Names of Parliaments of Different Countries
The nomenclature of national legislatures varies globally, reflecting unique historical, linguistic, and constitutional evolutions. For UPSC Prelims, understanding these names, along with their specific structures (unicameral or bicameral) and associated trivia, is essential for static General Knowledge and international relations modules.
Linguistic and Historical Derivatives
National legislative names generally derive from distinct linguistic traditions:
- Diet / National Diet: Historically used in Germanic traditions, signifying a formal deliberative assembly.
- Cortes: Rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, representing historical feudal assemblies.
- Majlis: Derived from Arabic, translating literally to “a place of sitting” or “council.”
- Storting / Folketing / Rigsdag: Rooted in Scandinavian North Germanic languages, where “ting” or “thing” historically denoted a governing assembly or court.
Comprehensive Directory of World Parliaments
The following comprehensive directory details the official names of parliaments across major sovereign nations, organized by region, highlighting their legislative structure.
Asia and the Middle East
| Country | Official Name of Parliament | Structural Composition | Key Constitutional Trivia |
| Afghanistan | National Assembly (Milli Shura) | Bicameral (House of the People / House of Elders) | Suspended or altered following de facto political transitions. |
| Bangladesh | Jatiya Sangsad | Unicameral | Literally translates to “National Parliament”; housed in the iconic building designed by Louis Kahn. |
| Bhutan | Gyelyong Tshogkhang | Bicameral (National Assembly / National Council) | Established formally under the 2008 Constitution transitioning Bhutan to a constitutional monarchy. |
| China | National People’s Congress (NPC) | Unicameral | The largest parliamentary body in the world, boasting nearly 3,000 members. |
| Iran | Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami | Unicameral | Commonly referred to as the Islamic Consultative Assembly. |
| Israel | Knesset | Unicameral | Derived from the ancient Jewish representative assembly, the “Great Assembly” (Knesset HaGedolah). |
| Japan | National Diet (Kokkai) | Bicameral (House of Representatives / House of Councillors) | Established under the Meiji Constitution in 1889; active under the 1947 post-war Constitution. |
| Maldives | People’s Majlis | Unicameral | Governed under the constitutional framework of a presidential republic. |
| Myanmar | Pyidaungsu Hluttaw | Bicameral (House of Nationalities / House of Representatives) | Translates to the “Assembly of the Union.” |
| Nepal | Federal Parliament | Bicameral (House of Representatives / National Assembly) | Formed under the 2015 Constitution, solidifying Nepal’s status as a Federal Democratic Republic. |
| North Korea | Supreme People’s Assembly | Unicameral | The highest organ of state power under the Juche ideology. |
| Pakistan | Majlis-e-Shoora | Bicameral (National Assembly / Senate) | Formally designated under Article 50 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan. |
| South Korea | National Assembly (Gukhoe) | Unicameral | Consists of 300 members elected for fixed four-year terms. |
| Sri Lanka | Parliament of Sri Lanka | Unicameral | Shifted from a bicameral system (Senate and House of Representatives) to unicameralism in 1971. |
| Taiwan | Legislative Yuan | Unicameral | Part of the five-branch government structure designed by Sun Yat-sen. |
Europe
| Country | Official Name of Parliament | Structural Composition | Key Constitutional Trivia |
| Croatia | Sabor | Unicameral | Historical assembly dating back to the 9th century; preserved in modern constitutional governance. |
| Denmark | Folketing | Unicameral | Transformed from a bicameral system (Rigsdagen) to a unicameral system via the 1953 Constitution. |
| Finland | Eduskunta | Unicameral | Established in 1906, notable for being one of the earliest parliaments to adopt universal suffrage. |
| France | Parliament (Parlement) | Bicameral (National Assembly / Senate) | The National Assembly meets at the Palais Bourbon, while the Senate sits at the Palais du Luxembourg. |
| Germany | Federal Legislature | Bicameral-equivalent (Bundestag / Bundesrat) | The Bundestag is the directly elected body; the Bundesrat represents the governments of the sixteen federal states (Länder). |
| Iceland | Althing (Alþingi) | Unicameral | Founded in 930 CE at Thingvellir, it stands as the oldest surviving parliament in the world. |
| Ireland | Oireachtas | Bicameral (Dáil Éireann / Seanad Éireann) | Dáil Éireann serves as the lower house with primary legislative supremacy; Seanad Éireann is the senate. |
| Italy | Italian Parliament (Parlamento Italiano) | Bicameral (Chamber of Deputies / Senate of the Republic) | Characterized by perfect bicameralism, where both houses possess identical powers. |
| Netherlands | States-General (Staten-Generaal) | Bicameral (First Chamber / Second Chamber) | Originating in the 15th century under Burgundian rule; the Second Chamber holds political power. |
| Norway | Storting | Unicameral | Operates as a single chamber, though until 2009 it internally divided itself into two sections (Lagting and Odelsting). |
| Poland | National Assembly | Bicameral (Sejm / Senate) | The Sejm is the lower house; “National Assembly” is the term used when both chambers meet jointly. |
| Russia | Federal Assembly | Bicameral (State Duma / Federation Council) | Established under the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. |
| Spain | General Courts (Cortes Generales) | Bicameral (Congress of Deputies / Senate) | Represents the Spanish people under a constitutional monarchy setup. |
| Sweden | Riksdag | Unicameral | Abolished its bicameral system in 1970 to streamline legislative efficiency. |
| Switzerland | Federal Assembly | Bicameral (National Council / Council of States) | Represents both the general population and the Swiss Cantons equally. |
| United Kingdom | Parliament | Bicameral (House of Commons / House of Lords) | Known as the “Mother of Parliaments,” it operates on absolute parliamentary sovereignty. |
The Americas
| Country | Official Name of Parliament | Structural Composition | Key Constitutional Trivia |
| Argentina | National Congress | Bicameral (Chamber of Deputies / Senate) | Modeled heavily on the federal legislative structure of the United States. |
| Brazil | National Congress | Bicameral (Chamber of Deputies / Federal Senate) | Housed in the architectural complex designed by Oscar Niemeyer in Brasília. |
| Canada | Parliament of Canada | Bicameral (House of Commons / Senate) | Established via the British North America Act, 1867; the Senate consists of appointed members. |
| Cuba | National Assembly of People’s Power | Unicameral | Representatives are elected from constituencies based on single-member districts without multi-party competition. |
| United States | Congress | Bicameral (House of Representatives / Senate) | Established under Article I of the US Constitution; embodies strict separation of powers from the executive. |
Africa and Oceania
| Country | Official Name of Parliament | Structural Composition | Key Constitutional Trivia |
| Australia | Federal Parliament | Bicameral (House of Representatives / Senate) | Combines British Westminster traditions with American federal structures, a synthesis termed the “Washminster” system. |
| Egypt | Parliament | Bicameral (House of Representatives / Senate) | Restored a bicameral legislative structure following constitutional amendments in 2019. |
| New Zealand | Parliament of New Zealand | Unicameral | Abolished its upper house, the Legislative Council, in 1951; functions with the House of Representatives and the Governor-General. |
| South Africa | Parliament of South Africa | Bicameral (National Assembly / National Council of Provinces) | Located in Cape Town, making it the legislative capital, separate from administrative Pretoria and judicial Bloemfontein. |
Special Structural Frameworks and Classifications
Unique Institutional Titles
Several nations feature legislative nomenclature explicitly distinct from conventional global terminology:
- Oman: Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council), functioning primarily as an advisory body to the Sultan.
- Libya: House of Representatives, operating amid transitional political frameworks.
- Mongolia: State Great Khural, a unicameral assembly rooted historically in traditional nomadic councils.
Multi-Language Official Nomenclature
Certain multilingual nations maintain legally equal official titles for their legislative assemblies:
- Switzerland: Federal Assembly is officially designated as Bundesversammlung (German), Assemblée fédérale (French), Assemblea federale (Italian), and Assamblea federala (Romansh).
- South Africa: Parliament is referred to across eleven official tongues, including Palamente ya Afrika Borwa (Sotho) and IPalamende yeSewula Afrika (Ndebele).
Originally written on
February 5, 2015
and last modified on
June 24, 2026.
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