Women in Legislatures Around the World

Following are percentages of women in the main legislature of various democracies. "PR" refers to a having a form of proportional representation. "District" refers to use of winner-take- all, single-seat districts electing one representative. "Mixed" refers to a mix of systems.

Country % Women Election Date System
Sweden 41% 9/94 PR
Finland 39% 3/91 PR
Norway 36% 9/89 PR
Denmark 33% 12/90 PR
Netherlands 29% 9/89 PR
Germany 26% 10/94 PR*
South Africa 25% 4/94 PR
Iceland 24% 4/91 PR
Austria 21% 10/90 PR
Switzerland 18% 10/91 PR
Slovak Republic 18% 12/92 PR
Spain 16% 12/93 PR
Italy 15% 3/9 Mixed**
Latvia 14% 12/93 PR
Bulgaria 13% 10/91 PR
Estonia 13% 9/92 PR
Russia 13% 12/93 Mixed*
Ireland 12% 11/92 PR***
United States 11% 11/94 District#
Czech Republic 10% 12/92 PR
Poland 10% 10/91 PR
Belgium 9% 11/91 PR
Portugal 9% 10/91 PR
United Kingdom 9% 4/92 District#
Australia 8% 1991 District$
Hungary 7% 4/90 Mixed
Lithuania 7% 11/92 PR
France 6% 3/93 District$
Greece 5% 4/90 PR
* 50% by single-seat, plurality election
** 75% by single-seat, plurality election
*** Preference Voting
# Single-seat districts, elected by plurality
$ Single-seat districts, with majority provision
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union and The Center for Voting and Democracy