A fluorescent lamp comprising a bulb, a fluorescent material coated on an internal surface of the bulb, a stem, a discharge chamber filled with gas and mercury, a thermal cathode filament coated with electron emitting material, lead wires passing air-tight through the stem and supporting the thermal cathode filament and an anode, where the anode is substantially rectangular with a thickness 1/16.about.3/16 of the longitudinal length of the thermal cathode filament and is substantially parallel to cathode filament in a cross-sectional view along an axis Z. The thermal cathode filament and the rectangular anode are arranged such that either the thermal cathode filament or the rectangular anode is in a rotated position relative to the other on a parallel flat surface within an angle range of 30-60 degrees. In this composition, the smaller discharge spot is obtained to improve thermal electron emission efficiency and efficiency of the fluorescent lamp. Additionally, the luminance of the fluorescent lamp does not greatly decrease and is sufficient for use even after the discharge spot passes the center point of the thermal cathode filament.