Women in National Parliaments
Situation as of 1 January 1999

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 1 January 1999. 179 countries 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
ElectionsSeatsWomen% WElectionsSeatsWomen% W
1 Sweden 09 1998 349 149 42.7 --- --- --- ---
2 Denmark 03 1998 179 67 37.4 --- --- --- ---
3 Norway 09 1997 165 60 36.4 --- --- --- ---
4 Netherlands 05 1998 150 54 36.0 05 1995 75 17 22.7
5 Finland 03 1995 200 67 33.5 --- --- --- ---
6 Germany 09 1998 669 207 30.9 1997* 69 13 18.8
7 South Africa 04 1994 400 118 29.5 04 1994 54 11 20.4
8 New Zealand 10 1996 120 35 29.2 --- --- --- ---
9 Argentina 10 1997 257 71 27.6 12 1995 72 4 5.6
" Cuba 01 1998 601 166 27.6 --- --- --- ---
10 Austria 12 1995 183 48 26.2 11 1994 64 13 20.3
" Viet Nam 07 1997 450 118 26.2 --- --- --- ---
11 Iceland 04 1995 63 16 25.4 --- --- --- ---
12 Mozambique 10 1994 250 63 25.2 --- --- --- ---
13 Spain 03 1996 348 86 24.7 03 1996 256 34 13.3
14 Seychelles 03 1998 34 8 23.5 --- --- --- ---
15 Australia 10 1998 148 33 22.3 10 1998 76 25 32.9
16 Monaco 02 1998 18 4 22.2 --- --- --- ---
" Namibia 12 1994 72 16 22.2 01 1992 26 1 3.8
17 China 1997-98 2979 650 21.8 --- --- --- ---
18 Lao People's Democratic Rep. 12 1997 99 21 21.2 --- --- --- ---
19 Eritrea 02 1994 105 22 21.0 --- --- --- ---
" Switzerland 10 1995 200 42 21.0 10 1995 46 8 17.4
20 Canada 06 1997 301 62 20.6 1998 103 32 31.1
21 Dem. People's Rep. of Korea 07 1998 687 138 20.1 --- --- --- ---
22 Grenada 06 1995 15 3 20.0 06 1995 13 ? ?
" Luxembourg 06 1994 60 12 20.0 --- --- --- ---
23 Costa Rica 02 1998 57 11 19.3 --- --- --- ---
24 United Kingdom 05 1997 659 120 18.2 1998* 1272 ? ?
25 Uganda 06 1996 276 50 18.1 --- --- --- ---
26 Turkmenistan 12 1994 50 9 18.0 --- --- --- ---
27 Lithuania 10 1996 137 24 17.5 --- --- --- ---
" United Rep. of Tanzania 10 1995 275 48 17.5 --- --- --- ---
28 Ecuador 05 1998 121 21 17.4 --- --- --- ---
" Mexico 07 1997 500 87 17.4 07 1997 128 19 14.8
29 Rwanda 11 1994 70 12 17.1 --- --- --- ---
30 Latvia 10 1998 100 17 17.0 --- --- --- ---
31 El Salvador 03 1997 84 14 16.7 --- --- --- ---
32 Dominican Republic 05 1998 149 24 16.1 05 1998 30 2 6.7
33 Suriname 05 1996 51 8 15.7 --- --- --- ---
34 Angola 09 1992 220 34 15.5 --- --- --- ---
35 Bahamas 03 1997 40 6 15.0 03 1997 16 5 31.3
" Czech Republic 06 1998 200 30 15.0 11 1998 81 ? ?
36 Zimbabwe 04 1995 150 22 14.7 --- --- --- ---
37 Jamaica 12 1997 59 8 13.6 01 1998 21 5 23.8
38 Kazakhstan 12 1995 67 9 13.4 12 1995 47 4 8.5
39 Saint Kitts and Nevis 07 1995 15 2 13.3 --- --- --- ---
" San Marino 05 1998 60 8 13.3 --- --- --- ---
" United States of America 11 1998 435 58 13.3 11 1998 100 9 9.0
40 Poland 09 1997 460 60 13.0 09 1997 100 11 11.0
" Portugal 10 1995 230 30 13.0 --- --- --- ---
41 Belgium 05 1995 150 19 12.7 05 1995 71 16 22.5
" Slovakia 09 1998 150 19 12.7 --- --- --- ---
42 Guatemala 11 1995 80 10 12.5 --- --- --- ---
43 Philippines 05 1998 217 27 12.4 05 1998 23 4 17.4
44 Mali 07 1997 147 18 12.2 --- --- --- ---
45 Senegal 05 1998 140 17 12.1 --- --- --- ---
46 Azerbaijan 11 1995 125 15 12.0 --- --- --- ---
" Congo 01 1998 75 9 12.0 --- --- --- ---
" Ireland 06 1997 166 20 12.0 08 1997 60 11 18.3
47 Saint Lucia 05 1997 17 2 11.8 05 1997 11 2 18.2
48 Indonesia 05 1997 500 57 11.4 --- --- --- ---
49 Cape Verde 12 1995 72 8 11.1 --- --- --- ---
" Italy 04 1996 630 70 11.1 04 1996 326 26 8.0
" Trinidad and Tobago 11 1995 36 4 11.1 11 1995 31 9 29.0
50 Estonia 03 1995 101 11 10.9 --- --- --- ---
" France 05 1997 577 63 10.9 09 1998 321 19 5.9
51 Bulgaria 04 1997 240 26 10.8 --- --- --- ---
" Chile 12 1997 120 13 10.8 12 1997 46 2 4.3
" Nicaragua 10 1996 93 10 10.8 --- --- --- ---
" Peru 04 1995 120 13 10.8 --- --- --- ---
52 Barbados 09 1994 28 3 10.7 09 1994 21 6 28.6
53 Syrian Arab Republic 11 1998 250 26 10.4 --- --- --- ---
54 Zambia 11 1996 156 16 10.3 --- --- --- ---
55 Russian Federation 12 1995 450 46 10.2 1997* 178 1 0.6
56 Guinea-Bissau 07 1994 100 10 10.0 --- --- --- ---
57 Panama 05 1994 72 7 9.7 --- --- --- ---
58 Dominica 06 1995 32 3 9.4 --- --- --- ---
" Honduras 11 1997 128 12 9.4 --- --- --- ---
59 Malta 09 1998 65 6 9.2 --- --- --- ---
60 Bangladesh 06 1996 330 30 9.1 --- --- --- ---
61 Ghana 12 1996 200 18 9.0 --- --- --- ---
62 Equatorial Guinea 11 1993 80 7 8.8 --- --- --- ---
" Guinea 06 1995 114 10 8.8 --- --- --- ---
63 Botswana 10 1994 47 4 8.5 --- --- --- ---
64 Gabon 12 1996 120 10 8.3 01 1997 89 10 11.2
" Hungary 05 1998 386 32 8.3 --- --- --- ---
65 Burkina Faso 05 1997 111 9 8.1 12 1995 176 21 11.9
" India 02 1998 543 44 8.1 03 1998 220 19 8.6
66 Côte d'Ivoire 11 1995 175 14 8.0 --- --- --- ---
67 Croatia 10 1995 127 10 7.9 04 1997 68 4 5.9
" Mongolia 06 1996 76 6 7.9 --- --- --- ---
" Ukraine 03 1998 442 35 7.9 --- --- --- ---
68 Malaysia 04 1995 192 15 7.8 03 1998 69 12 17.4
" Slovenia 11 1996 90 7 7.8 --- --- --- ---
69 Mauritius 12 1995 66 5 7.6 --- --- --- ---
70 Israel 05 1996 120 9 7.5 --- --- --- ---
" The F.Y.R. of Macedonia 10 1998 120 9 7.5 --- --- --- ---
71 Tunisia 03 1994 163 12 7.4 --- --- --- ---
72 Romania 11 1996 343 25 7.3 11 1996 143 2 1.4
73 Benin 03 1995 83 6 7.2 --- --- --- ---
74 Andorra 02 1997 28 2 7.1 --- --- --- ---
" Uruguay 11 1994 99 7 7.1 11 1994 31 2 6.5
75 Belize 08 1998 29 2 6.9 08 1998 8 3 37.5
" Georgia 11 1995 231 16 6.9 --- --- --- ---
76 Iraq 03 1996 250 16 6.4 --- --- --- ---
77 Armenia 07 1995 190 12 6.3 --- --- --- ---
" Greece 09 1996 300 19 6.3 --- --- --- ---
" Maldives 12 1994 48 3 6.3 --- --- --- ---
78 Burundi 07 1998 117 7 6.0 --- --- --- ---
" Uzbekistan 12 1994 250 15 6.0 --- --- --- ---
79 Brazil 10 1998 513 29 5.7 10 1998 81 6 7.4
80 Cameroon 05 1997 180 10 5.6 --- --- --- ---
" Malawi 05 1994 177 10 5.6 --- --- --- ---
" Thailand 11 1996 393 22 5.6 03 1996 260 21 8.1
81 Cyprus 05 1996 56 3 5.4 --- --- --- ---
82 Antigua and Barbuda 03 1994 19 1 5.3 03 1994 17 3 17.6
" Sri Lanka 08 1994 225 12 5.3 --- --- --- ---
" Sudan 03 1996 400 21 5.3 --- --- --- ---
83 Yugoslavia 11 1996 138 7 5.1 03 1998 40 4 10.0
84 Iran (Islamic Rep. of) 03 1996 266 13 4.9 --- --- --- ---
85 Japan 10 1996 500 24 4.8 07 1998 252 43 17.1
" Singapore 01 1997 84 4 4.8 --- --- --- ---
86 Fiji 02 1994 70 3 4.3 02 1994 34 3 8.8
87 Samoa 04 1996 49 2 4.1 --- --- --- ---
88 Liechtenstein 02 1997 25 1 4.0 --- --- --- ---
89 Lesotho 05 1998 80 3 3.8 05 1998 33 ? ?
" Mauritania 10 1996 79 3 3.8 04 1998 56 0 0.0
90 Republic of Korea 04 1996 299 11 3.7 --- --- --- ---
91 Haiti 06 1995 83 3 3.6 04 1997 27 ? ?
" Kenya 12 1997 222 8 3.6 --- --- --- ---
92 Nepal 11 1994 205 7 3.4 06 1997 60 5 8.3
93 Algeria 06 1997 380 12 3.2 12 1997 144 8 5.6
94 Tajikistan 02 1995 181 5 2.8 --- --- --- ---
95 Chad 01 1997 125 3 2.4 --- --- --- ---
" Turkey 12 1995 550 13 2.4 --- --- --- ---
96 Lebanon 08 1996 128 3 2.3 --- --- --- ---
" Pakistan 02 1997 217 5 2.3 03 1997 87 1 1.1
97 Bhutan 1997* 150 3 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Egypt 11 1995 454 9 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Ethiopia 05 1995 537 11 2.0 05 1995 120 ? ?
" Gambia 01 1997 49 1 2.0 --- --- --- ---
" Solomon Islands 08 1997 49 1 2.0 --- --- --- ---
98 Papua New Guinea 06 1997 109 2 1.8 --- --- --- ---
99 Kyrgyzstan 02 1995 70 1 1.4 02 1995 35 4 11.4
100 Niger 11 1996 83 1 1.2 --- --- --- ---
" Togo 02 1994 81 1 1.2 --- --- --- ---
101 Yemen 04 1997 301 2 0.7 --- --- --- ---
102 Morocco 11 1997 325 2 0.6 12 1997 270 2 0.7
103 Comoros 12 1996 43 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Djibouti 12 1997 65 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Jordan 11 1997 80 0 0.0 11 1997 40 3 7.5
" Kiribati 07 1994 41 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Kuwait 10 1996 50 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Micronesia (Fed. States of) 03 1997 14 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Nauru 02 1997 18 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" Palau 11 1996 16 0 0.0 11 1996 14 1 7.1
" Tonga 01 1996 30 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
" United Arab Emirates 12 1997 40 0 0.0 --- --- --- ---
? Albania 06 1997 155 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Belarus 11 1996 110 ? ? 02 1997 63 19 30.2
? Bolivia 06 1997 130 ? ? 06 1997 27 1 3.7
? Bosnia and Herzegovina 09 1998 42 ? ? 09 1998 15 ? ?
? Cambodia 07 1998 122 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Central African Republic 11 1998 109 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Colombia 03 1998 165 ? ? 03 1998 102 ? ?
? Guyana 12 1997 65 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Liberia 07 1997 64 ? ? 07 1997 26 ? ?
? Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 1997* 760 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Madagascar 05 1998 150 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Marshall Islands 11 1995 33 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Paraguay 05 1998 80 ? ? 05 1998 45 ? ?
? Republic of Moldova 03 1998 101 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Saint Vincent & the Grenadines 06 1998 21 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Sao Tome and Principe 11 1998 55 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Swaziland 10 1998 65 ? ? 10 1998 30 ? ?
? Tuvalu 03 1998 12 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Vanuatu 03 1998 52 ? ? --- --- --- ---
? Venezuela 11 1998 207 ? ? 11 1998 52 ? ?

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