The fluorescent lamp has a discharge vessel filled with a gas filling and has a fluorescent coating (1). It has an electrode structure (2) for a discharge that is restrained in dielectric fashion. The electrode structure establishes a geometric distribution of part-discharges (3) in the region of the lamp. The fluorescent coating has a varying coating thickness matched to the geometric distribution. The electrode structure establishes the geometric distribution by cathode projections (4) and by varying the thickness of an electrode dielectric as well as by variation of the width of the electrodes.
