- Summary
- Contents
- Countries A-Z
- Political & Electoral Systems
- Intergovernmental Organizations
No other resource matches the timely, thorough, and accurate political information provided by the best-selling Political Handbook of the World. With more in-depth coverage of current political controversies than any other reference guide, the updated 2014 edition is the most authoritative source for finding complete facts and analysis on each country’s governmental and political makeup. Featuring more than 200 entries on countries and territories throughout the world, this volume is renowned for its extensive coverage of all major and minor political parties and groups in each political system. It also provides names of key ambassadors and international memberships of each country, plus detailed profiles of more than 30 intergovernmental organizations and UN agencies. This comprehensive, one-volume source for political information has been updated to include coverage of current events, issues, crises, and controversies.
-
Regime Type
icon angle down-
democracy
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chile
- China: Taiwan
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Republic of Korea
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Norway
- Palau
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
- Zambia
-
dictatorship
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Guinea
- Iran
- Kazakhstan
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
not rated
-
-
Democracy Type
icon angle down-
semi-democracy
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Brazil
- Burkina Faso
- Central African Republic
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kuwait
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Russia
- Samoa
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somaliland
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Zambia
-
non-democracy
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gambia
- Iran
- Kazakhstan
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mauritania
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tonga
- Turkmenistan
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
newer democracy
- Andorra
- Argentina
- Belize
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Bulgaria
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Iraq
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Macedonia
- Marshall Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Palau
- Panama
- Poland
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Tuvalu
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
-
older democracy
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Canada
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- San Marino
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- United States
-
not rated
-
-
Freedom House Rating
icon angle down-
not free
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China: People’s Republic of
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of the Congo
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Qatar
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
partly free
- Albania
- Armenia
- Bangladesh
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Colombia
- Comoros
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Ecuador
- Fiji
- Georgia
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Philippines
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Zambia
-
free
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- China: Taiwan
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Republic of Korea
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Palau
- Panama
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
-
-
Election System
icon angle down-
majoritarian
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Bhutan
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Comoros
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Haiti
- India
- Iran
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
proportional representation (pr)
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Austria
- Belgium
- Benin
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Malawi
- Malta
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uruguay
-
combined
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Bolivia
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of the Congo
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Georgia
- Germany
- Guinea
- Hungary
- Japan
- Republic of Korea
- Lesotho
- Libya
- Lithuania
- Marshall Islands
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Niger
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Romania
- Russia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
-
no elections
-
not rated
-
-
Election Rules
icon angle down-
single non-transferable vote
-
list proportional representation
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Argentina
- Austria
- Belgium
- Benin
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Israel
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Norway
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uruguay
-
parallel systems
-
first past the post
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Canada
- Dominica
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Palau
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somaliland
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
-
alternative vote
-
two round system
-
mixed member proportional system
-
no free elections
-
party bloc vote
-
single transferable vote
-
block vote
-
not rated
-
-
Party System
icon angle down-
multi party-hyper competitive
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Benin
- Brazil
- Central African Republic
- Chile
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hungary
- India
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- Russia
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Slovakia
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Venezuela
-
multi party-limited competition
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Chad
- China: Taiwan
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Fiji
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Honduras
- Iceland
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Ireland
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Republic of Korea
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Paraguay
- Poland
- Portugal
- Rwanda
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Senegal
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uganda
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
-
two party
-
not rated
-
one party
-
-
System of Government
icon angle down-
unitary
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Benin
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chile
- China: Taiwan
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Costa Rica
- CÔte D’ivoire
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Republic of Korea
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nauru
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Norway
- Oman
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Sri Lanka
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
-
federal
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- India
- Indonesia
- Italy
- Japan
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Namibia
- Netherlands
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Portugal
- Russia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sudan
- Switzerland
- Tanzania
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- United States
- Venezuela
-
not rated
-
- African Union (AU)
- Arab League
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
- Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)
- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
- Council of Europe
- Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
- European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
- Group of Eight
- Group of Twenty
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- International Energy Agency (IEA)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
- Non-Aligned Movement
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
- Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
- Organization of American States (OAS)
- Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
- Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
- Pacific Islands Forum (PIF)
- Regional Development Banks
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
- South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
- Southern African Development Community (SADC)
- Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur/Mercosul)
- The Commonwealth
- The European Union (EU)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations: Related Organization
- United Nations: Specialized Agencies
- World Trade Organization (WTO)