?Cameroon07 2007180??------------
?Kiribati08 200746??------------
?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: No woman was elected in the 2006 elections. However one woman was appointed Speaker of the House and therefore became a member of the House.

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.

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