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Government Stats: compare key data on Finland & Serbia

Definitions

  • 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.
  • Civil law system: Description.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • 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.
  • 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 > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • Leaders > Prime minister: Government > Leaders > Prime minister
  • 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.
  • 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. "
  • Executive branch > Election results: Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election (if any)
  • 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.

  • Country name > Local 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Leaders > President: Government > Leaders > President
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Country name > Local 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.
  • 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 > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, 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 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 in the US > Chief of mission: 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.
  • Leaders > President > Summary: Government > Leaders > President > Summary
  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel: Date on which Israel was officially recognized as a state. Note that some countries had a “de facto” recognition in place long before the legal recognition.
  • 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 > 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Leaders > Prime minister > Profile: Government > Leaders > Prime minister > Profile
  • 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
  • Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state: Head(s) of state.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Leaders > President > Profile: Government > Leaders > President > Profile
  • Role of head of state: Head of state.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Leaders > Prime minister > Summary: Government > Leaders > Prime minister > Summary
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Democracy and rights > Next election: Next election.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, 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.

  • Ruling party: In power now.

    No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.

  • 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.
  • 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.

STAT Finland Serbia HISTORY
Administrative divisions 19 regions (maakunnat, singular - maakunta (Finnish); landskapen, singular - landskapet (Swedish)); Aland (Swedish), Ahvenanmaa (Finnish); Etela-Karjala (Finnish), Sodra Karelen (Swedish) [South Karelia]; Etela-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Sodra Osterbotten (Swedish) [South Ostrobothnia]; Etela-Savo (Finnish), Sodra Savolax (Swedish) [South Savo]; Kanta-Hame (Finnish), Egentliga Tavastland (Swedish); Kainuu (Finnish), Kajanaland (Swedish); Keski-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Mellersta Osterbotten (Swedish) [Central Ostrobothnia]; Keski-Suomi (Finnish), Mellersta Finland (Swedish) [Central Finland]; Kymenlaakso (Finnish), Kymmenedalen (Swedish); Lappi (Finnish), Lappland (Swedish); Paijat-Hame (Finnish), Paijanne-Tavastland (Swedish); Pirkanmaa (Finnish), Birkaland (Swedish) [Tampere]; Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Osterbotten (Swedish) [Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Karjala (Finnish), Norra Karelen (Swedish) [North Karelia]; Pohjois-Pohjanmaa (Finnish), Norra Osterbotten (Swedish) [North Ostrobothnia]; Pohjois-Savo (Finnish), Norra Savolax (Swedish) [North Savo]; Satakunta (Finnish and Swedish); Uusimaa (Finnish), Nyland (Swedish) [Newland]; Varsinais-Suomi (Finnish), Egentliga Finland (Swedish) [Southwest Finland] 122 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina) and 23 cities (gradovi, singular - grad)<br /><strong>municipalities:</strong> Ada, Aleksandrovac, Aleksinac, Alibunar, Apatin, Arandelovac, Arilje, Babusnica, Bac, Backa Palanka, Backa Topola, Backi Petrovac, Bajina Basta, Batocina, Becej, Bela Crkva, Bela Palanka, Beocin, Blace, Bogatic, Bojnik, Boljevac, Bor, Bosilegrad, Brus, Bujanovac, Cajetina, Cicevac, Coka, Crna Trava, Cuprija, Despotovac, Dimitrov, Doljevac, Gadzin Han, Golubac, Gornji Milanovac, Indija, Irig, Ivanjica, Kanjiza, Kikinda, Kladovo, Knic, Knjazevac, Koceljeva, Kosjeric, Kovacica, Kovin, Krupanj, Kucevo, Kula, Kursumlija, Lajkovac, Lapovo, Lebane, Ljig, Ljubovija, Lucani, Majdanpek, Mali Idos, Mali Zvornik, Malo Crnice, Medveda, Merosina, Mionica, Negotin, Nova Crnja, Nova Varos, Novi Becej, Novi Knezevac, Odzaci, Opovo, Osecina, Paracin, Pecinci, Petrovac na Mlavi, Pirot, Plandiste, Pozega, Presevo, Priboj, Prijepolje, Prokuplje, Raca, Raska, Razanj, Rekovac, Ruma, Secanj, Senta, Sid, Sjenica, Smederevska Palanka, Sokobanja, Srbobran, Sremski Karlovci, Stara Pazova, Surdulica, Svilajnac, Svrljig, Temerin, Titel, Topola, Trgoviste, Trstenik, Tutin, Ub, Varvarin, Velika Plana, Veliko Gradiste, Vladicin Han, Vladimirci, Vlasotince, Vrbas, Vrnjacka Banja, Vrsac, Zabalj, Zabari, Zagubica, Zitiste, Zitorada<br /><strong>cities:</strong> Beograd, Cacak, Jagodina, Kragujevac, Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Loznica, Nis, Novi Pazar, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Pozarevac, Sabac, Smederevo, Sombor, Sremska Mitrovica, Subotica, Uzice, Vajevo, Vranje, Zajecar, Zrenjanin
Civil law system Civil law system based on Swedish law First: the Civil Code of Principality of Serbia of 1844, written by Jovan Had\u017ei\u0107, was influenced by the Austrian Civil Code ( Allgemeines b\u00fcrgerliches Gesetzbuch ). Present: The Swiss civil law ( Zivilgesetzbuch ) was a model for the Law on Obligations of 1978.
Constitution 1 March 2000 adopted 8 November 2006; effective 10 November 2006
Country name > Conventional long form Republic of Finland Republic of Serbia
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address APO AE 09723 5070
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to parliament Republican Ministries act as cabinet
Executive branch > Chief of state President Sauli NIINISTO (since 1 March 2012) President Tomislav NIKOLIC (since 31 May 2012)
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5 February 2012 (next to be held in February 2018); the parliament elects a prime minister who is then appointed to office by the president president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017); prime minister elected by the National Assembly
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Jyrki KATAINEN (since 22 June 2011) Prime Minister Ivica DACIC (since 23 July 2012)
Government type republic republic
International organization participation ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC BIS, BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, G-9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Judicial branch general courts - deal with criminal and civil cases (include district courts, Courts of Appeal, and the Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus, whose judges are appointed by the president); administrative courts courts of general jurisdiction (municipal courts, district courts, Appellate Courts, the Supreme Court of Cassation); courts of special jurisdiction (commercial courts, the High Commercial Court, the High Magistrates Court, the Administrative Court)
Legal system civil law system based on the Swedish model civil law system
Political parties and leaders Center Party or Kesk [Juha SIPILA]<br />Christian Democrats or KD [Paivi RASANEN]<br />Green League or Vihr [Ville NIINISTO]<br />Left Alliance or Vas [Paavo ARHINMAKI]<br />National Coalition Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]<br />Social Democratic Party or SDP [Jutta URPILAINEN]<br />Swedish People's Party or SFP [Carl HAGLUND]<br />The Finns Party or TF [Timo SOINI] Albanian Coalition of Presevo Valley [Riza HALIMI]<br />Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians or SVM [Istvan PASZTOR]<br />Bosniak Democratic Union or BDZ [Elmir ELFIC]<br />Choice for a Better Life [Boris TADIC] (includes Democratic Party of DS [Dragan DJILAS], Social Democratic Party of Serbia or SDPS [Rasim LJAJIC], League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina or LSV [Nenad CANAK], Greens of Serbia or ZS [Ivan KARIC], Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina or DSHV [Petar KUNTIC], and Christian Democratic Party of Serbia or DHSS [Olgica BATIC])<br />Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]<br />Let's Get Serbia Moving [Tomislav NIKOLIC] (includes Serbian Progressive Party or SNS [Aleksandar VUCIC], New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC], Movement of Socialists [Aleksandar VULIN], Strength of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC], Association of Small and Medium Businesses and Entrepreneurs of Serbia, Coalition of Refugee Associations in Serbia, Bosniak People's Party [Mujo MUKOVIC], Democratic Party of Macedonians [Mile SPIROVSKI], Roma Party [Srdan SAJN], Movement of Vlach Unity, and Economic Renewal of Serbia)<br />None of the Offered Options or NOPO [Nikola TULIMIROVIC]<br />Party of Democratic Action of the Sandzak or SDA [Sulejman UGLJANIN]<br />Party of United Pensioners of Serbia or PUPS [Jovan KRKOBABIC]<br />Socialist Party of Serbia or SPS [Ivica DACIC]<br />Together for Serbia Parliamentary Group<br />Turnover [Cedomir JOVANOVIC] (includes Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Cedomir JOVANOVIC], Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC], Social Democratic Union or SDU [Zarko KORAC], Rich Serbia [Zaharije TRNAVCEVIC], Vojvodina's Party [Igor KURJACKI], Democratic Party of Sandzak, Green Ecological Party [Mithat NOKIC], and Party of Bulgarians of Serbia)<br />United Regions of Serbia [Mladan DINKIC]<br />United Serbia or JS [Dragan "Palma" MARKOVIC]
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Leaders > Prime minister Jyrki Katainen Ivica Dacic
National symbol(s) lion double-headed eagle
Flag description white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag); the blue represents the thousands of lakes scattered across the country, while the white is for the snow that covers the land in winter three equal horizontal stripes of red (top), blue, and white - the Pan-Slav colors representing freedom and revolutionary ideals; charged with the coat of arms of Serbia shifted slightly to the hoist side; the principal field of the coat of arms represents the Serbian state and displays a white two-headed eagle on a red shield; a smaller red shield on the eagle represents the Serbian nation, and is divided into four quarters by a white cross; interpretations vary as to the meaning and origin of the white, curved symbols resembling firesteels or Cyrillic "C's" in each quarter; a royal crown surmounts the coat of arms
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 14
Ranked 108th. 22% more than Serbia
11.5
Ranked 119th.

Country name > Conventional short form Finland Serbia
Constitutional form Republic Republic
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands Serbia with several other states protest the US and other states' recognition of Kosovo's declaration of its status as a sovereign and independent state in February 2008; ethnic Serbian municipalities along Kosovo's northern border challenge final status of Kosovo-Serbia boundary; several thousand NATO-led Kosovo Force peacekeepers under United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo authority continue to keep the peace within Kosovo between the ethnic Albanian majority and the Serb minority in Kosovo; Serbia delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute
National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"Maamme" (Our Land)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Johan Ludvig RUNEBERG/Fredrik PACIUS <strong>name: </strong>"Boze pravde" (God of Justice)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Jovan DORDEVIC/Davorin JENKO
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - Kok 20.4%, SDP 19.1%, TF 19.1%, Kesk 15.8%, Vas 8.1%, Vihr 7.3%, SFP 4.3%, KD 4%, other 1.9%; seats by party - Kok 44, SDP 42, TF 39, Kesk 35, Vas 14, Vihr 10, SFP 9, KD 6, other 1 (the constituency of Aland) percent of vote by party - Let's Get Serbia Moving 24.04%, Choice for a Better Life 22.11%, SPS/PUPS/JS 14.53%, DSS 7.00%, Turnover 6.52%, United Regions of Serbia 5.49%, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians 1.77%, other 18.54%; seats by party - Let's Get Serbia Moving 73, Choice for a Better Life 67, SPS/PUPS/JS 44, DSS 21, Turnover 19, United Regions of Serbia 16, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians 5, other 5
Legislative branch > Elections last held on 17 April 2011 (next to be held in April 2015) last held on 6 May 2012 (next to be held by May 2016)
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 6.38
Ranked 34th.
26.59
Ranked 114th. 4 times more than Finland
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 42.5%
Ranked 7th. 28% more than Serbia
33.2%
Ranked 24th.

Independence 6 December 1917 (from Russia) 5 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)
Executive branch > Election results percent of vote - Sauli NIINISTO (Kok) 36.96%, Pekka HAAVISTO (Vihr) 18.76%, Paavo VAYRYNEN (Kesk) 17.53%, Timo SOINI (TF) 9.4%, Paavo LIPPONEN (SDP) 6.7%, Paavo ARHINMÄKI (Vas) 5.48%, Eva BIAUDET (SFP) 2.7%, Sari ESSAYAH (KD) 2.47%; a runoff election between NIINISTO and HAAVISTO was held 5 February 2012 - NIINISTO 62.59%, HAAVISTO 37.41%; Jyrki KATAINEN elected prime minister; election results 118-72 Tomislav NIKOLIC elected president in runoff election; NIKOLIC 51.2% of the vote, Boris TADIC 48.8% of the vote
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts 6 appellate courts, higher courts, and municipal and district courts; courts of special jurisdiction include the Administrative Court, Appellate Commercial Court, and two levels of misdemeanor courts
Basis of executive legitimacy Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Country name > Local short form Suomi/Finland Srbija
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 10
Ranked 193th.
35
Ranked 119th. 4 times more than Finland
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade, PAK 112807
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 3
Ranked 177th.
6
Ranked 111th. Twice as much as Finland

Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote 19.1%
Ranked 4th.
24%
Ranked 1st. 26% more than Finland
National holiday Independence Day, 6 December National Day, 15 February
Capital > Geographic coordinates 60 10 N, 24 56 E 44 50 N, 20 30 E
Leaders > President Sauli Niinisto Tomislav Nikolic
Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court judges appointed by the president of the republic; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65 Supreme Court justices proposed by the High Judicial Council (HJC), an 11-member body of which 7 are judges, and elected by the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges appointed - 5 each by the National Assembly, the president, and the Supreme Court of Cassation; judges of both courts appointed to permanent tenure by the HJC
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient 6.1
Ranked 3rd. 74% more than Serbia
3.5
Ranked 103th.

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 14
Ranked 153th. 27% more than Serbia
11
Ranked 161st.

Politics PM Jyrki Katainen&#039;s conservative National Coalition Party is the largest single group in parliament. Conservative President Sauli Niinisto is head of state President Tomislav Nikolic has called a snap parliamentary election in March 2014
International law organization participation accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Parliament > Seats held by men 115
Ranked 85th.
167
Ranked 55th. 45% more than Finland

Country name > Local long form Suomen tasavalta/Republiken Finland Republika Srbija
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years 0.9
Ranked 165th.
2
Ranked 109th. 2 times more than Finland

Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.554
Ranked 110th.
0.831
Ranked 94th. 50% more than Finland

Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None None
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Bruce J. ORECK (since 12 August 2009) Ambassador Michael KIRBY (since 11 September 2012)
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [358] (9) 616250 [381] (11) 361-9344
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Ritva KOUKKU-RONDE (since 1 September 2011) Ambassador Vladimir PETROVIC (since 14 April 2009)
Parliament > Seats held by women 85
Ranked 22nd. 2% more than Serbia
83
Ranked 23th.

Leaders > President > Summary President Sauli Niinisto is credited with leading the economy towards growth in the 1990s Mr Nikolic&#039;s Progressive Party has evolved from its nationalist roots to become more pro-EU
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 16
Ranked 70th.
18
Ranked 44th. 13% more than Finland

Capital > Name Helsinki Belgrade (Beograd)
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 42
Ranked 166th.
131
Ranked 50th. 3 times more than Finland

Legislature (parliament) > People per member 26,735
Ranked 84th.
39,400
Ranked 67th. 47% more than Finland
Capital > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Leaders > Prime minister > Profile <p>Mr Katainen&#039;s conservative National Coalition Party emerged as the largest single group in parliament in the April 2011 elections.</p><p>He formed a grand coalition in June with six other parties from the left and centre, including the Social Democrats.</p> <p>The new opposition is the populist True Finns party, which refused to join the government in protest at its support for a bailout for Portugal during the debt crisis.</p> <p>Born in 1971, Mr Katainen worked as a teacher before being elected a councillor in 1993. He entered parliament in 1999 and became party leader in 2004.</p> <p>He served as deputy prime minister and finance minister in the previous two Centre-Party-led coalition governments between 2007 and 2011.</p> <p>Socialist Party leader Ivica Dacic formed a coalition government with the nationalist Progressive Party of President Nikolic in July 2012, ending an unlikely cohabitation with the pro-European-Union Democratic Party.</p> <p>A Kosovo-born protege of the late Slobodan Milosevic, on becoming leader of the Socialist Party Mr Dacic abandoned the more extreme nationalist policies pursued by his predecessor and after the 2012 election declared that he would continue the pro-EU stance of the previous government.</p> <p>However, he faced a difficult task in balancing his commitment to joining the EU with his supporters&#039; reluctance to brook any compromise on the status of Kosovo.</p> <p>A significant step forward regarding the Kosovo issue was made in April 2013, when Mr Dacic and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci signed an EU-brokered deal on normalising ties between Belgrade and Pristina. Following the Serbian parliament&#039;s approval of this deal, the European Commission gave the green light for the opening of Serbia&#039;s EU membership talks.</p> <p>Following the formal opening of EU accession talks in January 2014, the Progressive Party - which was keen to capitalise on its growing popularity as a result of Serbia&#039;s progress towards EU membership - lobbied for early general elections to be held in March.</p> <p>Opinion polls in January showed Mr Dacic&#039;s Socialist Party - the junior party in the governing coalition - to be trailing well behind the Progressive Party led by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.</p> <p>On becoming prime minister, Mr Dacic declared that his government&#039;s main priority would be to stimulate economic recovery. He also vowed to clamp down on crime and corruption, and under his administration several former ministers and tycoons have been arrested as part of the fight against graft and organised crime.</p> <p>In late 2013, his government unveiled a tough package of austerity measures, including plans to cut public sector wages, slash subsidies to loss-making companies and raise taxes.</p> <p>Announcing the measures, Finance Minister Lazar Krstic said Serbia would be bankrupt within two years if it did not take action now.</p>
International relations Finland is one of four EU countries not in Nato. Its military is active in peacekeeping operations Serbia refuses to recognise the independence of its former province Kosovo, but the two sides normalised ties in 2013 in an EU-brokered deal
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 7.76
Ranked 109th.
18.13
Ranked 78th. 2 times more than Finland

Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 200
Ranked 50th.
250
Ranked 42nd. 25% more than Finland
Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state 6
Ranked 25th. 20% more than Serbia
5
Ranked 81st.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 375
Ranked 162nd.
635
Ranked 61st. 69% more than Finland

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 3
Ranked 173th.
6
Ranked 86th. Twice as much as Finland

Leaders > President > Profile <p>Sauli Niinisto won the presidential election of February 2012 to become the country&#039;s first conservative head of state in five decades.</p> <p>He is the first president from the conservative National Coalition Party since 1956, and the first in 30 years from a party other than the Social Democrats.</p> <p>The victory of the pro-Europe politician suggested to observers that voters wanted to keep the country in the eurozone despite misgivings over European Union bailouts.</p> <p>Mr Niinisto is credited with leading Finland&#039;s economy towards growth following the collapse of the Soviet Union, during his tenure as finance minister from 1996 to 2001.</p> <p>Finland&#039;s president has a largely ceremonial role with fewer powers now than in previous decades, and is not directly involved in daily politics. However, the head of state is seen as an important shaper of public opinion, takes the lead on non-EU matters of foreign policy and plays a role as a &quot;brand ambassador&quot; of Finland overseas.</p> <p>Mr Niinisto succeeded President Tarja Halonen, who was elected as the country&#039;s first female president in 2000 and re-elected in 2006.</p> <p>Serb nationalist leader Tomislav Nikolic won the presidential election of 2012 after several previous attempts. He beat the liberal Democratic Party incumbent Boris Tadic in the second round of voting in May, confounding expectations. </p> <p>Mr Nikolic founded the Progressive Party in 2008 in order to bring his nationalist supporters closer to the centre-ground of Serbian politics, as the Radical Party, to which he had previously belonged, was too closely associated with the Milosevic era of war crimes and xenophobia.</p> <p>The Progressive Party embraced plans to join the European Union and distanced itself from the pro-Russian, anti-Nato stance of the Radicals. </p> <p>It campaigned against unemployment, inflation and corruption to become the largest party at parliamentary elections in May 2012, building on this to achieve Mr Nikolic&#039;s win in a run-off against Boris Tadic a few weeks later.</p> <p>Mr Nikolic reiterated his commitment to European integration, but relations with the European Union seemed unlikely to be as smooth as under the pro-Western Mr Tadic. The disputed status of Kosovo was seen as the most likely sticking-point, but a landmark agreement on normalising ties between Serbia and its former province signed in April 2013 removed one of the major obstacles standing in the way of Serbia&#039;s progress towards EU membership.</p> <p>A week after formal EU accession talks began in January 2014, Mr Nikolic dissolved parliament and called a snap parliamentary election on 16 March, after the Progressive Party said it needed a new mandate to push through the tough economic reforms required by the EU as a condition of membership.</p> <p>Born in 1952, Mr Nikolic trained as a building engineer before going into politics as a Radical. He rose to be deputy prime minister of Serbia and Yugoslavia under the nationalist rule of Slobodan Milosevic, and later served as Radical leader Vojislav Seselj&#039;s stand-in while the latter faced war-crimes charges in the Hague.</p> <p>He ran as Radical presidential candidate in the last Yugoslav election in 2000, and then in the Serbian presidential elections of 2003, 2004 and 2008, coming a close second in the last two Serbian polls. </p> <p>He broke with Mr Seselj after deciding that European integration and economic issues should prevail over nationalist concerns, and went on to form the Progressive Party in 2008, reducing the Radicals to a far-right rump.</p>
Role of head of state Ceremonial Ceremonial
Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote) 19.1%
Ranked 4th.
24%
Ranked 1st. 26% more than Finland
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million 1.13
Ranked 40th. 2 times more than Serbia
0.485
Ranked 67th.

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 16.14
Ranked 26th. 41% more than Serbia
11.46
Ranked 35th.

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 66
Ranked 177th.
269
Ranked 22nd. 4 times more than Finland

Leaders > Prime minister > Summary Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen is a former teacher Mr Dacic&#039;s Socialist Party is the junior partner in Serbia&#039;s coalition government
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 6.09
Ranked 83th. 22% more than Serbia
4.98
Ranked 92nd.

Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 2.59
Ranked 83th. 56% more than Serbia
1.66
Ranked 104th.

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 2.59
Ranked 105th. 70% more than Serbia
1.52
Ranked 131st.

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 2.96
Ranked 75th. 19% more than Serbia
2.49
Ranked 83th.

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 12.19
Ranked 107th.
37.24
Ranked 70th. 3 times more than Finland

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
Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties 560,075
Ranked 13th.
940,659
Ranked 7th. 68% more than Finland
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Koukku-Ronde, Ritva Ritva Koukku-Ronde Petrović (ambassador), Vladimir Vladimir Petrović (ambassador)
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people 0.373
Ranked 29th.
1.18
Ranked 15th. 3 times more than Finland
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons 2,017
Ranked 32nd.
8,500
Ranked 17th. 4 times more than Finland
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.554
Ranked 94th.
0.831
Ranked 78th. 50% more than Finland

Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 298-6030 [1] (202) 332-3933
Democracy and rights > Next election April 2015 May 2017
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 21.84
Ranked 73th.
23.06
Ranked 67th. 6% more than Finland

Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 200
Ranked 57th.
250
Ranked 45th. 25% more than Finland
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 33
Ranked 148th.
36
Ranked 123th. 9% more than Finland

Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said that "the recognition of independence for South Ossetia and Abkhazia violates fundamental OSCE principles. As all OSCE participating States, Russia is committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others. Russia should follow OSCE principles by respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. Russia should immediately withdraw all troops from Georgia and implement the ceasefire agreement, including the modalities defined in the 16 August 2008 letter of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The international community cannot accept unilaterally established buffer zones". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement saying that Serbia "respects international law and has a principled policy of preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity of internationally recognised states, above all of the Republic of Serbia. Serbian officials have continuously warned that the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo and Metohija , just as the recognitions of this illegal act, could have the nature of a precedent and destabilise other regions in the world. It can be surmised, with regret, that these predictions have come true". President Boris Tadi\u0107 said that he respects the Russian support regarding Kosovo but that Serbia will defend own interests, respecting international law and will not do anything that would bring into question its territorial integrity. He also said that all political participants in Serbia are obliged by Constitution to defend the interests of Serbia, and not the interests of any other country in the world and called on them to defend the principles of international law whenever a certain region unilaterally declares independence. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovi\u0107 said that the crisis in Georgia is the result of a "domino effect" following Kosovo's declaration of independence. On 3 September 2008, President Boris Tadi\u0107 reiterated the position of Serbia by saying that "Serbia is not going to recognise these so-called new countries." In July 2010, Ambassador of Serbia to Moscow Jelica Kurjak said that "Kosovo and Abkhazia with South Ossetia are two different things. In Ossetia and Abkhazia there were other events, there are other standards". In a May 2012 visit to Russia, the Serbian President-elect, Tomislav Nikoli\u0107 , confirmed to the Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Serbian Parliament is set to consider formal recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 69.26
Ranked 91st.
87.9
Ranked 83th. 27% more than Finland

Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [358] (9) 6162 5800 [381] (11) 361-8230
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 298-5800 [1] (202) 332-0333
Democracy and rights > Last election April 2011 May 2012
Ruling party National Coalition Progressive
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 42.5%
Ranked 7th. 28% more than Serbia
33.2%
Ranked 28th.

Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 4
Ranked 164th. The same as Serbia
4
Ranked 143th.

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; Wikipedia: List of national legal systems (Civil law); CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; British Broadcasting Corporation 2014; 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; 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); World Economic Forum, Global Competiveness Report and data files.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; Wikipedia: International recognition of Israel (UN member states); Wikipedia: List of legislatures by number of members; Wikipedia: Term of office (Terms of office by country); World Economic Forum, Global Competiveness Report and data files. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: List of ambassadors to the United States; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: List of next general elections (Africa); United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_Abkhazia_and_South_Ossetia#States_that_do_not_recognise_Abkhazia_or_South_Ossetia_as_independent; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (www.ipu.org)

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