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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.
  • Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
  • Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
  • Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
  • Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
  • Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
  • Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Civil law system: Description.

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

  • 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
  • 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.
  • Total businesses registered > Number: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward.
  • National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  • Legislative branch > 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament: Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber occupied by women.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
  • Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote: Percentage of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
  • Democracy > Civil and political liberties: Civil and political liberties
    Units: Index Ranging from 7 (High Levels of Liberties) to 1 (Low
    Units: This is the average of two indicators - civil liberties and political liberties.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
  • Capital > Geographic coordinates: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Democracy > First female parliamentarian: Year first woman elected or appointed to parliament.
  • Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Democracy and rights > Democracy Index: DI 2012.
  • Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient.
  • Red tape > Time required to register property > Days: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Politics: Country politics.
  • International law organization participation: This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 55 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 114 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
  • Parliament > Seats held by men: Number of seats held by men in country's naitonal parliament or legislative houses.
  • 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 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 > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, 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.
  • 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.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses.
  • 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.
  • Democracy > Democratic institutions rating: Democratic institutions
    Units: Scale ranging from -10 (autocratic) to +10 (democratic)
  • UN membership date: Date of United Nations Membership
  • Democracy and rights > Democracy Index per million people: DI 2012. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
  • Total businesses registered > Number per 1000: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
  • Capital city: The location of the seat of government.
  • Capital > Name: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Legal origin: Legal origin identifies the origin of the Company Law or Commercial Code in each country
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Spending > Expense > Current LCU: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
  • Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days: Time required to get electricity (days). Time required to get electricity is the number of days to obtain a permanent electricity connection. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
  • Legislature (parliament) > People per member: Number of people each member of the legislature represents on average. The number of members of the legislature is the sum of the members of all chambers of parliament, if applicable.
  • Capital > Time difference: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • 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.
  • Democracy > Female ministers: Women in government at ministerial level in 2000 (as % of total). Data were provided by states based on their definition of national executive and may therefore include women serving as ministers and vice ministers and those holding other ministerial positions, including parliamentary secretaries.
  • Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract (days). Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
  • Democracy > Female parliamentarians: Seats in parliament held by women (as % of total). Data are as of 8 March 2002. Where there are lower and upper houses, data refer to the weighted average of women's shares of seats in both houses.
  • Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number: Procedures to register property (number). Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Role of head of state: Head of state.

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

  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote): This list shows the percentage of votes obtained by nationalist parties across Europe at the latest  elections held in their respective countries. Note that the percentages show the votes from all the parties combined, and only for general elections (some parties may obtain a quite higher percentage in regional elections). Nationalist parties usually hold right-wing populist views, and among their common demands are a higher control of immigration, extended social/labor rights for country nationals, and a restriction of islamic customs -such as the veil or the construction of mosques-, though their ideologies and goals vary from country to country. Some parties have as their main goal the seggregation of a region from its parent country (with examples in Scotland, Catalonia and Northern Ireland). Most of nationalist parties with elected members in the European Parliament belong to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
  • Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong: Strength of legal rights index measures the degree to which collateral and bankruptcy laws protect the rights of borrowers and lenders and thus facilitate lending. The index ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating that these laws are better designed to expand access to credit."
  • Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU: Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organisations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind."
  • Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 $ gross domestic product.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women per million people: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
  • Democracy > Female suffrage: Year in which women received the right to vote. Data refer to the year in which right to vote or stand for election on a universal and equal basis was recognized. Where two years are shown, the first refers to the first partial recognition of the right to vote.
  • Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Leaders > Prime minister > Summary: Government > Leaders > Prime minister > Summary
  • 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 > 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 register property > Days per million: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Capital > Daylight saving time: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties: Absolute number of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador: Name of ambassador to the USA.
  • Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people: This entry is derived from Government > Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons, which includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons: This entry is derived from Government > Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons, which includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). Each country's refugee entry includes only countries of origin that are the source of refugee populations of 5,000 or more. The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Time required to build a warehouse > Days: Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population: International IDEA has chosen to use not only the reported registration rate to calculate turnout percentages, but also the voting age population (VAP) which includes all citizens above the legal voting age
  • Failed States Index: FSI 2013.
  • Democracy > Female candidacy: Year in which women received the right to stand for election. Data refer to the year in which right to vote or stand for election on a universal and equal basis was recognized. Where two years are shown, the first refers to the first partial recognition of the right to stand for election.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration: The number of registered voters. The figure represents the number of names on the voters' register at the time that the registration process closes, as reported by the electoral management body.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote: The total number of votes cast in the relevant election. Total vote includes valid and invalid votes, as well as blank votes in cases where these are separated from invalid votes. More information on valid, invalid and blank votes can be found at aceproject.org
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • 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.
  • Procedures to register property > Number: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
  • Council of EU > 2005 > Country votes: January 1, 2005
  • Council of EU > 2007 > European party of leader: January 1, 2007
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000: International IDEA has chosen to use not only the reported registration rate to calculate turnout percentages, but also the voting age population (VAP) which includes all citizens above the legal voting age. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer.
  • Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million: Procedures to register property (number). Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current local currency.
  • Council of EU > 2007 > Country votes: January 1, 2007
  • 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.
  • Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours: Time to prepare and pay taxes is the time, in hours per year, it takes to prepare, file, and pay (or withhold) three major types of taxes: the corporate income tax, the value added or sales tax, and labor taxes, including payroll taxes and social security contributions.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars.
  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • Council of EU > 2006 > Country votes: January 1, 2006
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth: Annual percentage growth of general government final consumption expenditure based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. General government final consumption expenditure (general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.
  • 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.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
  • Council of EU > 2007 > Country leader: January 1, 2007
  • Council of EU > 2005 > Country leader: January 1, 2005
  • Spending > Interest payments > % of expense: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Spending > Other expense > Current LCU: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > %: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%). Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber held by women.
  • Time to 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.
  • Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense: Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organisations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind."
  • Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Council of EU > 2005 > European party of leader: January 1, 2005
  • Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Spending > Expense > % of GDP: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
  • Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
  • 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.
  • Democracy and rights > Last election: Last election.

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

  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • 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.
  • 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.

  • European Union > Council of the European Union votes: Number of votes each member state of the European Union has in the Council of the European Union.
  • Trademarks > Residents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
  • Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes: The number of invalid votes, as reported by each country.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Capital city > Time difference: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant local currency.
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Trademarks > Residents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > Other expense > % of expense: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • Trademarks > Residents per million: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Procedures to register property > Number per million: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Ruling party: In power now.

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

  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
STAT Slovakia Sweden HISTORY
Administrative divisions 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarna, Gavleborg, Gotland, Halland, Jamtland, Jonkoping, Kalmar, Kronoberg, Norrbotten, Orebro, Ostergotland, Skane, Sodermanland, Stockholm, Uppsala, Varmland, Vasterbotten, Vasternorrland, Vastmanland, Vastra Gotaland
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 48 09 N, 17 07 E 59 20 N, 18 03 E
Capital city > Name Bratislava Stockholm
Constitution ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed September 1998; amended February 2001 1 January 1975
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava American Embassy Stockholm, US Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004) King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
Executive branch > Head of government Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK, Peter KAZIMIR, Miroslav LAJCAK (since 4 April 2012), Lubomir VAZNY (since 26 November 2012) Prime Minister Fredrik REINFELDT (since 5 October 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Jan BJORKLUND (since 5 October 2010)
Government type parliamentary democracy constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council) Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen; Supreme Administrative Court note: the Supreme Court is the highest court of general jurisdiction and the Supreme Administrative Court is the highest administrative court
Legal system civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes civil law system influenced by Roman-Germanic law and customary law
Legislative branch unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky unicameral Parliament or Riksdag
Political parties and leaders <strong>parties in the Parliament: </strong><br />Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]<br />Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan FIGEL]<br />Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]<br />Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]<br />Ordinary People and Independent Personalities or OLaNO [Igor MATOVIC]<br />Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or SDKU-DS [Pavol FRESO]<br /><strong>selected parties outside the Parliament:</strong><br />Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Ondrej DOSTAL]<br />Nation and Justice - Our Party or NAS [Anna BELOUSOVOVA]<br />Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Jozef DURICA]<br />Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef BERENYI]<br />People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]<br />People's Party - Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]<br />Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO] Center Party (Centerpartiet) or C [Annie LOOF]<br />Christian Democrats (Kristdemokraterna) or KD [Goran HAGGLUND]<br />Green Party (Miljopartiet de Grona); [spokespersons Asa ROMSON and Gustav FRIDOLIN]<br />Left Party (Vansterpartiet) (formerly Communist Party) or V [Jonas SJOSTEDT]<br />Liberal People's Party (Folkpartiet) or FP [Jan BJORKLUND]<br />Moderate Party (Moderaterna) [Fredrik REINFELDT]<br />Social Democratic Party (Socialdemokraterna) or SAP [Stefan LOFVEN]<br />Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna) or SD [Jimmie AKESSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS<br />Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ<br />Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS<br />Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic<br />Medical Trade Association or LOZ<br />National Union of Employers or RUZ<br />Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK<br />The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS Children's Rights in Society<br />Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees or TCO<br />Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen) or LO [Wanja LUNDBY-WEDIN]<br /><br /><strong>other:</strong> environmental groups; media
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EITI (implementing country), ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Country name > Conventional long form Slovak Republic Kingdom of Sweden
Civil law system Descended from the Civil Code of the Austrian Empire (1811), influenced by German (1939\u201345) and Soviet (1947/68-89) legal codes during occupation periods, substantially reformed to remove Soviet influence and elements of socialist law after the Velvet Revolution (1989). Scandinavian-German civil law. Like all Scandinavian legal systems, it is distinguished by its traditional character and for the fact that it did not adopt elements of Roman law. It is indeed worth mentioning that it assimilated very few elements of foreign laws whatsoever. It is also interesting that the Napoleonic Code had no influence in codification of law in Scandinavia. The historical basis of the law of Sweden, just as for all Nordic countries, is Old German law. Codification of the law started in Sweden during the 18th century, preceding the codifications of most other European countries. However, neither Sweden, nor any other Nordic state created a civil code of the kind of the Code Civil or the BGB.
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually becomes the prime minister
Leaders > Prime minister Robert Fico Fredrik Reinfeldt
National symbol(s) double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks three crowns; lion
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side blue with a golden yellow 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 colors reflect those of the Swedish coat of arms - three gold crowns on a blue field
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 18.5
Ranked 80th. 16% more than Sweden
16
Ranked 91st.

Country name > Conventional short form Slovakia Sweden
Constitutional form Republic Constitutional monarchy
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules none
Total businesses registered > Number 420,812
Ranked 27th. 43% more than Sweden
295,197
Ranked 32nd.

National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Janko MATUSKA/traditional <strong>name: </strong>"Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Richard DYBECK/traditional
FAX 421 46
Legislative branch > Elections last held on 10 March 2012 (next to be held in 2016) last held on 19 September 2010 (next to be held in September 2014)
Legislative branch > Election results percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 44.4%, KDH 8.8%, OLaNO 8.6%, Most-Hid 6.9%, SDKU-DS 6.1%, SaS 5.9%, other 19.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 83, KDH 16, OLaNO 16, Most-Hid 13, SDKU-DS 11, SaS 11 percent of vote by party - SAP 30.7%, Moderate Party 30.1%, Green Party 7.3%, FP 7.1%, C 6.6%, SD 5.7%, KD 5.6%, V 5.6%, others 1.3%; seats by party - SAP 112, Moderate Party 107, Green Party 25, FP 24, C 23, SD 20, KD 19, V 19
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 13.25
Ranked 17th. 44% more than Sweden
9.23
Ranked 27th.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 18.67%
Ranked 88th.
44.7%
Ranked 4th. 2 times more than Slovakia

Independence 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
Executive branch > Election results Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5% Fredrik REINFELDT elected prime minister with 175 out of 349 votes
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit first instance and appellate general and administrative courts; specialized courts that handle cases such as land and environment, immigration, labor, markets, and patents
Basis of executive legitimacy Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Country name > Local short form Slovensko Sverige
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 21
Ranked 164th. 2 times more than Sweden
10
Ranked 192nd.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament 20%
Ranked 56th.
47.3%
Ranked 2nd. 2 times more than Slovakia

Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 7
Ranked 95th. 2 times more than Sweden
3
Ranked 171st.

Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote 4.6%
Ranked 9th.
5.7%
Ranked 2nd. 24% more than Slovakia
Democracy > Civil and political liberties 5.5
Ranked 33th.
6
Ranked 5th. 9% more than Slovakia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ 9.23 billion$
Ranked 47th.
97.37 billion$
Ranked 11th. 11 times more than Slovakia

National holiday Constitution Day, 1 September Swedish Flag Day, 6 June (1916); National Day, 6 June (1983)
Capital > Geographic coordinates 48 09 N, 17 07 E 59 20 N, 18 03 E
Democracy > First female parliamentarian 1992 (elected) 1921 (elected)
Time required to start a business > Days 25 days
Ranked 117th. 56% more than Sweden
16 days
Ranked 142nd.

Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.985
Ranked 61st.
1
Ranked 24th. 2% more than Slovakia

Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, a 17-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential and governmental appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court justices nominated by the Board of Judges, a 9-member nominating body consisting of high-level judges, prosecutors, and members of Parliament; justices appointed by the Government; following a probationary period, justices' appointments are permanent
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index 7.35
Ranked 30th.
9.73
Ranked 2nd. 32% more than Slovakia
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient 4.3
Ranked 62nd.
5.5
Ranked 7th. 28% more than Slovakia

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 16.5
Ranked 141st.
28
Ranked 110th. 70% more than Slovakia

Politics PM Robert Fico from the leftist Smer party won general elections in March 2012. He was a critic of the former government&#039;s austerity programme Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt from the centre-right Alliance for Sweden heads a coalition government
International law organization participation accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Parliament > Seats held by men 122
Ranked 78th.
193
Ranked 51st. 58% more than Slovakia

Country name > Local long form Slovenska republika Konungariket Sverige
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years 4
Ranked 31st. Twice as much as Sweden
2
Ranked 102nd.

Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 1.11
Ranked 76th. 4 times more than Sweden
0.315
Ranked 131st.

Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [421] (2) 5443-3338 [46] (08) 783 53 00
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None The House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Peter KMEC Ambassador Bjorn O. LYRVALL
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Theodore SEDGWICK Ambassador Mark BRZEZINSKI
Parliament > Seats held by women 28
Ranked 85th.
156
Ranked 7th. 6 times more than Slovakia

Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating 9
Ranked 40th.
10
Ranked 8th. 11% more than Slovakia
UN membership date 19 Jan. 1993 19 Nov. 1946
Democracy and rights > Democracy Index per million people 1.36
Ranked 10th. 33% more than Sweden
1.02
Ranked 12th.
Total businesses registered > Number per 1000 78.22
Ranked 13th. 2 times more than Sweden
32.95
Ranked 36th.

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 11
Ranked 154th. 57% more than Sweden
7
Ranked 182nd.

Capital city Bratislava Stockholm
Capital > Name Bratislava Stockholm
Legal origin <a href=/country/gm>German</a> <a href=/encyclopedia/Nordic-countries>Nordic</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita 1,713.17$ per capita
Ranked 30th.
10,790.5$ per capita
Ranked 5th. 6 times more than Slovakia

Spending > Expense > Current LCU 20.75 billion
Ranked 67th.
1.02 trillion
Ranked 19th. 49 times more than Slovakia

Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 158
Ranked 33th. 3 times more than Sweden
52
Ranked 153th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 70.1%
Ranked 71st.
80.1%
Ranked 43th. 14% more than Slovakia
Legislature (parliament) > People per member 36,090
Ranked 72nd. 35% more than Sweden
26,654
Ranked 85th.
Capital > Time difference UTC+1 (6 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 Fico&#039;s leftist Smer party won a landslide victory in early general elections in March 2012 - the first time since independence that a party had gained an absolute majority in the Slovak parliament. </p><p>The centre-right coalition of Iveta Radicova, which had governed since June 2010, was routed in a poll dominated by a corruption scandal that engulfed its main parties. </p> <p>Known as a straight-talking populist, Robert Fico was born to a working-class family in the provincial town of Topolcany in 1964 and trained as a lawyer in Communist Czechoslovakia. </p> <p>He became a member of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in 1987, and after the Velvet Revolution of 1989 joined the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL) - a successor of the Communist Party of Slovakia. </p> <p>In 1999 he founded his own party, Direction-Social Democracy (Smer), when it became clear that the SDL was a spent force. </p> <p>He raised his public profile by sharply criticising the radical economic reform programme implemented by the centre-right governments of Mikulas Dzurinda (1998-2006), which although hailed by investors and international financial institutions was not popular with ordinary Slovaks. </p> <p>Mr Dzurinda&#039;s policies were seen as having stimulated growth - earning Slovakia the nickname of &quot;the central European tiger&quot; - but were associated with high levels of unemployment and were seen as having a disproportionately negative effect on low wage-earners and welfare recipients. </p> <p>During the 2006 election campaign, Smer strove to project itself as a modern, socialist and pro-European party, but found it hard to maintain this image after it had formed a government in coalition with various ultra-nationalist and populist parties who were also opposed to Mr Dzurinda&#039;s policies. </p> <p>Mr Fico led Slovakia into the eurozone during his first stint as prime minister in 2006-2010, but his government&#039;s record of deteriorating relations with the country&#039;s Hungarian minority also tarnished its reputation in the eyes of the EU. </p> <p>Smer emerged as the largest grouping in the 2010 general election, but was unable to form a government and was ousted by a centre-right coalition led by Iveta Radicova, Slovakia&#039;s first female prime minister. </p> <p>Ms Radicova&#039;s government collapsed in October 2011 in a dispute between the coalition partners over whether Slovakia should support an expanded eurozone bailout fund, and the corruption scandal that broke in December completed public disillusionment with the ruling coalition. </p> <p>Mr Fico made defending the eurozone and boosting social welfare two of the main planks of his 2012 election campaign. He has promised to introduce higher taxes for the rich, but has also pledged to stick with the previous government&#039;s policy of reducing the deficit. </p> <p>The Alliance for Sweden, a centre-right coalition headed by Moderate Party leader Fredrik Reinfeldt, came to power at elections in September 2006, ending 10 years of rule by the Social Democrat Party.</p> <p>Governing with a slim seven-seat majority in its first term, Mr Reinfeldt&#039;s government cut income taxes, trimmed benefits and sold off state assets.</p> <p>Buoyed by Sweden&#039;s rapid economic recovery from the 2008 , Mr Reinfeldt looked assured to win a second term ahead of elections in 2010 and become the first centre-right PM to be re-elected since World War II.</p> <p>However, his Alliance for Sweden fell short of an overall majority by two seats, and Mr Reinfeldt formed a minority coalition government. The anti-immigration Swedish Democrats became Sweden&#039;s first far right party to win seats in parliament.</p> <p>The opposition centre-left Social Democrats, who governed Sweden for much of the period since World War II, suffered a painful slump in support.</p> <p>After becoming party leader of the right-wing Moderate Party in 2003, Mr Reinfeldt moved it towards the political centre, toning down its criticism of Sweden&#039;s welfare state and adopting a consensual approach. He supports Sweden&#039;s entry into Nato, provided there is cross-party support.</p> <p>Born in 1965, Fredrik Reinfeldt joined his party&#039;s youth wing in 1991. </p>
International relations Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the eurozone in 2009. Its forces have taken part in the Nato-led operation in Afghanistan, and in peacekeeping duties in Kosovo Sweden joined the EU in 1995. Though a famously neutral country, a security doctrine has allowed for the deployment of Swedish forces overseas
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 29.2
Ranked 61st. 5 times more than Sweden
5.46
Ranked 125th.

Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 150
Ranked 64th.
349
Ranked 32nd. 2 times more than Slovakia
Democracy > Female ministers 8.7%
Ranked 84th.
17.6%
Ranked 45th. 2 times more than Slovakia
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 545
Ranked 98th. 74% more than Sweden
314
Ranked 172nd.

Democracy > Female parliamentarians 14%
Ranked 59th.
42.7%
Ranked 1st. 3 times more than Slovakia
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 3
Ranked 174th. 3 times more than Sweden
1
Ranked 181st.

Role of head of state Ceremonial Ceremonial
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita 1,713.17$
Ranked 30th.
10,783.89$
Ranked 5th. 6 times more than Slovakia

Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote) 4.6%
Ranked 9th.
5.7%
Ranked 2nd. 24% more than Slovakia
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 9
Ranked 99th. 3 times more than Sweden
3
Ranked 164th.

Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million 0.795
Ranked 51st. 38% more than Sweden
0.578
Ranked 58th.

Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong 9
Ranked 19th. 80% more than Sweden
5
Ranked 88th.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU 13.99 billion
Ranked 61st.
713.23 billion
Ranked 13th. 51 times more than Slovakia

Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU 2.82 billion
Ranked 71st.
108.18 billion
Ranked 29th. 38 times more than Slovakia

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP 0.199$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 33th.
0.272$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 10th. 37% more than Slovakia

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 5.1
Ranked 69th.
17.11
Ranked 23th. 3 times more than Slovakia

Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment March 4, 1994 June 10, 1960
Democracy > Female suffrage 1920 "1861 ,1921"
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 286
Ranked 18th. 2 times more than Sweden
116
Ranked 126th.

Leaders > Prime minister > Summary Robert Fico&#039;s party won a landslide victory in 2012 Fredrik Reinfeldt is in his second term of office
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 2.5
Ranked 87th. 48% more than Sweden
1.68
Ranked 102nd.

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 5.91
Ranked 86th. 88% more than Sweden
3.15
Ranked 112th.

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 3.05
Ranked 100th.
3.15
Ranked 99th. 3% more than Slovakia

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 2.03
Ranked 92nd. 3 times more than Sweden
0.736
Ranked 129th.

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 52.86
Ranked 57th. 4 times more than Sweden
12.19
Ranked 108th.

Capital > Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita 78.22 per 1,000 people
Ranked 13th. 2 times more than Sweden
32.96 per 1,000 people
Ranked 36th.

Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU 817.95 million
Ranked 66th.
43.2 billion
Ranked 26th. 53 times more than Slovakia

Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties 116,420
Ranked 26th.
339,610
Ranked 18th. 3 times more than Slovakia
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Burian, Peter Peter Burian Hafström, Jonas Jonas Hafström
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people 0.277
Ranked 5th.
1.01
Ranked 17th. 4 times more than Slovakia
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons 1,523
Ranked 5th.
9,596
Ranked 15th. 6 times more than Slovakia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita 904.35 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 28th.
7,411.33 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 5th. 8 times more than Slovakia

Time required to build a warehouse > Days 272 days
Ranked 36th. 2 times more than Sweden
116 days
Ranked 141st.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 4.3 million
Ranked 75th.
6.92 million
Ranked 58th. 61% more than Slovakia
Failed States Index 45.3
Ranked 5th. 2 times more than Sweden
19.7
Ranked 32nd.
Democracy > Female candidacy 1,920
Ranked 136th. 1% more than Sweden
1,907
Ranked 157th.
Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita 0.213 per 1,000 people
Ranked 18th. 32% more than Sweden
0.161 per 1,000 people
Ranked 34th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000 0.213
Ranked 18th. 32% more than Sweden
0.161
Ranked 36th.

Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment January 1, 1993 January 29, 1992
National anthem > Name "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Storm Over the Tatras) "Du Gamla, Du Fria" (Thou Ancient, Thou Free)
Parties in the European Council during 2011 > Leaders > 1 January 2011 > Votes 7
Ranked 16th.
10
Ranked 15th. 43% more than Slovakia
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 4.16 million
Ranked 71st.
6.72 million
Ranked 53th. 62% more than Slovakia
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote 2.91 million
Ranked 64th.
5.39 million
Ranked 45th. 85% more than Slovakia
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita 1.67 per 1 million people
Ranked 67th. 5 times more than Sweden
0.332 per 1 million people
Ranked 132nd.

Time required to enforce a contract > Days 565 days
Ranked 65th. 3 times more than Sweden
208 days
Ranked 159th.

Parties in the European Council during 2010 > Leaders > 1 January 2010 > European party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>
Procedures to register property > Number 3
Ranked 158th. 3 times more than Sweden
1
Ranked 165th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 13
Ranked 137th. 63% more than Sweden
8
Ranked 164th.

Council of EU > 2005 > Country votes 7
Ranked 15th.
10
Ranked 14th. 43% more than Slovakia
Council of EU > 2007 > European party of leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>
FAX > Consulate(s) general Los Angeles, New York New York
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000 798.92
Ranked 13th. 3% more than Sweden
771.97
Ranked 23th.
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 32
Ranked 160th. 7% more than Sweden
30
Ranked 166th.

Stabilisation and Association process > Albania 6.12.2006 21.3.2007
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.555
Ranked 93th. 5 times more than Sweden
0.105
Ranked 163th.

Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 150
Ranked 72nd.
349
Ranked 36th. 2 times more than Slovakia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU 286297000000 727685000000
Council of EU > 2007 > Country votes 7
Ranked 17th.
10
Ranked 16th. 43% more than Slovakia
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 100.73
Ranked 76th. 3 times more than Sweden
32.99
Ranked 125th.

Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours 344 hours
Ranked 50th. 3 times more than Sweden
122 hours
Ranked 136th.

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ 4.87 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 43th.
66.88 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 11th. 14 times more than Slovakia

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita 2.41 per 1 million people
Ranked 78th. 3 times more than Sweden
0.884 per 1 million people
Ranked 117th.

Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU 2.18 billion
Ranked 73th.
117.73 billion
Ranked 20th. 54 times more than Slovakia

Council of EU > 2006 > Country votes 7
Ranked 15th.
10
Ranked 14th. 43% more than Slovakia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth 2.14%
Ranked 71st. 3 times more than Sweden
0.73%
Ranked 91st.

Time required to register property > Days 17 days
Ranked 138th. 9 times more than Sweden
2 days
Ranked 163th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents 1,148
Ranked 25th.
1,433
Ranked 36th. 25% more than Slovakia

Council of EU > 2007 > Country leader Robert Fico Fredrik Reinfeldt
Council of EU > 2005 > Country leader Mikuláš Dzurinda Göran Persson
Parties in the European Council during 2005 > Leaders > January 1 > 2005 > Votes 7
Ranked 14th.
10
Ranked 13th. 43% more than Slovakia
Spending > Interest payments > % of expense 3.94%
Ranked 52nd.
4.22%
Ranked 49th. 7% more than Slovakia

Spending > Other expense > Current LCU 945.63 million
Ranked 67th.
70.95 billion
Ranked 21st. 75 times more than Slovakia

Parties in the European Council during 2010 > Leaders > 1 January 2010 > Leader Robert Fico Fredrik Reinfeldt
Parties in the European Council during 2011 > Leaders > 1 January 2011 > Leader Iveta RadiŽovÇ­ Fredrik Reinfeldt
Parties in the European Council during 2008 > Leaders > January 1 > 2008 > Votes 7
Ranked 16th.
10
Ranked 15th. 43% more than Slovakia
Parties in the European Council during 2009 > Leaders > January 1 > 2009 > Leader Robert Fico Fredrik Reinfeldt
Parties in the European Council during 2007 > Leaders > January 1 > 2007 > European party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>
Parties in the European Council during 2008 > Leaders > January 1 > 2008 > European party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a>
Parties in the European Council during 2010 > Leaders > 1 January 2010 > National party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direction_-_Social_Democracy">Direction</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderate_Party">Moderates</a>
Parties in the European Council during 2011 > Leaders > 1 January 2011 > National party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovak_Democratic_and_Christian_Union_%E2%80%93_Democratic_Party">SDKÇ?-DS</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moderate_Party">Moderates</a>
Parties in the European Council during 2005 > Leaders > January 1 > 2005 > Leader MikulÇ­­ Dzurinda GÇôran Persson
Parties in the European Council during 2006 > Leaders > January 1 > 2006 > Votes 7
Ranked 14th.
10
Ranked 13th. 43% more than Slovakia
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 18.7%
Ranked 92nd.
44.7%
Ranked 4th. 2 times more than Slovakia

Time to resolve insolvency > Years 4 years
Ranked 46th. Twice as much as Sweden
2 years
Ranked 107th.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense 67.42%
Ranked 15th.
69.72%
Ranked 11th. 3% more than Slovakia

Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue 4.13%
Ranked 48th. 6% more than Sweden
3.88%
Ranked 51st.

National anthem > Note adopted 1993, in use since 1844; the anthem"s music is based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" in use since 1844; the anthem, also known as "Sang till Norden" (Song of the North), is based on a Swedish folk tune; it has never been officially adopted by the government; "Kungssangen" (The King's Song) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies
Council of EU > 2005 > European party of leader <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 5.01
Ranked 75th. 2 times more than Sweden
2.09
Ranked 110th.

Spending > Expense > % of GDP 30.87%
Ranked 38th.
31.83%
Ranked 33th. 3% more than Slovakia

Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense 13.57%
Ranked 67th. 28% more than Sweden
10.57%
Ranked 77th.

Democracy and rights > Next election March 2016 September 2014
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 22.23
Ranked 70th. 5% more than Sweden
21.16
Ranked 76th.

Democracy and rights > Last election March 2012 September 2010
Parties in the European Council during 2010 > Leaders > 1 January 2010 > Votes 7
Ranked 16th.
10
Ranked 15th. 43% more than Slovakia
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general Los Angeles, New York Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 1.67
Ranked 67th. 5 times more than Sweden
0.33
Ranked 131st.

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 27
Ranked 120th. 42% more than Sweden
19
Ranked 159th.

Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Slovakia "disapproves of these steps and confirms the main principles, based on the long-standing position of the Slovak Republic regarding Georgia and the solution of conflicts on its territory. These principles are: sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders and solution of the conflicts exclusively by peaceful means and talks in compliance with the international law". The statement also said that "the Slovak government , as one of few EU member states , can insist on the principle of the territorial integrity of Georgia, as it has done also in the case of Serbia and Kosovo". Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt condemned Russia's recognition, saying that "the Russian government leadership now has chosen this route means they have chosen a policy of confrontation, not only with the rest of Europe, but also with the international community in general". Carl Bildt predicted that the recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is likely to be followed by only a "miserable" lot of other countries, such as Belarus , Syria , Cuba and Venezuela . Bildt also said that "South Ossetian independence is a joke. We are talking about a smugglers' paradise of 60,000 people financed by the Russian security services. No one can seriously consider that as an independent state". In December 2009, Carl Bildt said that "this idea of South Ossetia's independence is increasingly seen as bad joke in Moscow, which it obviously is.".
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 4
Ranked 170th. The same as Sweden
4
Ranked 129th.
European Union > Council of the European Union votes 7
Ranked 17th.
10
Ranked 16th. 43% more than Slovakia
Trademarks > Residents 2,912
Ranked 26th.
6,603
Ranked 25th. 2 times more than Slovakia

Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita 0.557 per 1 million people
Ranked 88th. 5 times more than Sweden
0.111 per 1 million people
Ranked 146th.

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita 5.01 per 1 million people
Ranked 76th. 2 times more than Sweden
2.1 per 1 million people
Ranked 110th.

Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [421] (2) 5441-8861 [46] (08) 661 19 64
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 1.3%
Ranked 80th.
1.5%
Ranked 76th. 15% more than Slovakia
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 237-1054 [1] (202) 467-2600
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 237-6438 [1] (202) 467-2699
Capital city > Time difference UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU 169950000000 612769000000
Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense 10.52%
Ranked 61st.
11.51%
Ranked 55th. 9% more than Slovakia

Parties in the European Council during 2005 > Leaders > January 1 > 2005 > European party <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_People%27s_Party">EPP</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Party_of_European_Socialists">PES</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita 904.35 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 28th.
7,406.79 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 5th. 8 times more than Slovakia

Trademarks > Residents > Per capita 0.541 per 1,000 people
Ranked 24th.
0.742 per 1,000 people
Ranked 16th. 37% more than Slovakia

Spending > Other expense > % of expense 4.56%
Ranked 54th.
6.94%
Ranked 35th. 52% more than Slovakia

Trademarks > Residents per million 541.02
Ranked 23th.
742.25
Ranked 18th. 37% more than Slovakia

Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.556
Ranked 86th. 5 times more than Sweden
0.11
Ranked 148th.

Ruling party Social Democrats Moderate Party /Coal.
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 2.41
Ranked 78th. 3 times more than Sweden
0.881
Ranked 114th.

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; Wikipedia: List of national legal systems (Civil law); 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; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Censorship by country (Censorship by country) ("Press Freedom Index 2013" , Reporters Without Borders, 30 January 2013); United Nations Statistics Division; "2012 Freedom of the Press Data" , Freedom House, 1 May 2012; Wikipedia: List of active nationalist parties in Europe (National); Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. 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