- Summary
- Contents
- Countries A-Z
- Political & Electoral Systems
- International Organizations
The Political Handbook of the World provides timely, thorough, and accurate political information, with more in-depth coverage of current political controversies than any other reference guide. The updated 2015 edition will continue to be the most authoritative source for finding complete facts and analysis on each country�s governmental and political makeup. Compiling in one place 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. And this annual update includes coverage of current events, issues, crises, and controversies from the course of this year.
-
Regime Type
icon angle down-
dictatorship
- Algeria
- Brunei
- Fiji
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Rwanda
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Cambodia
- Qatar
- Cuba
- Iran
- Thailand
- Eritrea
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- Uganda
- Cameroon
- Gambia
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uzbekistan
- Angola
- Kazakhstan
- Morocco
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Tajikistan
- Tonga
- Chad
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Lebanon
- ETHIOPIA
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Somalia
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Guinea
- Bahrain
- Singapore
- Djibouti
- Vietnam
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Mozambique
- Saudi Arabia
- Turkmenistan
- Burundi
- Syria
- United Arab Emirates
-
democracy
- Estonia
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somaliland
- United States
- Bahamas
- Benin
- Finland
- Honduras
- Japan
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Peru
- South Africa
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Bhutan
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Haiti
- India
- Israel
- Malawi
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Paraguay
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Barbados
- Central African Republic
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Kyrgyzstan
- Aruba
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Vanuatu
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Curaçao
- Poland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Brazil
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Jordan
- Lithuania
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Cyprus
- Mauritius
- New Zealand
- Solomon Islands
- Botswana
- China: Taiwan
- Comoros
- Guyana
- Palau
- Suriname
- Tuvalu
- Australia
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Hungary
- Jamaica
- Monaco
- Philippines
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Burkina Faso
- Grenada
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- United Kingdom
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Dominican Republic
- Germany
- Mexico
- St. Lucia
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Zambia
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Armenia
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Mongolia
- Samoa
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Sri Lanka
- Ukraine
- Bangladesh
- Czech Republic
- France
- Gabon
- Latvia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Venezuela
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Greece
- Republic of Korea
- Mali
- Moldova
- Norway
- Sierra Leone
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Colombia
- El Salvador
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Macedonia
- Panama
- Spain
- Swaziland
- Chile
- Iceland
- Italy
- Nepal
- Niger
- Papua New Guinea
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
not rated
-
-
Democracy Type
icon angle down-
non-democracy
- Algeria
- Brunei
- Fiji
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Rwanda
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Cambodia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Qatar
- Cuba
- Iran
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Eritrea
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- Uganda
- Cameroon
- Gambia
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uzbekistan
- Angola
- China: Taiwan
- Kazakhstan
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Maldives
- Tajikistan
- Tonga
- Chad
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Lebanon
- ETHIOPIA
- Libya
- Malaysia
- Somalia
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Bahrain
- Singapore
- Djibouti
- Vietnam
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Saudi Arabia
- Swaziland
- Turkmenistan
- Burundi
- Syria
- United Arab Emirates
-
newer democracy
- Estonia
- Ghana
- Liechtenstein
- Benin
- Namibia
- South Africa
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Bhutan
- Croatia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Slovenia
- Vanuatu
- Cape Verde
- Iraq
- Poland
- Argentina
- Ecuador
- Lithuania
- Botswana
- Guyana
- Palau
- Tuvalu
- Belize
- Hungary
- Grenada
- Nauru
- Andorra
- Dominican Republic
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Mongolia
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Czech Republic
- Latvia
- Marshall Islands
- Slovakia
- Bulgaria
- Republic of Korea
- El Salvador
- Macedonia
- Panama
- Chile
-
semi-democracy
- Liberia
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Somaliland
- Honduras
- Lesotho
- Peru
- Haiti
- Malawi
- Paraguay
- Tunisia
- Central African Republic
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Kuwait
- Brazil
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Guatemala
- Jordan
- Montenegro
- Comoros
- Morocco
- Suriname
- Monaco
- Philippines
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Mexico
- Zambia
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Armenia
- Guinea
- Madagascar
- Samoa
- Sri Lanka
- Ukraine
- Bangladesh
- Russia
- Venezuela
- Albania
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Mali
- Moldova
- Sierra Leone
- Turkey
- Colombia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Nepal
- Niger
- Papua New Guinea
-
older democracy
- United States
- Bahamas
- Finland
- Japan
- Denmark
- India
- Switzerland
- Barbados
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Canada
- San Marino
- Cyprus
- Mauritius
- New Zealand
- Solomon Islands
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Jamaica
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Austria
- Belgium
- Germany
- St. Lucia
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- France
- Malta
- Greece
- Norway
- Sweden
- Spain
- Iceland
- Italy
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
-
Freedom House Rating
icon angle down-
not free
- Algeria
- Brunei
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Rwanda
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Cambodia
- Central African Republic
- Qatar
- Cuba
- Iran
- Iraq
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Eritrea
- Jordan
- Sudan
- Uganda
- Cameroon
- Gambia
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Uzbekistan
- Angola
- Kazakhstan
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Tajikistan
- Afghanistan
- Chad
- China
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- South Sudan
- ETHIOPIA
- Libya
- Somalia
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Bahrain
- Gabon
- Russia
- Djibouti
- Vietnam
- Saudi Arabia
- Swaziland
- Turkmenistan
- Burundi
- Republic of the Congo
- Syria
- United Arab Emirates
-
free
- Estonia
- Ghana
- Liechtenstein
- Senegal
- United States
- Bahamas
- Benin
- Finland
- Japan
- Lesotho
- Namibia
- Peru
- South Africa
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Croatia
- Denmark
- India
- Israel
- Federated States of Micronesia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Barbados
- Ireland
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Vanuatu
- Canada
- Cape Verde
- Poland
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Lithuania
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Cyprus
- Mauritius
- New Zealand
- Botswana
- Guyana
- Palau
- Suriname
- Tuvalu
- Australia
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Hungary
- Jamaica
- Monaco
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tonga
- Grenada
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Dominican Republic
- Germany
- St. Lucia
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- Mongolia
- Samoa
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Czech Republic
- France
- Latvia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Republic of Korea
- Norway
- Sweden
- El Salvador
- Panama
- Spain
- Chile
- Iceland
- Italy
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
partly free
- Fiji
- Kosovo
- Liberia
- Seychelles
- Honduras
- Bhutan
- Haiti
- Malawi
- Paraguay
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Kuwait
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Pakistan
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Comoros
- Morocco
- Maldives
- Philippines
- Burkina Faso
- Lebanon
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Zambia
- Armenia
- Bolivia
- Guinea
- Madagascar
- Sri Lanka
- Ukraine
- Bangladesh
- Singapore
- Venezuela
- Albania
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Mali
- Moldova
- Sierra Leone
- Turkey
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Colombia
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Macedonia
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Niger
- Papua New Guinea
-
-
Election System
icon angle down-
proportional representation (pr)
- Algeria
- Estonia
- Kosovo
- Liechtenstein
- Benin
- Finland
- Honduras
- Namibia
- Peru
- Rwanda
- South Africa
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Israel
- Paraguay
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Kyrgyzstan
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Cape Verde
- Iraq
- Poland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Cyprus
- Togo
- Angola
- Guyana
- Kazakhstan
- Morocco
- Suriname
- Costa Rica
- Burkina Faso
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Austria
- Belgium
- Dominican Republic
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Equatorial Guinea
- Luxembourg
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Sri Lanka
- Czech Republic
- Latvia
- Malta
- Slovakia
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Moldova
- Norway
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Colombia
- El Salvador
- Guinea-Bissau
- Macedonia
- Mozambique
- Panama
- Spain
- Burundi
- Chile
- Iceland
- Italy
-
no elections
-
majoritarian
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Liberia
- United States
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Bahamas
- Azerbaijan
- Bhutan
- Haiti
- India
- Malawi
- Federated States of Micronesia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Central African Republic
- Vanuatu
- Canada
- Cuba
- Iran
- Kuwait
- Eritrea
- Uganda
- Cameroon
- Gambia
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania
- Uzbekistan
- Botswana
- Comoros
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Palau
- Tuvalu
- Australia
- Belize
- Dominica
- Jamaica
- Maldives
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tonga
- Afghanistan
- Grenada
- Lebanon
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- United Kingdom
- ETHIOPIA
- Malaysia
- St. Lucia
- Zambia
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Kiribati
- Madagascar
- Mongolia
- Samoa
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- France
- Gabon
- Singapore
- Mali
- Sierra Leone
- Vietnam
- Kenya
- Swaziland
- Turkmenistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Syria
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
combined
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Japan
- Lesotho
- Georgia
- Thailand
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Jordan
- Lithuania
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- New Zealand
- China: Taiwan
- Hungary
- Monaco
- Philippines
- Tajikistan
- Chad
- Andorra
- Germany
- Libya
- Mexico
- Armenia
- Bolivia
- Egypt
- Guinea
- Ukraine
- Marshall Islands
- Romania
- Russia
- Venezuela
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Republic of Korea
- Nepal
- Niger
-
not rated
-
-
Election Rules
icon angle down-
list proportional representation
- Algeria
- Estonia
- Kosovo
- Liechtenstein
- Benin
- Finland
- Honduras
- Namibia
- Peru
- Rwanda
- South Africa
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Israel
- Paraguay
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Kyrgyzstan
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Cape Verde
- Iraq
- Poland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Cyprus
- Togo
- Angola
- Guyana
- Kazakhstan
- Morocco
- Suriname
- Costa Rica
- Burkina Faso
- Netherlands
- Nicaragua
- Austria
- Belgium
- Dominican Republic
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Equatorial Guinea
- Luxembourg
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Sri Lanka
- Czech Republic
- Latvia
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Moldova
- Norway
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Colombia
- El Salvador
- Guinea-Bissau
- Macedonia
- Mozambique
- Panama
- Spain
- Burundi
- Chile
- Iceland
- Italy
- Niger
-
no free elections
-
alternative vote
-
first past the post
- Ghana
- Liberia
- Somaliland
- United States
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Bahamas
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Azerbaijan
- India
- Malawi
- Federated States of Micronesia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Barbados
- Canada
- Eritrea
- Uganda
- Gambia
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania
- Botswana
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Oman
- Palau
- Belize
- Dominica
- Jamaica
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tonga
- Grenada
- Nigeria
- United Kingdom
- ETHIOPIA
- Malaysia
- St. Lucia
- Zambia
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Madagascar
- Samoa
- Bangladesh
- Marshall Islands
- Sierra Leone
- Kenya
- Swaziland
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
parallel systems
-
mixed member proportional system
-
two round system
-
single transferable vote
-
not rated
-
single non-transferable vote
-
block vote
-
party bloc vote
-
-
Party System
icon angle down-
multi party-hyper competitive
- Algeria
- Estonia
- Liberia
- Benin
- Finland
- Japan
- Peru
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Denmark
- India
- Israel
- Switzerland
- Belarus
- Central African Republic
- Slovenia
- Thailand
- Brazil
- Montenegro
- Pakistan
- San Marino
- New Zealand
- Comoros
- Guyana
- Morocco
- Suriname
- Hungary
- Philippines
- Afghanistan
- Lebanon
- Netherlands
- United Kingdom
- Belgium
- ETHIOPIA
- Germany
- Malaysia
- Serbia
- Armenia
- Ukraine
- Latvia
- Russia
- Slovakia
- Venezuela
- Norway
- Sierra Leone
- Sweden
- Macedonia
- Panama
- Chile
- Italy
- Papua New Guinea
-
multi party-limited competition
- Fiji
- Liechtenstein
- Senegal
- Somaliland
- Bahamas
- Honduras
- Namibia
- Rwanda
- South Africa
- Azerbaijan
- Croatia
- Malawi
- Paraguay
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Tunisia
- Cambodia
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Kyrgyzstan
- Portugal
- Vanuatu
- Canada
- Iran
- Kuwait
- Poland
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Jordan
- Lithuania
- Sudan
- Uganda
- Cameroon
- Cyprus
- Gambia
- Mauritius
- Tanzania
- Uzbekistan
- China: Taiwan
- Kazakhstan
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Australia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tajikistan
- Chad
- Nicaragua
- Nigeria
- Andorra
- Austria
- Dominican Republic
- Mexico
- Uruguay
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Egypt
- Guinea
- Luxembourg
- Madagascar
- Mongolia
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Sri Lanka
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Czech Republic
- France
- Gabon
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Greece
- Republic of Korea
- Moldova
- Turkey
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- El Salvador
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Spain
- Iceland
- Nepal
- Niger
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
two party
-
one party
-
not rated
-
-
System of Government
icon angle down-
unitary
- Algeria
- Brunei
- Estonia
- Liberia
- Liechtenstein
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
- Bahamas
- Benin
- Finland
- Honduras
- Lesotho
- Peru
- Rwanda
- Azerbaijan
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Haiti
- Israel
- Malawi
- Paraguay
- Tunisia
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Cambodia
- Central African Republic
- Ireland
- Kyrgyzstan
- Qatar
- Slovenia
- Vanuatu
- Cape Verde
- Cuba
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kuwait
- Poland
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- Guatemala
- Jordan
- Lithuania
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Uganda
- Cyprus
- Cyprus: Turkish Sector
- Gambia
- Laos
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- New Zealand
- Togo
- Uzbekistan
- Angola
- China: Taiwan
- Guyana
- Kazakhstan
- Morocco
- Oman
- Suriname
- Tuvalu
- Belize
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- Hungary
- Jamaica
- Maldives
- Monaco
- Philippines
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tajikistan
- Tonga
- Afghanistan
- Burkina Faso
- Grenada
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Lebanon
- Nauru
- Nicaragua
- United Kingdom
- Dominican Republic
- Libya
- St. Lucia
- Serbia
- Uruguay
- Armenia
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Guinea
- Kiribati
- Luxembourg
- Mongolia
- Samoa
- SÃO TomÉ and PrÍNcipe
- Sri Lanka
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Czech Republic
- France
- Gabon
- Latvia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Côte D’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Greece
- Republic of Korea
- Mali
- Moldova
- Norway
- Sierra Leone
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Vietnam
- El Salvador
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Macedonia
- Mozambique
- Panama
- Saudi Arabia
- Swaziland
- Turkmenistan
- Burundi
- Chile
- Iceland
- Nepal
- Niger
- Syria
- United Arab Emirates
-
federal
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Somaliland
- United States
- Japan
- Namibia
- South Africa
- United Kingdom: Northern Ireland
- Bhutan
- India
- Federated States of Micronesia
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Switzerland
- Georgia
- Indonesia
- Portugal
- Canada
- Argentina
- Brazil
- Eritrea
- Pakistan
- Sudan
- Cameroon
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania
- Botswana
- Comoros
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Australia
- Netherlands
- Nigeria
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- ETHIOPIA
- Germany
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Somalia
- Antigua And Barbuda
- Madagascar
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Venezuela
- Bosnia And Herzegovina
- Colombia
- Spain
- Italy
- Papua New Guinea
- Trinidad and Tobago
-
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 Atomic Energy Community
- European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
- European Union (EU)
- 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
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations: Related Organizations
- United Nations: Specialized Agencies
- WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO)