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Government Stats: compare key data on Belarus & Poland

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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.
  • Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  • Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Country name > Conventional short form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Constitutional form: Constitutional form of government.
  • Transnational Issues > Disputes > International: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
  • 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.

  • Transnational Issues > Illicit drugs: This entry gives information on the five categories of illicit drugs - narcotics, stimulants, depressants (sedatives), hallucinogens, and cannabis. These categories include many drugs legally produced and prescribed by doctors as well as those illegally produced and sold outside of medical channels.
    Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is the common hemp plant, which provides hallucinogens with some sedative properties, and includes marijuana (pot, Acapulco gold, grass, reefer), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, Marinol), hashish (hash), and hashish oil (hash oil).
    Coca (mostly Erythroxylum coca) is a bush with leaves that contain the stimulant used to make cocaine. Coca is not to be confused with cocoa, which comes from cacao seeds and is used in making chocolate, cocoa, and cocoa butter.
    Cocaine is a stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca bush.
    Depressants (sedatives) are drugs that reduce tension and anxiety and include chloral hydrate, barbiturates (Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Librium, Valium), methaqualone (Quaalude), glutethimide (Doriden), and others (Equanil, Placidyl, Valmid).
    Drugs are any chemical substances that effect a physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral change in an individual.
    Drug abuse is the use of any licit or illicit chemical substance that results in physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral impairment in an individual.
    Hallucinogens are drugs that affect sensation, thinking, self-awareness, and emotion. Hallucinogens include LSD (acid, microdot), mescaline and peyote (mexc, buttons, cactus), amphetamine variants (PMA, STP, DOB), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust, hog), phencyclidine analogues (PCE, PCPy, TCP), and others (psilocybin, psilocyn).
    Hashish is the resinous exudate of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
    Heroin is a semisynthetic derivative of morphine.
    Mandrax is a trade name for methaqualone, a pharmaceutical depressant.
    Marijuana is the dried leaf of the cannabis or hemp plant (Cannabis sativa).
    Methaqualone is a pharmaceutical depressant, referred to as mandrax in Southwest Asia and Africa.
    Narcotics are drugs that relieve pain, often induce sleep, and refer to opium, opium derivatives, and synthetic substitutes. Natural narcotics include opium (paregoric, parepectolin), morphine (MS-Contin, Roxanol), codeine (Tylenol with codeine, Empirin with codeine, Robitussin AC), and thebaine. Semisynthetic narcotics ...
    Full definition
  • 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 > 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.
  • Leaders > President: Government > Leaders > President
  • Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006: The Status Index’s overall result represents the mean value of the scores for the dimensions “Political Transformationâ€? and “Economic Transformationâ€?. The mean value was calculated using the exact, unrounded values for both these dimensions, which, in turn, were derived from the ratings for the five political criteria (based on 18 indicators) and the seven economic criteria (based on 14 indicators). The table shows rounded scores for political and economic transformation as well as for the Status Index’s overall result. In some cases, therefore, the overall result differs slightly from the mean value.
  • Red tape > Time required to register property > Days: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Politics: Country politics.
  • International law organization participation: This entry includes information on a country's acceptance of jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and of the International Criminal Court (ICCt); 55 countries have accepted ICJ jurisdiction with reservations and 11 have accepted ICJ jurisdiction without reservations; 114 countries have accepted ICCt jurisdiction. Appendix B: International Organizations and Groups explains the differing mandates of the ICJ and ICCt.
  • Parliament > Seats held by men: Number of seats held by men in country's naitonal parliament or legislative houses.
  • Country name > Local long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years: Time to resolve insolvency (years). Time to resolve insolvency is the number of years from the filing for insolvency in court until the resolution of distressed assets.
  • Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses.
  • Leaders > President > Summary: Government > Leaders > President > Summary
  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel: Date on which Israel was officially recognized as a state. Note that some countries had a “de facto” recognition in place long before the legal recognition.
  • Democracy > Democratic institutions rating: Democratic institutions
    Units: Scale ranging from -10 (autocratic) to +10 (democratic)
  • UN membership date: Date of United Nations Membership
  • 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.
  • Democracy > Presidential 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
  • 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.
  • Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state: Head(s) of state.

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

  • Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members: Members of the upper house of the legislature. Does not include countries with a unicameral system.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
  • Foreign relations > Recognition of Israel notes: Notes and remarks about the date on which Israel was officially recognized as a state.
  • 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.
  • Leaders > President > Profile: Government > Leaders > President > Profile
  • Role of head of state: Head of state.

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

  • 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 > Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
  • 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 > Presidential 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.
  • Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong: Strength of legal rights index measures the degree to which collateral and bankruptcy laws protect the rights of borrowers and lenders and thus facilitate lending. The index ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating that these laws are better designed to expand access to credit."
  • Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
  • Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU: Subsidies, grants, and other social benefits include all unrequited, nonrepayable transfers on current account to private and public enterprises; grants to foreign governments, international organisations, and other government units; and social security, social assistance benefits, and employer social benefits in cash and in kind."
  • Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for upper house members: Members of the upper house*.

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

  • Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006: This Index evaluates management by political decision-makers while taking into consideration the level of difficulty. The Management Index’s overall result is calculated by multiplying the intermediate result with a factor derived from the level of difficulty evaluation.
  • 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.
  • Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Capital > Daylight saving time: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • 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 > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation: Political Transformation The score for â€?Political Transformation“ is obtained by calculating the mean value of the ratings for the following criteria: · Stateness · Political Participation · Rule of Law · Stability of Democratic Institutions · Political and Social Integration
  • 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
  • Democracy > Female candidacy: Year in which women received the right to stand for election. Data refer to the year in which right to vote or stand for election on a universal and equal basis was recognized. Where two years are shown, the first refers to the first partial recognition of the right to stand for election.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > 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 > Turnout: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage.
  • 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.
  • Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout per million: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Democracy > Presidential 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
  • Democracy > Presidential elections > Invalid votes: The number of invalid votes, as reported by each country.
  • Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage.
  • 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.
  • Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint: Policy uncertainty measures the share of senior managers who ranked economic and regulatory policy uncertainty as a major or very severe constraint.
  • 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."
  • Informal payments to public officials > % of firms: Informal payments to public officials are the percentage of firms expected to make informal payments to public officials to ""get things done"" with regard to customs, taxes, licenses, regulations, services, and the like."
  • Spending > Interest payments > % of expense: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Spending > Other expense > % of expense: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • 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.
  • Spending > Expense > % of GDP: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
  • Democracy and rights > Active Labor party: Party.

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

  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current local currency.
  • Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia: Statements on the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia issued by countries who do not recognize their sovereignty.
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine: Indicates whether or not each country has diplomatic relations with Palestine.
  • 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 > 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.
  • 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.
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • 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.

  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of State of Palestine: Date on which Palestine was officially recognized as a state.
  • 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.
  • Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time: Management time dealing with officials (% of management time). Time dealing with officials is the percentage of management time in a given week spent on requirements imposed by government regulations (taxes, customs, labor regulations, licensing and registration).
  • 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.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars.
  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Management time dealing with officials > % of management time: Time dealing with officials is the percentage of management time in a given week spent on requirements imposed by government regulations (taxes, customs, labor regulations, licensing and registration).
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant local currency.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • 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.
  • 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 > Current LCU: 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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."
  • 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 > Presidential 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.
  • 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.
STAT Belarus Poland HISTORY
Administrative divisions 6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel' (Gomel), Horad Minsk* (Minsk City), Hrodna (Grodno), Mahilyow (Mogilev), Minsk, Vitsyebsk (Vitebsk) 16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie (Lower Silesia), Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Kuyavia-Pomerania), Lodzkie, Lubelskie (Lublin), Lubuskie (Lubusz), Malopolskie (Lesser Poland), Mazowieckie (Masovia), Opolskie, Podkarpackie (Subcarpathia), Podlaskie, Pomorskie (Pomerania), Slaskie (Silesia), Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie (Warmia-Masuria), Wielkopolskie (Greater Poland), Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania)
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 53 52 15 N, 21 00 E
Capital city > Name Minsk Warsaw
Constitution several previous; latest drafted between late 1991 and early 1994, signed 15 March 1994; amended 1996, 2004 several previous; latest adopted 2 April 1997, approved by referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997; amended 2006, 2009
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723 American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
Executive branch > Cabinet Council of Ministers Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
Executive branch > Chief of state president Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994) President Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI (since 6 August 2010)
Executive branch > Head of government prime minister Mikhail MYASNIKOVICH (since 28 December 2010); first deputy prime minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since December 2003) Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007); Deputy Prime Ministers Janusz PIECHOCINSKI (since 6 December 2012) and Elzbieta BIENKOWSKA (since 27 November 2013)
Government type republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship republic
Judicial branch Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms)
Legal system civil law system(civil, civil procedure, criminal, criminal procedure, family and labor) have been revised and came into force in 1999 or 2000 civil law system; changes gradually being introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final
Legislative branch bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Council of the Republic or Sovet Respubliki bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
Political parties and leaders <strong>pro-government parties: </strong><br />Belarusian Agrarian Party or AP [Mikhail SHIMANSKY]<br />Belarusian Patriotic Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Nikolay ULAKHOVICH, chairman]<br />Communist Party of Belarus or KPB [Igor KARPENKO]<br />Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Sergey GAYDUKEVICH]<br />Republican Party of Labor and Justice [Vasiliy ZADNEPRYANYY]<br /><strong>opposition parties:</strong><br />Belarusian Christian Democracy Party [Pavel SEVERINETS] (unregistered)<br />Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World" [Sergey KALYAKIN]<br />Belarusian Popular Front or BPF [Aleksey YANUKEVICH]<br />Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH]<br />Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada ("Assembly") or BSDPH [Irina VESHTARD]<br />Belarusian Social Democratic Party People's Assembly ("Narodnaya Hramada") [Nikolay STATKEVICH] (unregistered)<br />Christian Conservative Party or BPF [Zyanon PAZNIAK]<br />European Belarus Campaign [Andrey SANNIKOV]<br />Party of Freedom and Progress [Vladimir NOVOSYAD] (unregistered)<br />"Tell the Truth" Campaign [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV]<br />United Civic Party or UCP [Anatoliy LEBEDKO] Civic Platform or PO [Donald TUSK, chairman; Rafal GRUPINSKI, parliamentary caucus leader]<br />Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Leszek MILLER, chairman, parliamentary caucus leader]<br />Democratic Party or PD [Andrzej CELINSKI, chairman]<br />Democratic Party or SD [Pawel PISKORSKI, chairman]<br />German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Ryszard GALLA, representative]<br />Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI, chairman; Mariusz BLASZCZAK, parliamentary caucus leader]<br />League of Polish Families or LPR [Witold BALAZAK, chairman]<br />Palikot's Movement or RP [Janusz PALIKOT, chairman]<br />Poland Comes First or PJN [Pawel KOWAL, chairperson]<br />Polish People's Party or PSL [Janusz PIECHOCINSKI, chairman; Jan BURY, parliamentary caucus leader]<br />Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Wojciech FILEMONOWICZ, chairman]<br />Union of Labor or UP [Waldemar WITKOWSKI, chairman]<br />United Poland or SP (political grouping of former PiS members, not officially registered) [Arkadiusz MULARCZYK, chairperson; Patrick JAKI, parliamentary caucus leader]
Political pressure groups and leaders Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs (unregistered) [Sergey MATSKEVICH]<br />Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions [Aleksandr YAROSHUK]<br />Belarusian Association of Journalists [Zhana LITVINA]<br />Belarusian Helsinki Committee [Aleh HULAK]<br />Belarusian Independence Bloc (unregistered) and For Freedom movement [Aleksandr MILINKEVICH]<br />Belarusian Organization of Working Women [Irina ZHIKHAR]<br />BPF-Youth [Andrus KRECHKA]<br />Charter 97 (unregistered) [Andrey SANNIKOV]<br />Perspektiva small business association [Anatol SHUMCHENKO]<br />Nasha Vyasna (unregistered) ("Our Spring") human rights center [Ales BYALYATSKI]<br />"Tell the Truth" Movement [Vladimir NEKLYAYEV]<br />Women's Independent Democratic Movement [Ludmila PETINA]<br />Young Belarus (Malady Belarus) [Zmitser KASPYAROVICH]<br />Youth Front (Malady Front) [Zmitser DASHKEVICH] All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ]<br />Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Stanislaw DZIWISZ, Archbishop Jozef MICHALIK]<br />Solidarity Trade Union [Piotr DUDA]
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
International organization participation BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CEI, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO (dialogue member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), ZC Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Country name > Conventional long form Republic of Belarus Republic of Poland
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; first election took place on 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the 1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999, however, Aleksandr LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996 referendum; subsequent election held on 9 September 2001; an October 2004 referendum ended presidential term limits and allowed the president to run in a third (19 March 2006) and fourth election (19 December 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 June and 4 July 2010 (next to be held in 2015); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm
National symbol(s) mounted knight known as Pahonia (the Chaser) white eagle
Flag description red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side bears Belarusian national ornamentation in red; the red band color recalls past struggles from oppression, the green band represents hope and the many forests of the country two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; colors derive from the Polish emblem - a white eagle on a red field
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 9
Ranked 130th.
30
Ranked 48th. 3 times more than Belarus

Country name > Conventional short form Belarus Poland
Constitutional form Republic Republic
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International boundary demarcated with Latvia and Lithuania; Poland seeks enhanced demarcation and security along this Schengen hard border with financial assistance from the EU as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Poland has implemented the strict Schengen border rules to restrict illegal immigration and trade along its eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine
National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"My, Bielarusy" (We Belarusians)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Mikhas KLIMKOVICH and Uladzimir KARYZNA/Nester SAKALOUSKI <strong>name: </strong>"Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Jozef WYBICKI/traditional
FAX 375 48
Legislative branch > Elections Palata Predstaviteley - last held on 23 September 2012 (next to be held September 2016); OSCE observers determined that the election was neither free nor impartial and that vote counting was problematic in a number of polling stations; pro-LUKASHENKO candidates won every seat with no opposition representation in the chamber; international observers determined that the previous election, on 28 September 2008, despite minor improvements also fell short of democratic standards, with pro-LUKASHENKO candidates winning every seat Senate - last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held by October 2015); Sejm - last held on 9 October 2011 (next to be held by October 2015)
Legislative branch > Election results Sovet Respubliki - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley [2008] - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 6, AP 1, no affiliation 103; Palata Predstaviteley [2012] - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - KPB 3, AP 1, no affiliation 106 Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PO 63, PiS 31, PSL 2, independents 4; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PO 39.2%, PiS 29.9%, RD 10%, PSL 8.4%, SLD 8.2%, other 4.3%; seats by party - PO 207, PiS 157, RD 40, PSL 28, SLD 27, German minorities 1
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 48.35
Ranked 23th. 4 times more than Poland
13.11
Ranked 18th.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 26.61%
Ranked 43th. 12% more than Poland
23.7%
Ranked 58th.

Independence 25 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union) 11 November 1918 (republic proclaimed); notable earlier dates: 966 (adoption of Christianity, traditional founding date), 1 July 1569 (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth created)
Executive branch > Election results Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 79.7%, Andrey SANNIKOV 2.6%, other candidates 17.7% Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Bronislaw KOMOROWSKI 53%, Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI 47%
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts regional, district, city, town, and military courts Constitutional Tribunal; regional and appellate courts subdivided into military, civil, criminal, labor, and family courts
Basis of executive legitimacy Presidency is independent of legislature Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Transnational Issues > Illicit drugs limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly regulated financial center; anti-money-laundering legislation does not meet international standards and was weakened further when know-your-customer requirements were curtailed in 2008; few investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities despite diligent counternarcotics measures and international information sharing on cross-border crimes, a major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international market; minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and Latin American cocaine to Western Europe
Country name > Local short form Byelarus'/Belarus' Polska
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 93
Ranked 5th. 4 times more than Poland
25
Ranked 145th.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament 29.1%
Ranked 23th. 43% more than Poland
20.4%
Ranked 52nd.

Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy 46 Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 5
Ranked 126th. 25% more than Poland
4
Ranked 152nd.

Democracy > Civil and political liberties 1
Ranked 120th.
5.5
Ranked 16th. 6 times more than Belarus
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ 5.79 billion$
Ranked 54th.
58.86 billion$
Ranked 18th. 10 times more than Belarus

National holiday Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date of independence from the Soviet Union Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)
Capital > Geographic coordinates 53 54 N, 27 34 E 52 15 N, 21 00 E
Democracy > First female parliamentarian 1990 (elected) 1919 (elected)
Time required to start a business > Days 69 days
Ranked 29th. 2 times more than Poland
31 days
Ranked 98th.

Leaders > President Alexander Lukashenko Bronislaw Komorowski
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.966
Ranked 87th.
0.995
Ranked 44th. 3% more than Belarus

Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office Supreme Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Council of the Republic; judges initially appointed for 5 years and evaluated for life appointment; Constitutional Court judges - 6 appointed by the president and 6 elected by the Chamber of Representatives; term of judges is 11 years with an age limit of 70 president of the Supreme Court nominated by the General Assembly of the Supreme Court and selected by the president of Poland; other judges nominated by the 25-member National Judiciary Council, and appointed by the president of Poland; judges appointed until retirement, normally at age 65, but tenure can be extended
Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 4.47
Ranked 82nd.
8.9
Ranked 9th. Twice as much as Belarus
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 4
Ranked 175th.
35
Ranked 96th. 9 times more than Belarus

Politics President Lukashenko is often dubbed &quot;Europe&#039;s last dictator&quot;. He&#039;s been in power since 1994 Prime Minister Donald Tusk&#039;s governing coalition won a second term in October 2011
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Parliament > Seats held by men 80
Ranked 120th.
351
Ranked 23th. 4 times more than Belarus

Country name > Local long form Respublika Byelarus'/Respublika Belarus' Rzeczpospolita Polska
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years 3
Ranked 56th. The same as Poland
3
Ranked 52nd.

Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.634
Ranked 104th. 4 times more than Poland
0.156
Ranked 157th.

Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Oleg KRAVCHENKO Ambassador Ryszard SCHNEPF
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [375] (17) 210-12-83 [48] (22) 504-2000
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None None
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ethan GOLDRICH (since July 2012) Ambassador Stephen MULL
Parliament > Seats held by women 29
Ranked 78th.
109
Ranked 17th. 4 times more than Belarus

Leaders > President > Summary Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko President Komorowski was active in the civil rights movement in the 1970s
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating -7
Ranked 123th.
10
Ranked 1st.
UN membership date 24 Oct. 1945 24 Oct. 1945
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 12
Ranked 120th.
18
Ranked 38th. 50% more than Belarus

Capital city Minsk Warsaw
Capital > Name Minsk Warsaw
Legal origin Socialist <a href=/country/gm>German</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita 591.93$ per capita
Ranked 55th.
1,542.33$ per capita
Ranked 32nd. 3 times more than Belarus

Spending > Expense > Current LCU 44.06 trillion
Ranked 1st. 98 times more than Poland
449.26 billion
Ranked 35th.

Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 161
Ranked 26th. The same as Poland
161
Ranked 25th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 61.1%
Ranked 111th. 32% more than Poland
46.2%
Ranked 139th.
Legislature (parliament) > People per member 55,586
Ranked 55th.
68,037
Ranked 48th. 22% more than Belarus
Capital > Time difference UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Democracy > Presidential elections > Voting age population 7.58 million
Ranked 28th.
28.44 million
Ranked 11th. 4 times more than Belarus
International relations A key oil and gas pipeline from Russia to Europe runs through Belarus; the US and European Union cold-shoulder the Lukashenko government The governing coalition seeks deeper EU integration, eventual euro membership. Poland is one of Europe&#039;s most pro-American countries
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 18.91
Ranked 74th. 4 times more than Poland
4.41
Ranked 132nd.

Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state 5
Ranked 48th. The same as Poland
5
Ranked 34th.
Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members 64
Ranked 35th.
100
Ranked 25th. 56% more than Belarus
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 110
Ranked 79th.
460
Ranked 20th. 4 times more than Belarus
Foreign relations > Recognition of Israel notes Date full diplomatic relations established title=Poland Resumes Full Diplomatic Ties With Israel|url= http://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/28/world/poland-resumes-full-diplomatic-ties-with-israel.html}} &lt;/ref&gt;
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 275
Ranked 178th.
685
Ranked 51st. 2 times more than Belarus

Democracy > Female parliamentarians 18.4%
Ranked 39th.
20.7%
Ranked 29th. 13% more than Belarus
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 2
Ranked 175th.
6
Ranked 69th. 3 times more than Belarus

Leaders > President > Profile <p>Alexander Lukashenko, often referred to as Europe&#039;s last dictator, was inaugurated for a fourth term as president in January 2011.</p> <p>The announcement of the presidential election result in December 2010 was followed by violent confrontations in the capital Minsk between the security forces and thousands of opposition demonstrators protesting about alleged vote-rigging.</p> <p>A former state farm director, Mr Lukashenko was first elected president in 1994, following his energetic performance as chairman of the parliamentary anti-corruption committee.</p> <p>A 1996 referendum gave the president greatly increased powers at the expense of parliament and extended his term by two years. He won a further five years in office in 2001 presidential elections condemned as undemocratic by Western observers. Another referendum in October 2004 supported lifting the two-term limit on Mr Lukashenko&#039;s rule, allowing him to stand again in 2006 and 2010.</p> <p>Over the years, several opposition politicians who might have provided leadership have disappeared or been imprisoned. Insulting the president, even in jest, carries a prison sentence.</p> <p>The president remains defiant in the face of Western pressure for change. He has dismissed all possibility of revolutions such as those which brought an end to old-style regimes in Georgia and neighbouring Ukraine.</p> <p>The government maintained its stranglehold on politics in the 2008 parliamentary elections, winning all seats.</p> <p>The release in late 2008 of several opposition activists prompted a slight loosening of EU and US sanctions, and tentative talk of a thaw in relations with the West. However, this process was thrown into reverse after the 2010 presidential elections and has shown no sign of improvement since.</p> <p>Bronislaw Komorowski, the speaker of parliament, became acting president on the death of President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in April 2010. He defeated Mr Kaczynski&#039;s twin brother and former prime minister, Jaroslaw, in the July second round of the presidential election.</p> <p>A leading figure in the centre-right Civic Platform party, Mr Komorowski has served in several post-Communist governments since 1989, including a term as defence minister in 2000-2001.</p> <p>He became speaker in 2007, and Civic Platform adopted him as its candidate for the presidential elections due in the autumn of 2010. These were brought forward to June-July on the death of President Kaczynski.</p> <p>Born in 1952 and an historian by profession, Mr Komorowski was active in the anti-Communist civil rights movement from the 1970s.</p>
Role of head of state Executive Ceremonial
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita 598.83$
Ranked 54th.
1,542.32$
Ranked 32nd. 3 times more than Belarus

Democracy > Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout 83.9%
Ranked 12th. 37% more than Poland
61.1%
Ranked 60th.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 16
Ranked 7th. 60% more than Poland
10
Ranked 60th.

Democracy > Presidential elections > Voting age population per 1000 774.19
Ranked 12th. 4% more than Poland
744.51
Ranked 16th.
Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong 2
Ranked 160th.
9
Ranked 6th. 5 times more than Belarus

Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU 4.47 trillion
Ranked 2nd. 82 times more than Poland
54.7 billion
Ranked 40th.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU 30.46 trillion
Ranked 1st. 98 times more than Poland
309.36 billion
Ranked 26th.

Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for upper house members 4
Ranked 56th. The same as Poland
4
Ranked 51st.
Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 2.74
Ranked 106th.
6.36
Ranked 23th. 2 times more than Belarus
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP 0.196$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 35th. 1% more than Poland
0.194$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 38th.

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 3.01
Ranked 95th. 6% more than Poland
2.84
Ranked 99th.

Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment July 19, 1993 November 25, 1959
Democracy > Female suffrage 1919 1918
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 128
Ranked 113th.
161
Ranked 77th. 26% more than Belarus

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 3.06
Ranked 114th. 4 times more than Poland
0.856
Ranked 158th.

Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 1.06
Ranked 115th. 27% more than Poland
0.83
Ranked 128th.

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 1.06
Ranked 141st.
1.4
Ranked 134th. 33% more than Belarus

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 1.27
Ranked 108th. 3 times more than Poland
0.493
Ranked 141st.

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 14.26
Ranked 102nd. 3 times more than Poland
4.26
Ranked 152nd.

Capital > Daylight saving time none scheduled for 2013 +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU 693.2 billion
Ranked 4th. 24 times more than Poland
28.86 billion
Ranked 31st.

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 3.97
Ranked 85th.
9.2
Ranked 9th. 2 times more than Belarus
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Vacant Oleg Kravechenko, Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Kupiecki, Robert Robert Kupiecki
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people 0.736
Ranked 19th. 3 times more than Poland
0.281
Ranked 34th.
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons 6,969
Ranked 19th.
10,825
Ranked 14th. 55% more than Belarus
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita 260.42 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 57th.
978.22 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 27th. 4 times more than Belarus

Time required to build a warehouse > Days 354 days
Ranked 14th. 10% more than Poland
322 days
Ranked 19th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 7.61 million
Ranked 55th.
28.47 million
Ranked 24th. 4 times more than Belarus
Democracy > Female candidacy 1,919
Ranked 138th. The same as Poland
1,918
Ranked 144th.
Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000 0.106
Ranked 30th. 3 times more than Poland
0.0302
Ranked 49th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita 0.105 per 1,000 people
Ranked 30th. 4 times more than Poland
0.03 per 1,000 people
Ranked 48th.

Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment September 25, 1992 April 11, 1992
National anthem > Name Bielarusy" (We Belarusians) "Mazurek Dabrowskiego" (Dabrowski's Mazurka)
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 7.25 million
Ranked 49th.
29.36 million
Ranked 21st. 4 times more than Belarus
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Turnout 58.2
Ranked 71st. 22% more than Poland
47.6
Ranked 89th.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote 4.43 million
Ranked 53th.
13.56 million
Ranked 24th. 3 times more than Belarus
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita 1.65 per 1 million people
Ranked 68th. 6 times more than Poland
0.262 per 1 million people
Ranked 137th.

Time required to enforce a contract > Days 225 days
Ranked 155th.
980 days
Ranked 16th. 4 times more than Belarus

Procedures to register property > Number 7
Ranked 51st. 17% more than Poland
6
Ranked 69th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 18
Ranked 66th.
25
Ranked 16th. 39% more than Belarus

Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout per million 8.3
Ranked 39th. 5 times more than Poland
1.64
Ranked 68th.
Democracy > Presidential elections > Total vote 6.17 million
Ranked 22nd.
17.8 million
Ranked 12th. 3 times more than Belarus
Democracy > Presidential elections > Invalid votes 2.2%
Ranked 29th. Twice as much as Poland
1.1%
Ranked 50th.
Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout 81.3
Ranked 12th. 30% more than Poland
62.6
Ranked 51st.
Capital city > Time difference 2 UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue 1.37%
Ranked 75th.
6.96%
Ranked 35th. 5 times more than Belarus

Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense 11.85%
Ranked 51st. 54% more than Poland
7.67%
Ranked 75th.

Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 23.29%
Ranked 17th.
39.9%
Ranked 5th. 71% more than Belarus
Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense 10.14%
Ranked 79th.
12.18%
Ranked 74th. 20% more than Belarus

Informal payments to public officials > % of firms 13.53%
Ranked 6th. 3 times more than Poland
4.95%
Ranked 45th.

Spending > Interest payments > % of expense 1.57%
Ranked 76th.
6.42%
Ranked 35th. 4 times more than Belarus

Spending > Other expense > % of expense 7.32%
Ranked 30th.
7.41%
Ranked 29th. 1% more than Belarus

Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.729
Ranked 75th. 5 times more than Poland
0.157
Ranked 135th.

Spending > Expense > % of GDP 33.95%
Ranked 29th.
35.3%
Ranked 23th. 4% more than Belarus

Democracy and rights > Active Labor party Belarusian Labour Party Polish Labour Party
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU 12463000000000 190411700000
Foreign relations > Recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia On 28 August 2008, Vasily Dolgolyov , the Belarusian Ambassador to Russia, said that Belarus would in the next day or two recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. President Alexander Lukashenko had also expressed support for Russia, saying "Under the circumstances Russia had no other moral choice but to support appeals of South Ossetian and Abkhazian peoples on the recognition of their right for self-determination in line with fundamental international documents." Lukashenko then suggested considering this issue at the CSTO Collective Security Council Summit on 5 September 2008. However, Lukashenko later reaffirmed Belarus' intentions to recognise the breakaway republics, stating that the issue would be addressed after the parliamentary election on 28 September 2008. On 25 September, President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh and President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity officially requested that Lukashenko recognise the independence of their republics. In December 2008, a member of the National Assembly of Belarus claimed that the Assembly will consider Abkhazia and South Ossetia's requests for official recognition in the first half of 2009. In January 2009 it was announced that the Belarusian parliament will debate on recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia on 2 April. However, Belarus decided not to recognise the two regions. Foreign Minister Rados\u0142aw Sikorski called for respect for Georgia's territorial integrity. The President of Poland Lech Kaczy\u0144ski said that the Russian decision violates international law and is an attempt to sanction the consequences of an "unprecedented aggression" by Russia against an independent Georgian state. Kaczy\u0144ski urged Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to "immediately withdraw all Russian troops from Georgia" and pledged his country's "unwavering support" for the Georgian people.
Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine Yes Yes
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000 776.52
Ranked 21st. 4% more than Poland
745.18
Ranked 37th.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 29.06
Ranked 130th. 63% more than Poland
17.77
Ranked 149th.

Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours 1,188 hours
Ranked 4th. 7 times more than Poland
175 hours
Ranked 114th.

Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita 0.72 per 1 million people
Ranked 76th. 5 times more than Poland
0.157 per 1 million people
Ranked 135th.

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita 2.88 per 1 million people
Ranked 95th. 3 times more than Poland
1.08 per 1 million people
Ranked 133th.

Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU 5.22 trillion
Ranked 1st. 152 times more than Poland
34.46 billion
Ranked 39th.

Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [375] (17) 234-7853 [48] (22) 504-2688
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 986-1805 [1] (202) 328-6271
Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 174
Ranked 62nd.
560
Ranked 23th. 3 times more than Belarus
National anthem > Note music adopted 1955, lyrics adopted 2002; after the fall of the Soviet Union, Belarus kept the music of its Soviet-era anthem but adopted new lyrics; also known as "Dziarzauny himn Respubliki Bielarus" (State Anthem of the Republic of Belarus) adopted 1927; the anthem, commonly known as "Jeszcze Polska nie zginela" (Poland Has Not Yet Perished), was written in 1797; the lyrics resonate strongly with Poles because they reflect the numerous occasions in which the nation's lands have been occupied
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 4
Ranked 120th. The same as Poland
4
Ranked 106th.
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of State of Palestine 19 November 1988 14 December 1988
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 29
Ranked 171st.
33
Ranked 145th. 14% more than Belarus

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.211
Ranked 139th. 36% more than Poland
0.156
Ranked 150th.

Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 14.5%
Ranked 1st. 13% more than Poland
12.8%
Ranked 12th.

Trademarks > Residents 2,410
Ranked 29th.
13,776
Ranked 12th. 6 times more than Belarus

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ 2.55 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 56th.
37.33 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 17th. 15 times more than Belarus

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita 1.85 per 1 million people
Ranked 90th. 3 times more than Poland
0.656 per 1 million people
Ranked 129th.

Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 3.6%
Ranked 20th.
3.83%
Ranked 17th. 6% more than Belarus
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 986-1604 [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU 1825600000000 173819500000
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita 263.46 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 56th.
978.22 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 27th. 4 times more than Belarus

Time to resolve insolvency > Years 5.8 years
Ranked 9th. 93% more than Poland
3 years
Ranked 65th.

Trademarks > Residents > Per capita 0.245 per 1,000 people
Ranked 36th.
0.361 per 1,000 people
Ranked 34th. 47% more than Belarus

Spending > Other expense > Current LCU 3.22 trillion
Ranked 1st. 97 times more than Poland
33.28 billion
Ranked 28th.

Trademarks > Residents per million 247.69
Ranked 36th.
360.8
Ranked 34th. 46% more than Belarus

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth 0.43%
Ranked 99th.
4.8%
Ranked 39th. 11 times more than Belarus

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 1.87
Ranked 90th. 3 times more than Poland
0.655
Ranked 127th.

Time required to register property > Days 231 days
Ranked 15th. 17% more than Poland
197 days
Ranked 19th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents 1,027
Ranked 31st.
1,153
Ranked 24th. 12% more than Belarus

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 2.92
Ranked 93th. 3 times more than Poland
1.07
Ranked 133th.

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 26.6%
Ranked 48th. 12% more than Poland
23.7%
Ranked 64th.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense 69.12%
Ranked 12th. About the same as Poland
68.86%
Ranked 13th.

Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 8.31
Ranked 126th.
9.14
Ranked 121st. 10% more than Belarus

Democracy > Presidential elections > Voter registration 7.36 million
Ranked 24th.
29.12 million
Ranked 11th. 4 times more than Belarus
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general New York Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Date of transition to republican system of government > Republic since March 15, 1917 November 2, 1918
FAX > Consulate(s) general New York Krakow
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 1.67
Ranked 68th. 6 times more than Poland
0.262
Ranked 137th.

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 28
Ranked 110th.
41
Ranked 45th. 46% more than Belarus

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).; Wikipedia: List of countries by system of government (Alphabetical list of countries); All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; 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; World Development Indicators database; 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. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva.; British Broadcasting Corporation 2014; Source: Millennium Development Goals Database | United Nations Statistics Division; Bertelsmann Transformation Index online, 2006; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables; Wikipedia: International recognition of Israel (UN member states); Polity IV Project, University of Maryland, at Polity IV Project; United Nations World Statistics Pocketbook and Statistical Yearbook; CIA World Factbook, 28 July 2005; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files.; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003; Wikipedia: List of legislatures by number of members; Wikipedia: Term of office (Terms of office by country); calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; World Development Indicators database. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Nepal; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on year women received the right to vote and to stand for election and year first woman was elected or appointed to parliament. March. Geneva; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/fileadmin/pdf/BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Wikipedia: List of ambassadors to the United States; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia; World Bank, Enterprise Surveys (http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/).; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; Wikipedia: List of Labour Parties (Active Labor parties); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_recognition_of_Abkhazia_and_South_Ossetia#States_that_do_not_recognise_Abkhazia_or_South_Ossetia_as_independent; Wikipedia: International recognition of the State of Palestine (Diplomatic recognition) (Either with the Palestinian National Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, or the State of Palestine. The institution is specified where known.); Wikipedia: International recognition of the State of Palestine (Diplomatic recognition); World Bank, Enterprise Surveys; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (www.ipu.org); United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: List of countries by date of transition to republican system of government

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