 |
Afghanistan |
transitional
|
 |
Albania |
emerging democracy
|
 |
Algeria |
republic
|
 |
American Samoa |
NA
|
 |
American Virgin Islands |
NA
|
 |
Andorra |
parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as its heads of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are represented locally by coprinces' representatives
|
 |
Angola |
republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong presidential system
|
 |
Anguilla |
NA
|
 |
Antarctica |
Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica. The 24th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Russia in July 2001. At the end of 2001, there were 45 treaty member nations: 27 consultative and 18 non-consultative. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 20 nonclaimant nations. The US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims. The US does not recognize the claims of others. Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations. Decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (within their areas) in accordance with their own national laws. The year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was voted to full consultative (voting) status, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory. Claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Uruguay (1985), and the US. Non-consultative (nonvoting) members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), Ukraine (1992), and Venezuela (1999). Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) marine pollution, 2) fauna and flora, 3) environmental impact assessments, 4) waste management, and 5) protected area management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research.
|
 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament
|
 |
Argentina |
republic
|
 |
Armenia |
republic
|
 |
Aruba |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Australia |
democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign
|
 |
Austria |
federal republic
|
 |
Azerbaijan |
republic
|
 |
Bahamas, The |
constitutional parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Bahrain |
constitutional hereditary monarchy
|
 |
Bangladesh |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Barbados |
parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
|
 |
Belarus |
republic
|
 |
Belgium |
federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch
|
 |
Belize |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Benin |
republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism December 1989; democratic reforms adopted February 1990; transition to multiparty system completed 4 April 1991
|
 |
Bermuda |
parliamentary British overseas territory with internal self-governmen
|
 |
Bhutan |
monarchy; special treaty relationship with India
|
 |
Bolivia |
republic
|
 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
emerging federal democratic republic
|
 |
Botswana |
parliamentary republic
|
 |
Brazil |
federative republic
|
 |
British Virgin Islands |
NA
|
 |
Brunei |
constitutional sultanate
|
 |
Bulgaria |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Burkina Faso |
parliamentary republic
|
 |
Burma |
military regime
|
 |
Burundi |
republic
|
 |
Cambodia |
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993
|
 |
Cameroon |
unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
note: preponderance of power remains with the president
|
 |
Canada |
confederation with parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Cape Verde |
republic
|
 |
Cayman Islands |
British crown colony
|
 |
Central African Republic |
republic
|
 |
Chad |
republic
|
 |
Chile |
republic
|
 |
China |
Communist state
|
 |
Christmas Island |
NA
|
 |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
NA
|
 |
Colombia |
republic; executive branch dominates government structure
|
 |
Comoros |
independent republic
|
 |
Congo, Democratic Republic of the |
dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government
|
 |
Congo, Republic of the |
republic
|
 |
Cook Islands |
self-governing parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Costa Rica |
democratic republic
|
 |
Cote d'Ivoire |
republic
|
 |
Croatia |
presidential/parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Cuba |
Communist state
|
 |
Cyprus |
republic
note: a disaggregation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in July 1974 after a Greek junta-based coup attempt gave the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots control the only internationally recognized government; on 15 November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey; both sides publicly support a settlement based on a federation (Greek Cypriot position) or confederation (Turkish Cypriot position)
|
 |
Czech Republic |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Denmark |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Djibouti |
republic
|
 |
Dominica |
parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
|
 |
Dominican Republic |
representative democracy
|
 |
Ecuador |
republic
|
 |
Egypt |
republic
|
 |
El Salvador |
republic
|
 |
Equatorial Guinea |
republic
|
 |
Eritrea |
transitional government
note: following a successful referendum on independence for the Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a constitution; Afworki ISAIAS was elected president by the transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997, did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled to take place in December 2001, but were postponed; currently the sole legal party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), though a draft political parties law is under consideration
|
 |
Estonia |
parliamentary republic
|
 |
Ethiopia |
federal republic
|
 |
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
NA
|
 |
Faroe Islands |
NA
|
 |
Fiji |
republic
note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
|
 |
Finland |
republic
|
 |
France |
republic
|
 |
French Guiana |
NA
|
 |
French Polynesia |
NA
|
 |
Gabon |
republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
|
 |
Gambia, The |
republic under multiparty democratic rule
|
 |
Georgia |
republic
|
 |
Germany |
federal republic
|
 |
Ghana |
constitutional democracy
|
 |
Gibraltar |
NA
|
 |
Greece |
parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December 1974
|
 |
Greenland |
parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Grenada |
constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament
|
 |
Guadeloupe |
NA
|
 |
Guam |
NA
|
 |
Guernsey |
NA
|
 |
Guinea |
republic
|
 |
Guinea-Bissau |
republic, multiparty since mid-1991
|
 |
Guyana |
republic within the Commonwealth
|
 |
Haiti |
elected government
|
 |
Holy See (Vatican City) |
ecclesiastical
|
 |
Honduras |
democratic constitutional republic
|
 |
Hong Kong |
NA
|
 |
Hungary |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Iceland |
constitutional republic
|
 |
India |
federal republic
|
 |
Indonesia |
republic
|
 |
Iran |
theocratic republic
|
 |
Iraq |
republic
|
 |
Ireland |
republic
|
 |
Isle of Man |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Israel |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Italy |
republic
|
 |
Jamaica |
constitutional parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Japan |
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
|
 |
Jersey |
NA
|
 |
Jordan |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Kazakhstan |
republic
|
 |
Kenya |
republic
|
 |
Kiribati |
republic
|
 |
Korea, North |
authoritarian socialist; one-man dictatorship
|
 |
Korea, South |
republic
|
 |
Kuwait |
nominal constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Kyrgyzstan |
republic
|
 |
Laos |
Communist state
|
 |
Latvia |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Lebanon |
republic
|
 |
Lesotho |
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Liberia |
republic
|
 |
Libya |
Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
|
 |
Liechtenstein |
hereditary constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Lithuania |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Luxembourg |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Macau |
NA
|
 |
Macedonia |
emerging democracy
|
 |
Madagascar |
republic
|
 |
Malawi |
multiparty democracy
|
 |
Malaysia |
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government
|
 |
Maldives |
republic
|
 |
Mali |
republic
|
 |
Malta |
republic
|
 |
Marshall Islands |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October
|
 |
Martinique |
NA
|
 |
Mauritania |
republic
|
 |
Mauritius |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Mayotte |
NA
|
 |
Mexico |
federal republic
|
 |
Micronesia, Federated States of |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and is due for renegotiation
|
 |
Moldova |
republic
|
 |
Monaco |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Mongolia |
parliamentary
|
 |
Montenegro |
republic
|
 |
Montserrat |
NA
|
 |
Morocco |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Mozambique |
republic
|
 |
Namibia |
republic
|
 |
Nauru |
republic
|
 |
Nepal |
parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Netherlands |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Netherlands Antilles |
parliamentary
|
 |
New Caledonia |
NA
|
 |
New Zealand |
parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Nicaragua |
republic
|
 |
Niger |
republic
|
 |
Nigeria |
republic transitioning from military to civilian rule
|
 |
Niue |
self-governing parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Norfolk Island |
NA
|
 |
Northern Mariana Islands |
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
|
 |
Norway |
constitutional monarchy
|
 |
Oman |
monarchy
|
 |
Pakistan |
federal republic
|
 |
Palau |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
|
 |
Panama |
constitutional democracy
|
 |
Papua New Guinea |
constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy
|
 |
Paraguay |
constitutional republic
|
|
|
