New Zealandpredominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Nicaraguaextensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to centralinterior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted byvolcanoes
Nigerpredominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rollingplains in south; hills in north
Nigeriasouthern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;mountains in southeast, plains in north
Niuesteep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau
Norfolk Islandvolcanic formation with mostly rolling plains
Northern Mariana Islandssouthern islands are limestone with levelterraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Norwayglaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains brokenby fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeplyindented by fjords; arctic tundra in north
Omancentral desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Pacific Oceansurface currents in the northern Pacific are dominatedby a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea ofOkhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarcticareaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in theeastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while thewestern Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the MarianaTrench, which is the world's deepest
Pakistanflat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;Balochistan plateau in west
Palauvarying geologically from the high, mountainous main island ofBabelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrierreefs
Palmyra Atollvery low
Panamainterior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, uplandplains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills
Papua New Guineamostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rollingfoothills
Paracel Islandsmostly low and flat
Paraguaygrassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; GranChaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near theriver, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere
Peruwestern coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center(sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)
Philippinesmostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastallowlands
Pitcairn Islandsrugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline withcliffs
Polandmostly flat plain; mountains along southern border
Portugalmountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains insouth
Puerto Ricomostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along mostcoastal areas
Qatarmostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand andgravel
Reunionmostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast
Romaniacentral Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain ofMoldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated fromthe Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps
Russiabroad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferousforest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southernborder regions
Rwandamostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous withaltitude declining from west to east
Saint HelenaSaint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scatteredplateaus and plainsnote: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin
Saint Kitts and Nevisvolcanic with mountainous interiors
Saint Luciavolcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys
Saint Pierre and Miquelonmostly barren rock
Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesvolcanic, mountainous
Samoatwo main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islandsand uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,rugged mountains in interior
San Marinorugged mountains
Sao Tome and Principevolcanic, mountainous
Saudi Arabiamostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Senegalgenerally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills insoutheast
Serbia and Montenegroextremely varied; to the north, rich fertileplains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast,ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely highshoreline with no islands off the coast
SeychellesMahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs
Sierra Leonecoastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,upland plateau, mountains in east
Singaporelowland; gently undulating central plateau contains watercatchment area and nature preserve
Slovakiarugged mountains in the central and northern part andlowlands in the south
Sloveniaa short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountainregion adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleyswith numerous rivers to the east
Solomon Islandsmostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Somaliamostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
South Africavast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrowcoastal plain
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islandsmost of the islands,rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; SouthGeorgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some activevolcanoes
Southern Oceanthe Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 metersover most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusuallydeep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global meanis 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimumof 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 millionsquare kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase inarea; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) movesperpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100times the flow of all the world's rivers
Spainlarge, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;Pyrenees in north
Spratly Islandsflat
Sri Lankamostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains insouth-central interior
Sudangenerally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,northeast and west; desert dominates the north
Surinamemostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps
Svalbardwild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; westcoast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west andnorth coasts
Swazilandmostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Swedenmostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west
Switzerlandmostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) witha central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Syriaprimarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;mountains in west
Taiwaneastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gentlyrolling plains in west
TajikistanPamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; westernFergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest
Tanzaniaplains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,south
Thailandcentral plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountainselsewhere
Togogently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southernplateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes
Tokelaulow-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons
Tongamost islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coralformation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base
Trinidad and Tobagomostly plains with some hills and low mountains
Tromelin Islandlow, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic
Tunisiamountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid southmerges into the Sahara
Turkeyhigh central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;several mountain ranges
Turkmenistanflat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising tomountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;borders Caspian Sea in west
Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Tuvaluvery low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Ugandamostly plateau with rim of mountains
Ukrainemost of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) andplateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south
United Arab Emiratesflat, barren coastal plain merging into rollingsand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east
United Kingdommostly rugged hills and low mountains; level torolling plains in east and southeast
United Statesvast central plain, mountains in west, hills and lowmountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys inAlaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii
Uruguaymostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland
Uzbekistanmostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in eastsurrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking AralSea in west
Vanuatumostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrowcoastal plains
VenezuelaAndes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Vietnamlow, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Virgin Islandsmostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with littlelevel land
Wake Islandatoll of three coral islands built up on an underwatervolcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Wallis and Futunavolcanic origin; low hills
West Bankmostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,but barren in east
Western Saharamostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky orsandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Worldthe greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m inthe Pacific Ocean
Yemennarrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and ruggedmountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into thedesert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Zambiamostly high plateau with some hills and mountains
Zimbabwemostly high plateau with higher central plateau (highveld); mountains in east
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
======================================================================
@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)
Afghanistan6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Albania2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Algeria1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)
American Samoa3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Andorra1.29 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Angola6.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Anguilla1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Antigua and Barbuda2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Argentina2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Armenia1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Aruba1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Australia1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Austria1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Azerbaijan2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bahamas, The2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bahrain2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bangladesh3.13 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Barbados1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Belarus1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Belgium1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Belize3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Benin5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bermuda1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bhutan4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bolivia2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina1.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Botswana2.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Brazil1.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
British Virgin Islands1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Brunei2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Bulgaria1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Burkina Faso6.23 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Burma2.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Burundi5.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cambodia3.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cameroon4.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Canada1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cape Verde3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cayman Islands1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Central African Republic4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Chad6.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Chile2.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
China1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Christmas IslandNA
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA
Colombia2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Comoros5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Congo, Republic of the3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cook IslandsNA children born/woman (2005 est.)
Costa Rica2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire4.58 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Croatia1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cuba1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Cyprus1.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Czech Republic1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Denmark1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Djibouti5.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Dominica1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Dominican Republic2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)
East Timor3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ecuador2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Egypt2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)
El Salvador3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Equatorial Guinea4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Eritrea5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Estonia1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ethiopia5.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)
European Union1.47 children born/woman (July 2005 est.)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)NA children born/woman (2005 est.)
Faroe Islands2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Fiji2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Finland1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)
France1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
French Guiana3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)
French Polynesia2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Gabon4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Gambia, The5.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Gaza Strip5.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Georgia1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Germany1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ghana3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Gibraltar1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Greece1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Greenland2.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Grenada2.37 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guadeloupe1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guam2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guatemala4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guernsey1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guinea5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guinea-Bissau4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Guyana2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Haiti5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Honduras3.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Hong Kong0.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Hungary1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Iceland1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)
India2.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Indonesia2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Iran1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Iraq4.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ireland1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Israel2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Italy1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Jamaica1.95 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Japan1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Jersey1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Jordan2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Kazakhstan1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Kenya4.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Kiribati4.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Korea, North2.15 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Korea, South1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Kuwait2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Kyrgyzstan2.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Laos4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Latvia1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Lebanon1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Lesotho3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Liberia6.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Libya3.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Liechtenstein1.51 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Lithuania1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Luxembourg1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Macau0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Macedonia1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Madagascar5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Malawi5.98 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Malaysia3.07 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Maldives5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mali6.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Malta1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Man, Isle of1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Marshall Islands3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Martinique1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mauritania5.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mauritius1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mayotte5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mexico2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Micronesia, Federated States of3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Moldova1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Monaco1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mongolia2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Montserrat1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Morocco2.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Mozambique4.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Namibia3.18 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nauru3.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nepal4.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Netherlands1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Netherlands Antilles2 children born/woman (2005 est.)
New Caledonia2.31 children born/woman (2005 est.)
New Zealand1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nicaragua2.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Niger6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Nigeria5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)
NiueNA
Norfolk IslandNA
Northern Mariana Islands1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Norway1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Oman5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Pakistan4.14 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Palau2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Panama2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Papua New Guinea3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Paraguay3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Peru2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Philippines3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Pitcairn IslandsNA
Poland1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Portugal1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Puerto Rico1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Qatar2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Reunion2.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Romania1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Russia1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Rwanda5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saint Helena1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saint Kitts and Nevis2.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saint Lucia2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon2.03 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Samoa3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)
San Marino1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Saudi Arabia4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Senegal4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro1.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Seychelles1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Sierra Leone5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Singapore1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Slovakia1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Slovenia1.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Solomon Islands4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Somalia6.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)
South Africa2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Spain1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Sri Lanka1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Sudan4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Suriname2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)
SvalbardNA children born/woman
Swaziland3.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Sweden1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Switzerland1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Syria3.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Taiwan1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Tajikistan4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Tanzania5.06 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Thailand1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Togo4.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)
TokelauNA
Tonga3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Tunisia1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Turkey1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Turkmenistan3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Turks and Caicos Islands3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Tuvalu3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Uganda6.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Ukraine1.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)
United Arab Emirates2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
United Kingdom1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
United States2.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Uruguay1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Uzbekistan2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Vanuatu2.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Venezuela2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Vietnam1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Virgin Islands2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Wallis and FutunaNA children born/woman
West Bank4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Western SaharaNA children born/woman
World2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Yemen6.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Zambia5.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Zimbabwe3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
======================================================================
@2128 Government type
AfghanistanIslamic republic
Albaniaemerging democracy
Algeriarepublic
American SamoaNA
Andorraparliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains asits chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are thepresident of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who arerepresented locally by coprinces' representatives
Angolarepublic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strongpresidential system
AnguillaNA
Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 27th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa in May-June 2004; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Ukraine (1992), Uruguay (1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Antigua and Barbudaconstitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament
Argentinarepublic
Armeniarepublic
Arubaparliamentary democracy
Australiademocratic, federal-state system recognizing the Britishmonarch as sovereign
Austriafederal republic
Azerbaijanrepublic
Bahamas, Theconstitutional parliamentary democracy
Bahrainconstitutional hereditary monarchy
Bangladeshparliamentary democracy
Barbadosparliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state withinthe Commonwealth
Belarusrepublic in name, although in fact a dictatorship
Belgiumfederal parliamentary democracy under a constitutionalmonarch
Belizeparliamentary democracy
Beninrepublic under multiparty democratic rule; droppedMarxism-Leninism December 1989
Bermudaparliamentary British overseas territory with internalself-government
Bhutanmonarchy; special treaty relationship with India
Boliviarepublic
Bosnia and Herzegovinaemerging federal democratic republic
Botswanaparliamentary republic
Brazilfederative republic
British Virgin IslandsNA
Bruneiconstitutional sultanate
Bulgariaparliamentary democracy
Burkina Fasoparliamentary republic
Burmamilitary junta
Burundirepublic
Cambodiamultiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchyestablished in September 1993
Cameroonunitary republic; multiparty presidential regime(opposition parties legalized in 1990)note: preponderance of power remains with the president
Canadaa constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentarydemocracy and a federation
Cape Verderepublic
Cayman IslandsBritish crown colony
Central African Republicrepublic
Chadrepublic
Chilerepublic
ChinaCommunist state
Christmas IslandNA
Cocos (Keeling) IslandsNA
Colombiarepublic; executive branch dominates government structure
Comorosindependent republic
Congo, Democratic Republic of the dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government
Congo, Republic of therepublic
Cook Islandsself-governing parliamentary democracy
Costa Ricademocratic republic
Cote d'Ivoirerepublic; multiparty presidential regime established1960
Croatiapresidential/parliamentary democracy
CubaCommunist state
Cyprusrepublicnote: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting theisland began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; thisseparation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention inJuly 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gavethe Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriotscontrol the only internationally recognized government; on 15November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declaredindependence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of NorthernCyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey
Czech Republicparliamentary democracy
Denmarkconstitutional monarchy
Djiboutirepublic
Dominicaparliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth
Dominican Republicrepresentative democracy
East TimorRepublic
Ecuadorrepublic
Egyptrepublic
El Salvadorrepublic
Equatorial Guinearepublic
Eritreatransitional governmentnote: following a successful referendum on independence for theAutonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a NationalAssembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy andJustice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; aConstitutional Commission was also established to draft aconstitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by thetransitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidentialelections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legalparty is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)
Estoniaparliamentary republic
Ethiopiafederal republic
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)NA
Faroe IslandsNA
Fijirepublicnote: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formallydeclared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987
Finlandrepublic
Francerepublic
French GuianaNA
French PolynesiaNA
Gabonrepublic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition partieslegalized in 1990)
Gambia, Therepublic under multiparty democratic rule
Georgiarepublic
Germanyfederal republic
Ghanaconstitutional democracy
GibraltarNA
Greeceparliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8December 1974
Greenlandparliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy
Grenadaconstitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament
GuadeloupeNA
GuamNA
Guatemalaconstitutional democratic republic
GuernseyNA
Guinearepublic
Guinea-Bissaurepublic, multiparty since mid-1991
Guyanarepublic within the Commonwealth
Haitielected government
Holy See (Vatican City)ecclesiastical
Hondurasdemocratic constitutional republic
Hong Konglimited democracy
Hungaryparliamentary democracy
Icelandconstitutional republic
Indiafederal republic
Indonesiarepublic
Irantheocratic republic
Iraqnone; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on1 June 2004
Irelandrepublic
Israelparliamentary democracy
Italyrepublic
Jamaicaconstitutional parliamentary democracy
Japanconstitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
JerseyNA
Jordanconstitutional monarchy
Kazakhstanrepublic; authoritarian presidential rule, with littlepower outside the executive branch
Kenyarepublic
Kiribatirepublic
Korea, NorthCommunist state one-man dictatorship
Korea, Southrepublic
Kuwaitnominal constitutional monarchy
Kyrgyzstanrepublic
LaosCommunist state
Latviaparliamentary democracy
Lebanonrepublic
Lesothoparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Liberiarepublic
LibyaJamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by thepopulace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship
Liechtensteinhereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic andparliamentary basis
Lithuaniaparliamentary democracy
Luxembourgconstitutional monarchy
Macaulimited democracy
Macedoniaparliamentary democracy
Madagascarrepublic
Malawimultiparty democracy
Malaysiaconstitutional monarchynote: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliamentconsisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melakaand Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah andSarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certainconstitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their ownimmigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House ofRepresentatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives
Maldivesrepublic
Malirepublic
Maltarepublic
Man, Isle ofparliamentary democracy
Marshall Islandsconstitutional government in free association withthe US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
MartiniqueNA
Mauritaniarepublic
Mauritiusparliamentary democracy
MayotteNA
Mexicofederal republic
Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Moldovarepublic
Monacoconstitutional monarchy
Mongoliamixed parliamentary/presidential
MontserratNA
Moroccoconstitutional monarchy
Mozambiquerepublic
Namibiarepublic
Naururepublic
Nepalparliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Netherlandsconstitutional monarchy
Netherlands Antillesparliamentary
New CaledoniaNA
New Zealandparliamentary democracy
Nicaraguarepublic
Nigerrepublic
Nigeriafederal republic
Niueself-governing parliamentary democracy
Norfolk IslandNA
Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Norwayconstitutional monarchy
Omanmonarchy
Pakistanfederal republic
Palauconstitutional government in free association with the US; theCompact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994
Panamaconstitutional democracy
Papua New Guineaconstitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy
Paraguayconstitutional republic
Peruconstitutional republic
Philippinesrepublic
Pitcairn IslandsNA
Polandrepublic
Portugalparliamentary democracy
Puerto Ricocommonwealth
Qatartraditional monarchy
ReunionNA
Romaniarepublic
Russiafederation
Rwandarepublic; presidential, multiparty system
Saint HelenaNA
Saint Kitts and Nevisconstitutional monarchy with Westminster-styleparliament
Saint LuciaWestminster-style parliamentary democracy
Saint Pierre and MiquelonNA
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth
Samoamix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
San Marinoindependent republic
Sao Tome and Principerepublic
Saudi Arabiamonarchy
Senegalrepublic under multiparty democratic rule
Serbia and Montenegrorepublic
Seychellesrepublic
Sierra Leoneconstitutional democracy
Singaporeparliamentary republic
Slovakiaparliamentary democracy
Sloveniaparliamentary democratic republic
Solomon Islandsparliamentary democracy
Somaliano permanent national government; transitional,parliamentary federal government
South Africarepublic
Spainparliamentary monarchy
Sri Lankarepublic
Sudanauthoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and theNational Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front(NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform
Surinameconstitutional democracy
SvalbardNA
Swazilandmonarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Swedenconstitutional monarchy
Switzerlandformally a confederation, but similar in structure to afederal republic
Syriarepublic under military regime since March 1963
Taiwanmultiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-electedpresident and unicameral legislature
Tajikistanrepublic
Tanzaniarepublic
Thailandconstitutional monarchy
Togorepublic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
TokelauNA
Tongahereditary constitutional monarchy
Trinidad and Tobagoparliamentary democracy
Tunisiarepublic
Turkeyrepublican parliamentary democracy
Turkmenistanrepublic; authoritarian presidential rule, with littlepower outside the executive branch
Turks and Caicos IslandsNA
Tuvaluconstitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; begandebating republic status in 1992
Ugandarepublic
Ukrainerepublic
United Arab Emiratesfederation with specified powers delegated tothe UAE federal government and other powers reserved to memberemirates
United Kingdomconstitutional monarchy
United StatesConstitution-based federal republic; strong democratictradition
Uruguayconstitutional republic
Uzbekistanrepublic; authoritarian presidential rule, with littlepower outside the executive branch
Vanuatuparliamentary republic
Venezuelafederal republic
VietnamCommunist state
Virgin IslandsNA
Wallis and FutunaNA
Western Saharalegal status of territory and issue of sovereigntyunresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front(Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio deOro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed agovernment-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned betweenMorocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiringnorthern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisarioguerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has sinceasserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exilewas seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continuedsporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6September 1991