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Women in government

 

The table below ranks 186 countries in descending order according to the percentage of women in the lower or single house of government, according to information compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Nations that tie recieve the same numeric ranking. If the IPU assigned consecutive rankings, the United States would rank 90th.

Rank Country Lower or single House Upper House or Senate
Elections Seats* Women % W Elections Seats* Women % W
1 Rwanda 9/2008 80 45 56.3% 10/2003 26 9 34.6%
2 Sweden 9/2010 349 157 45.0% --- --- --- ---
3 South Africa1 4/2009 400 178 44.5% 4/2009 54 16 29.6%
4 Cuba 1/2008 614 265 43.2% --- --- --- ---
5 Iceland 4/2009 63 27 42.9% --- --- --- ---
6 Netherlands 6/2010 150 61 40.7% 5/2007 75 26 34.7%
7 Finland 3/2007 200 80 40.0% --- --- --- ---
8 Norway 9/2009 169 67 39.6% --- --- --- ---
9 Belgium 6/2010 150 59 39.3% 6/2010 40 17 42.5%
10 Mozambique 10/2009 250 98 39.2% --- --- --- ---
11 Angola 9/2008 220 85 38.6% --- --- --- ---
" Costa Rica 2/2010 57 22 38.6% --- --- --- ---
12 Argentina 6/2009 257 99 38.5% 6/2009 71 25 35.2%
13 Denmark 11/2007 179 68 38.0% --- --- --- ---
14 Spain 3/2008 350 128 36.6% 3/2008 263 81 30.8%
15 Andorra 4/2009 28 10 35.7% --- --- --- ---
16 New Zealand 11/2008 122 41 33.6% --- --- --- ---
17 Nepal 4/2008 594 197 33.2% --- --- --- ---
18 Germany 9/2009 622 204 32.8% N.A. 69 15 21.7%
19 The F.Y.R. of Macedonia 6/2008 120 39 32.5% --- --- --- ---
20 Ecuador 4/2009 124 40 32.3% --- --- --- ---
21 Burundi 7/2010 106 34 32.1% 7/2010 41 19 46.3%
22 Belarus 9/2008 110 35 31.8% 7/2008 58 19 32.8%
23 Uganda 2/2006 324 102 31.5% --- --- --- ---
24 United Republic of Tanzania 12/2005 323 99 30.7% --- --- --- ---
25 Guyana 8/2006 70 21 30.0% --- --- --- ---
26 Timor-Leste 6/2007 65 19 29.2% --- --- --- ---
27 Switzerland 10/2007 200 58 29.0% 10/2007 46 10 21.7%
28 Trinidad and Tobago 5/2010 42 12 28.6% 6/2010 31 8 25.8%
29 Austria 9/2008 183 51 27.9% N.A. 61 18 29.5%
30 Ethiopia 5/2010 547 152 27.8% 5/2010 135 22 16.3%
31 Tunisia 10/2009 214 59 27.6% 8/2008 112 17 15.2%
32 Peru 4/2006 120 33 27.5% --- --- --- ---
33 Portugal 9/2009 230 63 27.4% --- --- --- ---
34 Mexico 7/2009 500 131 26.2% 7/2006 128 25 19.5%
35 Monaco 2/2008 23 6 26.1% --- --- --- ---
36 Viet Nam 5/2007 493 127 25.8% --- --- --- ---
37 Kyrgyzstan 12/2007 90 23 25.6% --- --- --- ---
" Sudan 4/2010 446 114 25.6% 5/2010 46 5 10.9%
38 Bolivia 12/2009 130 33 25.4% 12/2009 36 17 47.2%
39 Iraq 3/2010 325 82 25.2% --- --- --- ---
" Lao People's Democratic Republic 4/2006 115 29 25.2% --- --- --- ---
40 Australia 8/2010 150 37 24.7% 8/2010 76 ? ?
41 Namibia 9/2009 78 19 24.4% 11/2004 26 7 26.9%
42 Lesotho 2/2007 120 29 24.2% 3/2007 33 6 18.2%
43 Liechtenstein 2/2009 25 6 24.0% --- --- --- ---
44 Republic of Moldova 7/2009 101 24 23.8% --- --- --- ---
45 Croatia 11/2007 153 36 23.5% --- --- --- ---
" Seychelles 5/2007 34 8 23.5% --- --- --- ---
46 Singapore 5/2006 94 22 23.4% --- --- --- ---
47 Estonia 3/2007 101 23 22.8% --- --- --- ---
48 Senegal 6/2007 150 34 22.7% 8/2007 100 40 40.0%
49 United Arab Emirates 12/2006 40 9 22.5% --- --- --- ---
50 Pakistan 2/2008 342 76 22.2% 3/2009 100 17 17.0%
51 Canada 10/2008 308 68 22.1% N.A. 93 32 34.4%
" Mauritania 11/2006 95 21 22.1% 11/2009 56 8 14.3%
52 Czech Republic 5/2010 200 44 22.0% 10/2008 81 14 17.3%
" Eritrea 2/1994 150 33 22.0% --- --- --- ---
" Latvia 10/2006 100 22 22.0% --- --- --- ---
" United Kingdom 5/2010 650 143 22.0% N.A. 733 147 20.1%
" Uzbekistan 12/2009 150 33 22.0% 1/2010 100 15 15.0%
53 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 12/2005 23 5 21.7% --- --- --- ---
54 Serbia 5/2008 250 54 21.6% --- --- --- ---
55 Philippines 5/2010 229 49 21.4% 5/2010 23 3 13.0%
56 China 3/2008 2987 637 21.3% --- --- --- ---
" Italy 4/2008 630 134 21.3% 4/2008 322 59 18.3%
57 Cambodia 7/2008 123 26 21.1% 1/2006 61 9 14.8%
58 Bulgaria 7/2009 240 50 20.8% --- --- --- ---
" Dominican Republic 5/2010 183 38 20.8% 5/2010 32 3 9.4%
" Malawi 5/2009 192 40 20.8% --- --- --- ---
59 Nicaragua 11/2006 92 19 20.7% --- --- --- ---
60 Luxembourg 6/2009 60 12 20.0% --- --- --- ---
" Poland 10/2007 460 92 20.0% 10/2007 100 8 8.0%
61 Dominica 12/2009 26 5 19.2% --- --- --- ---
62 Lithuania 10/2008 141 27 19.1% --- --- --- ---
63 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10/2006 42 8 19.0% 3/2007 15 2 13.3%
" El Salvador 1/2009 84 16 19.0% --- --- --- ---
" Tajikistan 2/2010 63 12 19.0% 3/2010 34 5 14.7%
64 France 6/2007 577 109 18.9% 9/2008 343 75 21.9%
65 Mauritius 5/2010 69 13 18.8% --- --- --- ---
66 Bangladesh 12/2008 345 64 18.6% --- --- --- ---
67 Israel 2/2009 120 22 18.3% --- --- --- ---
68 Sao Tome and Principe 8/2010 55 10 18.2% --- --- --- ---
69 Cape Verde 1/2006 72 13 18.1% --- --- --- ---
70 Honduras 11/2009 128 23 18.0% --- --- --- ---
" Indonesia 4/2009 560 101 18.0% --- --- --- ---
71 Kazakhstan 8/2007 107 19 17.8% 10/2008 47 2 4.3%
72 Greece 10/2009 300 52 17.3% --- --- --- ---
73 Turkmenistan 12/2008 125 21 16.8% --- --- --- ---
" United States of America2 11/2008 435 73 16.8% 11/2008 98 15 15.3%
74 San Marino 11/2008 60 10 16.7% --- --- --- ---
75 Albania 6/2009 140 23 16.4% --- --- --- ---
76 Democratic People's Republic of Korea 3/2009 687 107 15.6% --- --- --- ---
77 Burkina Faso 5/2007 111 17 15.3% --- --- --- ---
" Slovakia 6/2010 150 23 15.3% --- --- --- ---
78 Uruguay 10/2009 99 15 15.2% 10/2009 31 4 12.9%
79 Zimbabwe 3/2008 214 32 15.0% 3/2008 99 24 24.2%
80 Gabon 1/2009 116 17 14.7% 1/2009 102 18 17.6%
" Republic of Korea 4/2008 299 44 14.7% --- --- --- ---
81 Slovenia 9/2008 90 13 14.4% 11/2007 40 1 2.5%
82 Chile 12/2009 120 17 14.2% 12/2009 38 5 13.2%
83 Russian Federation 12/2007 450 63 14.0% N.A. 169 8 4.7%
" Zambia 9/2006 157 22 14.0% --- --- --- ---
84 Cameroon 7/2007 180 25 13.9% --- --- --- ---
" Ireland 5/2007 165 23 13.9% 7/2007 59 13 22.0%
85 Djibouti 2/2008 65 9 13.8% --- --- --- ---
86 Swaziland 9/2008 66 9 13.6% 10/2008 30 12 40.0%
87 Grenada 7/2008 15 2 13.3% 8/2008 13 4 30.8%
" Jamaica 9/2007 60 8 13.3% 9/2007 21 3 14.3%
" Thailand 12/2007 473 63 13.3% 3/2008 150 24 16.0%
88 Sierra Leone 8/2007 121 16 13.2% --- --- --- ---
89 Cyprus 5/2006 56 7 12.5% --- --- --- ---
" Liberia 10/2005 64 8 12.5% 10/2005 30 5 16.7%
" Paraguay 4/2008 80 10 12.5% 4/2008 45 7 15.6%
90 Syrian Arab Republic 4/2007 250 31 12.4% --- --- --- ---
91 Bahamas 5/2007 41 5 12.2% 5/2007 15 5 33.3%
92 Guatemala 9/2007 158 19 12.0% --- --- --- ---
93 Azerbaijan 11/2005 123 14 11.4% --- --- --- ---
" Romania 11/2008 334 38 11.4% 11/2008 137 8 5.8%
94 Japan 8/2009 480 54 11.3% 7/2010 242 44 18.2%
95 Montenegro 3/2009 81 9 11.1% --- --- --- ---
" Saint Lucia 12/2006 18 2 11.1% 1/2007 11 4 36.4%
" Togo 10/2007 81 9 11.1% --- --- --- ---
96 Benin 3/2003 83 9 10.8% --- --- --- ---
" India 4/2009 545 59 10.8% 7/2008 233 21 9.0%
97 Antigua and Barbuda 3/2009 19 2 10.5% 4/2009 17 5 29.4%
" Morocco 9/2007 325 34 10.5% 10/2009 270 6 2.2%
98 Mali 7/2007 147 15 10.2% --- --- --- ---
99 Barbados 1/2008 30 3 10.0% 2/2008 21 7 33.3%
" Equatorial Guinea 5/2008 100 10 10.0% --- --- --- ---
" Guinea-Bissau 11/2008 100 10 10.0% --- --- --- ---
100 Malaysia 3/2008 222 22 9.9% N.A. 64 18 28.1%
101 Kenya 12/2007 224 22 9.8% --- --- --- ---
" Suriname 5/2010 51 5 9.8% --- --- --- ---
102 Central African Republic 3/2005 104 10 9.6% --- --- --- ---
103 Armenia 5/2007 131 12 9.2% --- --- --- ---
104 Hungary 4/2010 386 35 9.1% --- --- --- ---
" Turkey 7/2007 549 50 9.1% --- --- --- ---
105 Cote d'Ivoire 12/2000 203 18 8.9% --- --- --- ---
106 Brazil 10/2006 513 45 8.8% 10/2006 81 10 12.3%
107 Malta 3/2008 69 6 8.7% --- --- --- ---
108 Bhutan 3/2008 47 4 8.5% 12/2007 25 6 24.0%
" Panama 5/2009 71 6 8.5% --- --- --- ---
109 Democratic Republic of the Congo 7/2006 500 42 8.4% 1/2007 108 5 4.6%
110 Ghana 12/2008 230 19 8.3% --- --- --- ---
111 Samoa 3/2006 49 4 8.2% --- --- --- ---
112 Ukraine 9/2007 450 36 8.0% --- --- --- ---
113 Botswana 10/2009 63 5 7.9% --- --- --- ---
114 Algeria 5/2007 389 30 7.7% 12/2009 136 7 5.1%
" Kuwait 5/2009 65 5 7.7% --- --- --- ---
" Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 3/2009 468 36 7.7% --- --- --- ---
115 Gambia 1/2002 53 4 7.5% --- --- --- ---
116 Congo 6/2007 137 10 7.3% 8/2008 70 9 12.9%
117 Nigeria 4/2007 358 25 7.0% 4/2007 109 9 8.3%
118 Somalia 8/2004 546 37 6.8% --- --- --- ---
119 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1/2010 15 1 6.7% --- --- --- ---
120 Georgia 5/2008 138 9 6.5% --- --- --- ---
" Maldives 5/2009 77 5 6.5% --- --- --- ---
121 Jordan 11/2007 110 7 6.4% 12/2009 55 7 12.7%
122 Sri Lanka 4/2010 225 12 5.3% --- --- --- ---
123 Chad 4/2002 155 8 5.2% --- --- --- ---
124 Kiribati 8/2007 46 2 4.3% --- --- --- ---
125 Haiti 2/2006 98 4 4.1% 4/2009 29 2 6.9%
126 Mongolia 6/2008 76 3 3.9% --- --- --- ---
127 Vanuatu 9/2008 52 2 3.8% --- --- --- ---
128 Lebanon 6/2009 128 4 3.1% --- --- --- ---
" Tonga3 4/2008 32 1 3.1% --- --- --- ---
129 Comoros 12/2009 33 1 3.0% --- --- --- ---
" Marshall Islands 11/2007 33 1 3.0% --- --- --- ---
130 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 3/2008 290 8 2.8% --- --- --- ---
131 Bahrain 11/2006 40 1 2.5% 12/2006 40 10 25.0%
132 Egypt 11/2005 454 8 1.8% 6/2010 264 ? ?
133 Papua New Guinea 6/2007 109 1 0.9% --- --- --- ---
134 Yemen 4/2003 301 1 0.3% 4/2001 111 2 1.8%
135 Belize 2/2008 32 0 0.0% 3/2008 13 5 38.5%
" Micronesia (Federated States of) 3/2009 14 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
" Nauru 6/2010 18 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
" Oman 10/2007 84 0 0.0% 11/2007 72 14 19.4%
" Palau 11/2008 16 0 0.0% 11/2008 13 2 15.4%
" Qatar 7/2010 35 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
" Saudi Arabia 2/2009 150 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
" Solomon Islands 8/2010 50 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
" Tuvalu 9/2010 15 0 0.0% --- --- --- ---
136 Afghanistan 9/2010 249 ? ? 2/2010 102 28 27.5%
" Colombia 3/2010 166 ? ? 3/2010 102 ? ?
" Venezuela 9/2010 165 ? ? --- --- --- ---
* Figures correspond to the number of seats currently filled in Parliament
Guinea: The parliament was dissolved following the December 2008 coup.
1. South Africa: The figures on the distribution of seats do not include 36 special rotating delegates appointed on an ad hoc basis; percentages given are therefore calculated on the basis of the 54 permanent seats.
2. United States of America: The total refers to all voting members of the House.
3. Tonga: No women were elected in 2008, however one woman was appointed to the Cabinet. As cabinet ministers also sit in parliament, there is one woman out of a total of 32 members.