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Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
Country name > Conventional short form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
Constitutional form: Constitutional form of government.
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
Total businesses registered > Number: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward.
National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
Legislative branch > Election results: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Legislative branch > Elections: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index: Compares countries by their degree of government censorship, according to the Press freedom index. This index, created by the non-governmental organization Reporters without borders (RWS), is ellaborated using data from an extensive annual survey sent to professional reporters throughout the world. The survey contains questions about the type and ownership of media present in the country, freedom of speech, violence exerted against reporters, election campaigns, access of political parties to the media, etc.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage: Percentage of seats held by women in country's national parliament or legislative houses.
Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. "
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
Basis of executive legitimacy: Basis of executive legitimacy.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Transnational Issues > Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.
Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).
Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.
Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.
Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).
Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.
Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.
Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).
Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.
Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.
Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa.
Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussin AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics ...
Full definition
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press: Compares countries by freedom of the press. The lower the score, the more free the press of that country is. The scores are taken from the Freedom of the Press Index, elaborated by Freedom House, self-defined as "an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world". The data used in the index come from an annual survey of media independence in 197 countries and territories, assessing the degree of print, broadcast, and internet freedom in each of them.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament: Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber occupied by women.
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote: Percentage of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
Democracy > Civil and political liberties: Civil and political liberties
Units: Index Ranging from 7 (High Levels of Liberties) to 1 (Low
Units: This is the average of two indicators - civil liberties and political liberties.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
Capital > Geographic coordinates: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Democracy > First female parliamentarian: Year first woman elected or appointed to parliament.
Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index: DI 2012.
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient.
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property.
Politics: Country politics.
International law organization participation: This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 55 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 114 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
Parliament > Seats held by men: Number of seats held by men in country's naitonal parliament or legislative houses.
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years: Time to resolve insolvency (years). Time to resolve insolvency is the number of years from the filing for insolvency in court until the resolution of distressed assets.
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Parliament > Seats held by women: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses.
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating: Democratic institutions
Units: Scale ranging from -10 (autocratic) to +10 (democratic)
UN membership date: Date of United Nations Membership
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index per million people: DI 2012. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
Total businesses registered > Number per 1000: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
Capital city: The location of the seat of government.
Capital > Name: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Legal origin: Legal origin identifies the origin of the Company Law or Commercial Code in each country
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
Spending > Expense > Current LCU: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days: Time required to get electricity (days). Time required to get electricity is the number of days to obtain a permanent electricity connection. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
Legislature (parliament) > People per member: Number of people each member of the legislature represents on average. The number of members of the legislature is the sum of the members of all chambers of parliament, if applicable.
Capital > Time difference: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
International relations: Country international relations.
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million: Time required to get electricity (days). Time required to get electricity is the number of days to obtain a permanent electricity connection. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Democracy > Female ministers: Women in government at ministerial level in 2000 (as % of total). Data were provided by states based on their definition of national executive and may therefore include women serving as ministers and vice ministers and those holding other ministerial positions, including parliamentary secretaries.
Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members: Members of the upper house of the legislature. Does not include countries with a unicameral system.
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract (days). Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
Democracy > Female parliamentarians: Seats in parliament held by women (as % of total). Data are as of 8 March 2002. Where there are lower and upper houses, data refer to the weighted average of women's shares of seats in both houses.
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number: Procedures to register property (number). Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property.
Role of head of state: Head of state.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote): This list shows the percentage of votes obtained by nationalist parties across Europe at the latest elections held in their respective countries. Note that the percentages show the votes from all the parties combined, and only for general elections (some parties may obtain a quite higher percentage in regional elections). Nationalist parties usually hold right-wing populist views, and among their common demands are a higher control of immigration, extended social/labor rights for country nationals, and a restriction of islamic customs -such as the veil or the construction of mosques-, though their ideologies and goals vary from country to country. Some parties have as their main goal the seggregation of a region from its parent country (with examples in Scotland, Catalonia and Northern Ireland). Most of nationalist parties with elected members in the European Parliament belong to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong: Strength of legal rights index measures the degree to which collateral and bankruptcy laws protect the rights of borrowers and lenders and thus facilitate lending. The index ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating that these laws are better designed to expand access to credit."
Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU: Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organisations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind."
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
Parliament > Seats held by women per million people: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
Democracy > Female suffrage: Year in which women received the right to vote. Data refer to the year in which right to vote or stand for election on a universal and equal basis was recognized. Where two years are shown, the first refers to the first partial recognition of the right to vote.
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Syrian National Council: Date on which the Syrian National Council was recognized, at least as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. For more information, please see http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Government/Foreign-relations/International-recognition-of-the-Syrian-National-Council-notes
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Capital > Daylight saving time: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties: Absolute number of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
Democracy and rights > Major left wing party: Left-wing major party.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador: Name of ambassador to the USA.
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people: This entry is derived from Government > Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons, which includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons: This entry is derived from Government > Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons, which includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
Time required to build a warehouse > Days: Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
Failed States Index: FSI 2013.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population: International IDEA has chosen to use not only the reported registration rate to calculate turnout percentages, but also the voting age population (VAP) which includes all citizens above the legal voting age
Democracy > Female candidacy: Year in which women received the right to stand for election. Data refer to the year in which right to vote or stand for election on a universal and equal basis was recognized. Where two years are shown, the first refers to the first partial recognition of the right to stand for election.
Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Turnout: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration: The number of registered voters. The figure represents the number of names on the voters' register at the time that the registration process closes, as reported by the electoral management body.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote: The total number of votes cast in the relevant election. Total vote includes valid and invalid votes, as well as blank votes in cases where these are separated from invalid votes. More information on valid, invalid and blank votes can be found at aceproject.org
Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
Democracy and rights > Electoral system: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of electoral system (First Past the Post electoral system; Single-Member District Plurality, also known as First Past the Post (FPTP): There is one seat per district, the candidate with the most votes wins it; Proportional Representation: There are multiple seats for each voting district, allocation is based on either party lists, multi-member proportional (MMP), single transferable vote (STV) or semi-PR; FrenchTtwo-RoundSsystem; Alternative Vote (AV)).
Procedures to register property > Number: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property.
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
Council of EU > 2005 > Country votes: January 1, 2005
Democracy and rights > Party system: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of party system (two-party or multi-party).
Democracy and rights > Structure: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of structure (presidential or parliamentary).
Secession attempts: Lists groups or areas that have mounted major unilateral secession attempts in selected nations since 1945.
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer.
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million: Procedures to register property (number). Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > %: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%). Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber held by women.
Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours: Time to prepare and pay taxes is the time, in hours per year, it takes to prepare, file, and pay (or withhold) three major types of taxes: the corporate income tax, the value added or sales tax, and labor taxes, including payroll taxes and social security contributions.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars.
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Council of EU > 2007 > Country votes: January 1, 2007
Council of EU > 2003 > Country votes: January 1, 2003
Council of EU > 2005 > Country leader: January 1, 2005
Council of EU > 2007 > Country leader: January 1, 2007
Council of EU > 2002 > Country leader: January 1, 2002
Council of EU > 2001 > Country leader: January 1, 2001
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s): This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Council of EU > 2002 > European party of leader: January 1, 2002
Capital city > Time difference: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Time to resolve insolvency > Years: Time to resolve insolvency is the number of years from the filing for insolvency in court until the resolution of distressed assets.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant local currency.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth: Annual percentage growth of general government final consumption expenditure based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. General government final consumption expenditure (general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.
Trademarks > Residents per million: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Time required to register property > Days: Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property.
Procedures to register property > Number per million: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Trademarks > Nonresidents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
Council of EU > 2001 > Country votes: January 1, 2001
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Democracy and rights > Strong judicial review?: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of judicial review, which is the power to declare unconstitutional laws duly passed by parliament and/or signed by the president. (As distinct from the ability to strike down acts of subordinate governments, such as states or provinces. (Strong judicial review or no strong judicial review).
Democracy and rights > Strongly federal?: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of federalism (strongly federal or not strongly federal).
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people: Number of seats held by men in country's naitonal parliament or legislative houses. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Statements on the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia issued by countries who do not recognize their sovereignty.
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Kosovo: Date on which Kosovo was officially recognized as a state.
Democracy and rights > Major party notes: Notes.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current local currency.
Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense: Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organisations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind."
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million: Time required to enforce a contract (days). Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
European Union > Council of the European Union votes: Number of votes each member state of the European Union has in the Council of the European Union.
Trademarks > Residents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
Council of EU > January–April 2004 > European party of leader: January 1, 2004
Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China: The date on which each country established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Council of EU > 2006 > Country votes: January 1, 2006
Council of EU > 2007 > European party of leader: January 1, 2007
Council of EU > 2005 > European party of leader: January 1, 2005
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Democracy and rights > Last election: Last election.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
Trademarks > Residents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
Democracy and rights > Next election: Next election.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
Spending > Interest payments > % of expense: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
Spending > Other expense > % of expense: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
Spending > Other expense > Current LCU: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
Ruling party: In power now.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Spending > Expense > % of GDP: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
Democracy and rights > Major right wing party: Right-wing major party.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
Democracy and rights > Active Labor party: Party.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Democracy and rights > Other major party: Other major party.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
Foreign relations > International recognition of the Syrian National Council notes:
Degree to which the Syrian National Council is recognized as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
Legislature (parliament) > Strongly bicameral?: Political scientist Robert A. Dahl compares the constitutions of countries which have been “steadily democratic since 1950” on the characteristic of bicameralism, determing if there are two houses in the legislature, both with substantial powers. (Strongly bicameral or not strongly bicameral).
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members: Members of the lower (or sole) house.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000: International IDEA has chosen to use not only the reported registration rate to calculate turnout percentages, but also the voting age population (VAP) which includes all citizens above the legal voting age. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.

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STAT	Italy	United Kingdom
Administrative divisions	15 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 5 autonomous regions (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma)<br /><strong>regions:</strong> Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio (Latium), Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte (Piedmont), Puglia (Apulia), Toscana (Tuscany), Umbria, Veneto (Venetia)<br /><strong>autonomous regions:</strong> Friuli-Venezia Giulia; Sardegna (Sardinia); Sicilia (Sicily); Trentino-Alto Adige (Trentino-South Tyrol) or Trentino-Suedtirol (German); Valle d'Aosta (Aosta Valley) or Vallee d'Aoste (French)	<strong>England: </strong>27 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 56 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties)<br /><strong>two-tier counties:</strong> Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Worcestershire<br /><strong>London boroughs and City of London or Greater London:</strong> Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Lewisham, City of London, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Westminster<br /><strong>metropolitan districts:</strong> Barnsley, Birmingham, Bolton, Bradford, Bury, Calderdale, Coventry, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Kirklees, Knowlsey, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sandwell, Sefton, Sheffield, Solihull, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport, Sunderland, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield, Walsall, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton <br /><strong>unitary authorities:</strong> Bath and North East Somerset, Blackburn with Darwen, Bedford, Blackpool, Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, City of Bristol, Central Bedfordshire, Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Cornwall, Darlington, Derby, Durham County, East Riding of Yorkshire, Halton, Hartlepool, Herefordshire, Isle of Wight, Isles of Scilly, City of Kingston upon Hull, Leicester, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset, Northumberland*, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland, Rutland, Shropshire, Slough, South Gloucestershire, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Swindon, Telford and Wrekin, Thurrock, Torbay, Warrington, West Berkshire, Wiltshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, York<br /><strong>Northern Ireland:</strong> 26 district council areas<br /><strong>district council areas:</strong> Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge, Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Derry, Down, Dungannon and South Tyrone, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle, Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane<br /><strong>Scotland:</strong> 32 council areas<br /><strong>council areas:</strong> Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, The Scottish Borders, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian<br /><strong>Wales:</strong> 22 unitary authorities<br /><strong>unitary authorities:</strong> Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Carmarthenshire; Ceredigion; Conwy; Denbighshire; Flintshire; Gwynedd; Isle of Anglesey; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Neath Port Talbot; Newport; Pembrokeshire; Powys; Rhondda Cynon Taff; Swansea; The Vale of Glamorgan; Torfaen; Wrexham
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	41 54 N, 12 29 E	51
Capital city > Name	Rome	London
Constitution	previous 1848 (originally for Kingdom of Sardinia and adopted by Kingdom of Italy in 1861); latest enacted 22 December 1947, adopted 27 December 1947, entered into force 1 January 1948; amended many times, last in 2012	unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address	PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624	PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
Executive branch > Cabinet	Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister and nominated by the President of the Republic	Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state	President Giorgio NAPOLITANO (since 15 May 2006)	Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)
Executive branch > Head of government	Prime Minister Enrico LETTA (since 17 April 2013)	Prime Minister David CAMERON (since 11 May 2010)
Government type	republic	constitutional monarchy and Commonwealth realm
Judicial branch	Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15 judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative Supreme Courts); Supreme Court of Cassation or Corte Suprema di Cassazione	Supreme Court of the UK (established in October 2009 taking over appellate jurisdiction formerly vested in the House of Lords is the final court of appeal); Senior Courts of England and Wales (comprising the Court of Appeal, the High Court of Justice, and the Crown Courts); Court of Judicature (Northern Ireland); Scotland's Court of Session and High Court of the Justiciary
Legal system	civil law system; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court	common law system; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998
Legislative branch	bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats; members elected by proportional vote with the winning coalition in each region receiving 55% of seats from that region; members to serve five-year terms; and up to 5 senators for life appointed by the president of the Republic) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; members elected by popular vote with the winning national coalition receiving 54% of chamber seats; members to serve five-year terms); note - it has not been clarified if each president has the power to designate up to five senators or if five is the number of senators for life who might sit in the Senate	bicameral Parliament consists of House of Lords
Political parties and leaders	<strong>Center-right coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI]: </strong><br />People of Freedom or PdL [Silvio BERLUSCONI]<br />Northern League or LN [Roberto MARONI]<br />Brothers of Italy or Fdl [Giorgia MELONI and Ignazio LA RUSSA]<br />The Right or LD [Francesco STORACE]<br />other minor parties<br /><br /><strong>Italy Common Good (Center-Left) [Pier Luigi BERSANI]:</strong><br />Democratic Party or PD [Pier Luigi BERSANI]<br />Left Ecology Freedom or SEL [Nichi VENDOLA]<br />Italian Socialist Party or PSI [Riccardo NENCINI]<br />Democratic Centre or CD [Bruno TABACCI and Massimo DONADI]<br />South Tyrolean People's Party or SVP [Luis DURNWALDER]<br /><br /><strong>With Monti for Italy (Centrist):</strong><br />Civic Choice or SC [Mario MONTI]<br />Union of the Center or UdC [Pier Ferdinando CASINI]<br />Future and Freedom for Italy or FLI [Gianfranco FINI]<br /><br /><strong>other coalitions and parties:</strong><br />Civil Revolution or RC [Antonio INGROIA]<br />Act to Stop the Decline or FiD [Oscar GIANNINO]<br />Five Star Movment or M5S [Beppe GRILLO]	Conservative [David CAMERON]<br />Democratic Unionist Party or DUP (Northern Ireland) [Peter ROBINSON]<br />Labor Party [Ed MILIBAND]<br />Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) [Nick CLEGG]<br />Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Leanne WOOD]<br />Scottish National Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]<br />Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]<br />Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Alasdair MCDONNELL]<br />Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Mike NESBITT]<br />United Kingdom Independent Party or UKIP [Nigel FARAGE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	manufacturers and merchants associations - Confcommercio; Confindustria<br />organized farm groups - Confcoltivatori; Confagricoltura; Roman Catholic Church<br />three major trade union confederations - Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL [Susanna CAMUSSO] which is left wing; Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Raffaele BONANNI], which is Roman Catholic centrist; Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist	Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament<br />Confederation of British Industry<br />National Farmers' Union<br />Trades Union Congress
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)	18 years of age; universal
International organization participation	ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, Union Latina, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC	ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, C, CBSS (observer), CD, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Country name > Conventional long form	Italian Republic	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Executive branch > Elections	president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term (no term limits); election last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2020); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament	the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
National symbol(s)	white, five-pointed star (Stella d'Italia)	lion (Britain in general); lion (England); lion, unicorn (Scotland); dragon (Wales); harp (Northern Ireland)
Flag description	three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; design inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797; colors are those of Milan (red and white) combined with the green uniform color of the Milanese civic guard	blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or provinces, and British overseas territories
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days	6 Ranked 161st.	12 Ranked 115th. Twice as much as Italy
Country name > Conventional short form	Italy	United Kingdom
Constitutional form	Republic	Constitutional monarchy
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International	Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and northern Africa	in 2002, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to reject any "shared sovereignty" arrangement between the UK and Spain; the Government of Gibraltar insisted on equal participation in talks between the two countries; Spain disapproved of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory); in 2001, the former inhabitants of the archipelago, evicted 1967 - 1973, were granted U.K. citizenship and the right of return, followed by Orders in Council in 2004 that banned rehabitation, a High Court ruling reversed the ban, a Court of Appeal refusal to hear the case, and a Law Lords' decision in 2008 denied the right of return; in addition, the United Kingdom created the world's largest marine protection area around the Chagos islands prohibiting the extraction of any natural resources therein; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm
Total businesses registered > Number	5.9 million Ranked 3rd. 3 times more than United Kingdom	2.02 million Ranked 13th.
National anthem	<strong>name: </strong>"Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Goffredo MAMELI/Michele NOVARO	<strong>name: </strong>"God Save the Queen"<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> unknown
FAX	39	44
Legislative branch > Election results	Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Pier Luigi BERSANI coalition 123 (PD 111, SEL 7, SVP 2, other 3), Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition 117 (PdL 98, LN 18, other 1), M5S 54, Mario MONTI coalition 19, other 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Pier Luigi BERSANI coalition 345 (PD 297, SEL 37, CD 6 SVP 5), Silvio BERLUSCONI coalition 125 (PdL 98, LN 18, FdI 9), M5S 109, Mario MONTI coalition 47, other 4	House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Conservative 36.1%, Labor 29%, Liberal Democrats 23%, other 11.9%; seats by party - Conservative 305, Labor 258, Liberal Democrat 57, other 30
Legislative branch > Elections	Senate - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018); Chamber of Deputies - last held on 24-25 February 2013 (next to be held in 2018)	House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain there; elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held on 6 May 2010 (next to be held by June 2015)
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index	26.11 Ranked 6th. 55% more than United Kingdom	16.89 Ranked 14th.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage	21.43% Ranked 73th.	22.46% Ranked 64th. 5% more than Italy
Independence	17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until 1870)	12 April 1927 (Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act establishes current name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); notable earlier dates: 927 (minor English kingdoms united); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union formally incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union formally unite England and Scotland as Great Britain); 1 January 1801 (Acts of Union formally unite Great Britain and Ireland as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland); 6 December 1921 (Anglo-Irish Treaty formalizes partition of Ireland; six counties remain part of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland)
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts	various lower civil and criminal courts (primary and secondary tribunals, courts, and courts of appeal)	England and Wales - Court of Appeal (civil and criminal divisions); High Court; Crown Court; County Courts; Magistrates' Courts; Scotland - Court of Sessions; Sherrif Courts; High Court of Justiciary; tribunals; Northern Ireland - Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; High Court; county courts; magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals
Basis of executive legitimacy	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence	Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Transnational Issues > Illicit drugs	important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money laundering by organized crime and from smuggling	producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press	33 Ranked 125th. 57% more than United Kingdom	21 Ranked 161st.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament	17.3% Ranked 69th.	19.7% Ranked 57th. 14% more than Italy
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy	Via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187-Rome	24
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number	6 Ranked 114th. The same as United Kingdom	6 Ranked 110th.
Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote	0.3% Ranked 4th.	1.9% Ranked 3rd. 6 times more than Italy
Democracy > Civil and political liberties	5.5 Ranked 29th. The same as United Kingdom	5.5 Ranked 27th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$	357.61 billion$ Ranked 4th.	478.91 billion$ Ranked 3rd. 34% more than Italy
National holiday	Republic Day, 2 June	the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday
Capital > Geographic coordinates	41 54 N, 12 29 E	51 30 N, 0 05 W
Democracy > First female parliamentarian	1946 (elected)	1918 (elected)
Time required to start a business > Days	13 days Ranked 150th.	18 days Ranked 138th. 38% more than Italy
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment	0.995 Ranked 51st.	0.999 Ranked 31st. About the same as Italy
Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office	Supreme Court judges appointed by the Superior Council of the Judiciary, headed by the president, to serve NA terms; Constitutional Court judges - 5 appointed by the president, 5 elected by parliament, 5 elected by select higher courts; judges serve up to 9 years)	judge candidates selected by an independent committee of several judicial commissions, followed by their recommendations to the prime minister, and appointed by Her Majesty The Queen; justices appointed during period of good behavior
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index	7.74 Ranked 25th.	8.21 Ranked 15th. 6% more than Italy
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient	4.1 Ranked 71st.	5.1 Ranked 17th. 24% more than Italy
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days	16 Ranked 145th.	21.5 Ranked 128th. 34% more than Italy
Politics	Two months after the 2013 elections left a stalemated parliament, a grand coalition was formed under Enrico Letta	Prime Minister David Cameron, from the centre-right Conservative Party, heads a coalition with the UK's third party, the Liberal Democrats. Scotland and Wales have a degree of political autonomy. A vote on Scottish independence is due in 2014.
International law organization participation	has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction	accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Parliament > Seats held by men	495 Ranked 4th.	504 Ranked 2nd. 2% more than Italy
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years	1.8 Ranked 131st. 80% more than United Kingdom	1 Ranked 160th.
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million	0.0985 Ranked 167th. 4% more than United Kingdom	0.0949 Ranked 170th.
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Claudio BISOGNIERO (since 13 January 2012)	Ambassador Peter John WESTMACOTT (since 17 January 2012)
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[39] (06) 46741	[44] (0) 20 7499-9000
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador John R. PHILLIPS (since 16 August 2013)	Ambassador Matthew W. BARZUN (since 15 August 2013)
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery	None	None
Parliament > Seats held by women	135 Ranked 13th.	146 Ranked 11th. 8% more than Italy
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating	10 Ranked 21st. The same as United Kingdom	10 Ranked 16th.
UN membership date	14 Dec. 1955	24 Oct. 1945
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index per million people	0.127 Ranked 28th.	0.13 Ranked 27th. 2% more than Italy
Total businesses registered > Number per 1000	102.51 Ranked 6th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	33.86 Ranked 35th.
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number	11 Ranked 151st.	12 Ranked 129th. 9% more than Italy
Capital city	Rome	London
Capital > Name	Rome	London
Legal origin	<a href=/country/fr>French</a>	<a href=/encyclopedia/England>English</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita	6,101.91$ per capita Ranked 13th.	7,951.89$ per capita Ranked 10th. 30% more than Italy
Spending > Expense > Current LCU	631.13 billion Ranked 29th. 2% more than United Kingdom	617.96 billion Ranked 30th.
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days	124 Ranked 56th.	126 Ranked 52nd. 2% more than Italy
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout	81.4% Ranked 36th. 37% more than United Kingdom	59.4% Ranked 118th.
Legislature (parliament) > People per member	63,411 Ranked 52nd. 48% more than United Kingdom	42,921 Ranked 64th.
Capital > Time difference	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
International relations	Italian forces have been active in peacekeeping in the Balkans, Africa and Middle East, and are present in Afghanistan	The UK is a key global player diplomatically and militarily. It plays leading roles in the EU, UN and Nato
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million	2.04 Ranked 159th. 23% more than United Kingdom	1.66 Ranked 166th.
Democracy > Female ministers	25.6% Ranked 26th. 79% more than United Kingdom	14.3% Ranked 58th.
Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members	315 Ranked 3rd.	786 Ranked 1st. 2 times more than Italy
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members	630 Ranked 5th.	650 Ranked 4th. 3% more than Italy
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days	1,185 Ranked 17th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	437 Ranked 134th.
Democracy > Female parliamentarians	9.1% Ranked 102nd.	17.1% Ranked 45th. 88% more than Italy
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number	4 Ranked 158th.	6 Ranked 85th. 50% more than Italy
Role of head of state	Ceremonial	Ceremonial
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita	6,101.91$ Ranked 13th.	7,952.18$ Ranked 10th. 30% more than Italy
Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote)	0.3% Ranked 4th.	1.9% Ranked 3rd. 6 times more than Italy
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number	9 Ranked 93th. 50% more than United Kingdom	6 Ranked 143th.
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million	0.0673 Ranked 121st.	0.0807 Ranked 115th. 20% more than Italy
Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong	3 Ranked 143th.	9 Ranked 14th. 3 times more than Italy
Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU	97.33 billion Ranked 31st. 13% more than United Kingdom	86.25 billion Ranked 34th.
Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU	411.71 billion Ranked 22nd. 30% more than United Kingdom	317.02 billion Ranked 25th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP	0.203$ per $1 of GDP Ranked 31st.	0.218$ per $1 of GDP Ranked 26th. 7% more than Italy
Parliament > Seats held by women per million people	2.2 Ranked 121st.	2.3 Ranked 117th. 5% more than Italy
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	August 31, 1959	1816
Democracy > Female suffrage	1945	"1918 ,1928"
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days	233.5 Ranked 35th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	88 Ranked 160th.
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Syrian National Council	Informal relations Verbal support Rejection of Assad government	Recognised on 24 February 2012 (As legitimate representative)
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million	0.607 Ranked 165th. 37% more than United Kingdom	0.443 Ranked 171st.
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million	0.0985 Ranked 182nd.	0.19 Ranked 168th. 93% more than Italy
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million	0.41 Ranked 161st.	0.451 Ranked 157th. 10% more than Italy
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million	0.181 Ranked 167th.	0.19 Ranked 166th. 5% more than Italy
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million	3.83 Ranked 155th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	1.39 Ranked 171st.
Capital > Daylight saving time	+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October	+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita	102.51 per 1,000 people Ranked 6th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	33.85 per 1,000 people Ranked 35th.
Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU	75.59 billion Ranked 18th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	32.51 billion Ranked 29th.
Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties	89,826 Ranked 28th.	563,743 Ranked 12th. 6 times more than Italy
Democracy and rights > Major left wing party	Democratic Party	Labour Party
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador	Bisogniero, Claudio Claudio Bisogniero	Westmacott, Peter Peter Westmacott
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people	0.00772 Ranked 55th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	0.00324 Ranked 57th.
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons	470 Ranked 45th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	205 Ranked 48th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita	3,794.89 constant 2000 US$ per c Ranked 14th.	5,295.44 constant 2000 US$ per c Ranked 9th. 40% more than Italy
Time required to build a warehouse > Days	284 days Ranked 27th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	115 days Ranked 142nd.
Failed States Index	44.6 Ranked 7th. 34% more than United Kingdom	33.2 Ranked 15th.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population	47.33 million Ranked 12th. 3% more than United Kingdom	45.8 million Ranked 13th.
Democracy > Female candidacy	1,945 Ranked 101st. 1% more than United Kingdom	1,918 Ranked 149th.
Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000	0.143 Ranked 44th. 84% more than United Kingdom	0.0777 Ranked 37th.
Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita	0.143 per 1,000 people Ranked 43th. 83% more than United Kingdom	0.078 per 1,000 people Ranked 37th.
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	January 17, 1992	June 24, 1992
National anthem > Name	"Il Canto degli Italiani" (The Song of the Italians)	"God Save the Queen"
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Turnout	84.9 Ranked 21st. 47% more than United Kingdom	57.6 Ranked 73th.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration	49.36 million Ranked 12th. 11% more than United Kingdom	44.4 million Ranked 13th.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote	40.2 million Ranked 9th. 52% more than United Kingdom	26.37 million Ranked 15th.
Time required to enforce a contract > Days	1,210 days Ranked 10th. 5 times more than United Kingdom	229 days Ranked 153th.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita	0.154 per 1 million people Ranked 146th. 56% more than United Kingdom	0.099 per 1 million people Ranked 155th.
Democracy and rights > Electoral system	PR (MMP)	FPTP
Procedures to register property > Number	8 Ranked 37th. 4 times more than United Kingdom	2 Ranked 161st.
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number	17 Ranked 84th.	19 Ranked 57th. 12% more than Italy
Council of EU > 2005 > Country votes	29 Ranked 4th. The same as United Kingdom	29 Ranked 3rd.
Democracy and rights > Party system	Multi	Multi
Democracy and rights > Structure	Parliamentary	Parliamentary
Democracy > Jew > Legal equality granted > Year	1861	1856
Secession attempts	South <a href=/encyclopedia/Tyrol-(state)>Tyrol</a>, Padania	Scotland
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number	37 Ranked 108th. 32% more than United Kingdom	28 Ranked 176th.
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million	0.0821 Ranked 168th.	0.0949 Ranked 166th. 16% more than Italy
FAX > Consulate(s)	Detroit	Denver, Orlando
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > %	31.4% Ranked 34th. 40% more than United Kingdom	22.5% Ranked 69th.
Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours	360 hours Ranked 46th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	105 hours Ranked 147th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$	222.41 billion constant 2000 US$ Ranked 5th.	318.93 billion constant 2000 US$ Ranked 3rd. 43% more than Italy
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita	0.29 per 1 million people Ranked 146th.	0.315 per 1 million people Ranked 143th. 9% more than Italy
Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU	24.09 billion Ranked 44th.	108.34 billion Ranked 22nd. 4 times more than Italy
Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general	Florence, Milan, Naples	Belfast, Edinburgh
Council of EU > 2007 > Country votes	29 Ranked 4th. The same as United Kingdom	29 Ranked 3rd.
Council of EU > 2003 > Country votes	10 Ranked 1st. The same as United Kingdom	10 Ranked 3rd.
Council of EU > 2005 > Country leader	Silvio Berlusconi	Tony Blair
Council of EU > 2007 > Country leader	Romano Prodi	Tony Blair
Council of EU > 2002 > Country leader	Silvio Berlusconi	Tony Blair
Council of EU > 2001 > Country leader	Giuliano Amato	Tony Blair
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s)	Detroit	Denver, Orlando
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 518-2154	[1] (202) 588-7850
Council of EU > 2002 > European party of leader	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
Capital city > Time difference	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	UTC 0
Time to resolve insolvency > Years	1.2 years Ranked 133th. 20% more than United Kingdom	1 years Ranked 140th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU	241400500000	210778000000
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita	3,794.89 constant 2000 US$ Ranked 14th.	5,295.63 constant 2000 US$ Ranked 8th. 40% more than Italy
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth	1.16% Ranked 86th.	2.9% Ranked 58th. 3 times more than Italy
Trademarks > Residents per million	692.97 Ranked 25th. 79% more than United Kingdom	387.29 Ranked 32nd.
Time required to register property > Days	27 days Ranked 121st. 29% more than United Kingdom	21 days Ranked 132nd.
Procedures to register property > Number per million	0.136 Ranked 139th. 4 times more than United Kingdom	0.033 Ranked 160th.
Trademarks > Nonresidents	8,135 Ranked 16th. 75% more than United Kingdom	4,653 Ranked 14th.
Council of EU > 2001 > Country votes	10 Ranked 1st. The same as United Kingdom	10 Ranked 3rd.
Stabilisation and Association process > Stabilisation and Association process > Republic of > Macedonia	30.10.2003	17.12.2002
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general	Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco	Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
Stabilisation and Association process > Croatia	6.10.2004	3.9.2004
Democracy and rights > Strong judicial review?	No	No
Democracy and rights > Strongly federal?	No	No
National anthem > Note	adopted 1946; the anthem, originally written in 1847, is also known as "L'Inno di Mameli" (Mameli's Hymn), and "Fratelli D'Italia" (Brothers of Italy)	in use since 1745; by tradition, the song serves as both the national and royal anthem of the United Kingdom; it is known as either "God Save the Queen" or "God Save the King," depending on the gender of the reigning monarch; it also serves as the royal anthem of many Commonwealth nations
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people	8.05 Ranked 129th. 1% more than United Kingdom	7.95 Ranked 130th.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million	0.153 Ranked 145th. 54% more than United Kingdom	0.099 Ranked 155th.
Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia	Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said "The move does not apply in an international legal framework. An ethnic-based balkanisation of the Caucasus is a serious danger for all".	Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband accused Russian President Dmitry Medvedev of "inflaming" the crisis. He said that "the announcement by President Medvedev that Russia will recognise South Ossetia and Abkhazia is unjustifiable and unacceptable. It will also not work. It is contrary to the principles of the peace agreement, which Russia recently agreed, and to recent Russian statements. It takes no account of the views of the hundreds of thousands of Georgians and others who have been forced to abandon their homes in the two territories. We fully support Georgia's independence and territorial integrity, which cannot be changed by decree from Moscow." He called on Russia to "abide by international law as the basis for resolving this crisis" and stated that he will assemble the "widest possible coalition against Russian aggression". British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged the EU to review ties with Russia and that the group must intensify its support for Georgia and others who may face Russian aggression. Brown said the G7 should consider meeting more regularly, thus excluding Russia, which belongs to the G8 . Brown commenting on the conflict in Georgia and Russia's recognition of the two breakaway regions said "My message to Russia is simple: if you want to be welcome at the top table of organisations such as the G8, OECD and WTO , you must accept that with rights and responsibilities". Brown said that Russia "cannot pick and choose which rules to adhere to."
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Kosovo	None	None
Democracy and rights > Major party notes	Until 1992 the major party was the centrist Christian Democracy , which had been in government for five decades; the second one was the Italian Communist Party .	From the 17th through mid-19th century, the Whigs and the Tories were the majors.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU	287558000000	263403000000
Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense	65.23% Ranked 18th. 27% more than United Kingdom	51.3% Ranked 36th.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million	19.45 Ranked 146th. 3 times more than United Kingdom	6.91 Ranked 168th.
European Union > Council of the European Union votes	29 Ranked 4th. The same as United Kingdom	29 Ranked 3rd.
Trademarks > Residents	39,459 Ranked 11th. 70% more than United Kingdom	23,186 Ranked 10th.
Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita	0.137 per 1 million people Ranked 139th. 4 times more than United Kingdom	0.033 per 1 million people Ranked 161st.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita	0.683 per 1 million people Ranked 142nd. 2 times more than United Kingdom	0.315 per 1 million people Ranked 160th.
Council of EU > January–April 2004 > European party of leader	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China	November 6, 1970	January 6, 1950
Council of EU > 2006 > Country votes	29 Ranked 4th. The same as United Kingdom	29 Ranked 3rd.
Council of EU > 2007 > European party of leader	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Democratic_Party">EDP</a>	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
Council of EU > 2005 > European party of leader	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>	<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[39] (06) 4674-2244	[44] (0) 20 7629-9124
Democracy and rights > Last election	February 2013	May 2010
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 612-4400	[1] (202) 588-6500
Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue	12.81% Ranked 11th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	5.81% Ranked 40th.
Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense	3.82% Ranked 85th.	17.53% Ranked 27th. 5 times more than Italy
Trademarks > Residents > Per capita	0.693 per 1,000 people Ranked 24th. 79% more than United Kingdom	0.388 per 1,000 people Ranked 33th.
Democracy and rights > Next election	February 2018	May 2015
Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense	15.42% Ranked 63th. 10% more than United Kingdom	13.96% Ranked 65th.
Spending > Interest payments > % of expense	11.98% Ranked 12th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	5.26% Ranked 43th.
Spending > Other expense > % of expense	5.21% Ranked 51st.	12.95% Ranked 13th. 2 times more than Italy
Spending > Other expense > Current LCU	32.86 billion Ranked 29th.	80.01 billion Ranked 19th. 2 times more than Italy
Ruling party	Democrat / NCD	Conservative / LibDem
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million	0.288 Ranked 146th.	0.314 Ranked 142nd. 9% more than Italy
Spending > Expense > % of GDP	40.25% Ranked 13th.	42.67% Ranked 8th. 6% more than Italy
Democracy and rights > Major right wing party	Forza Italia	Conservative Party
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million	0.679 Ranked 141st. 2 times more than United Kingdom	0.314 Ranked 159th.
Democracy and rights > Active Labor party	Labour Federation	Labour Party Scottish Labour Party (Scottish branch of the Labour Party (UK)) Welsh Labour (Welsh branch of the Labour Party (UK)) Socialist Labour Party (UK) Newtownabbey Labour Party (in Northern Ireland) Social Democratic and Labour Party (in Northern Ireland)
Democracy and rights > Other major party	Five Star Movement	Liberal Democrats
Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament	948 Ranked 3rd.	1,436 Ranked 2nd. 51% more than Italy
Foreign relations > International recognition of the Syrian National Council notes	On 25 November Italian Foreign Minister, Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata reiterated Italy's support to "organised opposition" in the shape of SNC. On 11 December, Terzi met SNC's president Burhan Ghalioun and said Italy would intensify its contacts with SNC which grouped "an important segment" of the Syrian opposition .	url= http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=668666482\|title=Foreign Office Minister meets Syrian National Council members \|date=12 October 2011\|accessdate=2012-01-23\|publisher=UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office}}</ref> The following month, Foreign Secretary William Hague met with representatives of the SNC and National Coordination Body on 21 November. Speaking about the meeting, Hague remarked, \u201cWe will continue our contacts with the Syrian opposition. I\u2019ve appointed a senior official to lead our liaison and coordination with them... The message for the regime is that the rest of the world is talking to the Syrian opposition, that we are looking to a different future for Syria, for the Syrian people to decide for themselves what, what we want is what so many people in Syria want, a free and democratic future for the people of Syria. And I think the Assad regime will find that more and more Governments around the world are willing to work with the opposition to step up the level of their contacts as we have done today as part of the increasing pressure on this regime and its completely unacceptable behaviour.\u201d After a meeting with the Friends of Syria in Tunis, William Hague said the UK will recognise the Syrian National Council as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people
Legislature (parliament) > Strongly bicameral?	Yes	No
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members	5 Ranked 74th. The same as United Kingdom	5 Ranked 65th.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number	40 Ranked 54th. 2 times more than United Kingdom	19 Ranked 160th.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000	821.68 Ranked 7th. 7% more than United Kingdom	768.96 Ranked 25th.
FAX > Consulate(s) general	Milan, Naples	Edinburgh

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).; Wikipedia: List of countries by system of government (Alphabetical list of countries); All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Censorship by country (Censorship by country) ("Press Freedom Index 2013" , Reporters Without Borders, 30 January 2013); United Nations Statistics Division; "2012 Freedom of the Press Data" , Freedom House, 1 May 2012; Wikipedia: List of active nationalist parties in Europe (National); Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. 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