A compact self-ballasted fluorescent lamp which is equivalent to a typical light bulb is provided. The self-ballasted fluorescent lamp includes a cover, a lighting circuit, an arc tube, a base and a globe and formed into a shape whose outline dimensions are nearly identical to the standard dimensions of a typical light bulb. The arc tube is comprised of a plurality of U-shaped bent bulbs 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 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 comprising the cover and the globe has a height ranging from 110 to 125 mm including the height of the base.