A compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp (10) which is equivalent to a typical light bulb is provided. The self-ballasted fluorescent lamp (10) includes a cover (14), a lighting circuit (16), an arc tube (18), a base (12) and a globe (17) and formed into a shape whose outline dimensions are nearly identical to the standard dimensions of a typical light bulb. The arc tube (18) is comprised of a plurality of U-shaped bent bulbs (31) which have an inner tube diameter ranging from 6 to 9 mm and arranged in parallel with one another. Having a bulb height ranging from 50 to 60 mm and a discharge path from 200 to 300 mm long, the arc tube (18) is designed such that the total luminous flux is not less than 700 lm with a lamp efficiency of not less than 60 lm/W when the lamp is lit at the lamp power of 7 to 15 W. An envelope (19) comprising the cover (14) and the globe (17) has a height ranging from 110 to 125 mm, including the height of the base (12).