Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which countries have bicameral legislatures?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

A bicameral system is a form of government in which the legislature consists of two separate houses or chambers. This structure is frequently utilized in federal and quasi-federal governments to facilitate checks and balances and ensure deliberate lawmaking.1

Countries that employ a bicameral legislature include:

  • United States12
  • Australia1
  • Brazil1
  • Canada1
  • Germany1
  • India1

While many nations adopted this model following the English or U.S. examples, the prevalence of bicameralism has seen shifts over time. Following World War II, there was a growing preference for unicameral (single-chamber) systems in many nonfederal states, though many constitutional states continue to maintain two chambers today.1