Abstract: A ballast circuit for a fluorescent lamp including a magnetic choke electrically connected between the lamp and a power supply and an electronic starter circuit electrically coupled across said lamp, which ballast circuit is configured to provide a power factor of at least 90%. To this end, for certain lamps a power factor correcting capacitance is electrically connected across the power supply. For other lamps, a power factor correcting resistance is coupled between the ballasting capacitance and inductor so that the inductor and ballasting capacitance close to resonance.