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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.

  • 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.
  • National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
  • Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > IDPs 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.
    Additional details:
    • Algeria: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2012)
    • Bangladesh: undetermined (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2012)
    • Burma: more than 454,200 (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand) (2012)
    • Guatemala: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
    • Guatemala: undetermined (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2011)
    • India: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2007)
    • India: at least 540,000 (about 250,000 are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2012)
    • Kenya: at least 300,000 (2007-08 post-election ...
      Full definition. Figures expressed per thousand people for the same year.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > IDPs: 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.
    Additional details:
    • Algeria: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2012)
    • Bangladesh: undetermined (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2012)
    • Burma: more than 454,200 (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand) (2012)
    • Guatemala: undetermined (the UN does not estimate there are any IDPs, although some NGOs estimate over 200,000 IDPs as a result of over three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996) (2007)
    • Guatemala: undetermined (more than three decades of internal conflict that ended in 1996 displaced mainly the indigenous Maya population and rural peasants; ongoing drug cartel and gang violence) (2011)
    • India: at least 600,000 (about half are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2007)
    • India: at least 540,000 (about 250,000 are Kashmiri Pandits from Jammu and Kashmir) (2012)
    • Kenya: at least 300,000 (2007-08 post-election ...
      Full definition
  • 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 > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses.
  • Leaders > President > Summary: Government > Leaders > President > Summary
  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel: Date on which Israel was officially recognized as a state. Note that some countries had a “de facto” recognition in place long before the legal recognition.
  • 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.
  • 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 and rights > Year women first voted at national level: Year women first voted at national level.
  • 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.
  • 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) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
  • Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract (days). Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • 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."
  • 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.
  • Political parties and leaders > Note: This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • 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 > 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • 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.
  • Key ministers > Defence: Minister of Defence, 2005
  • Parliament > Seats held by men per million people: Number of seats held by men in country's naitonal parliament or legislative houses. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
  • Democracy and rights > Last election: Last election.

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

  • 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 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.
  • Key ministers > Transport: Minister of Transport, 2005
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Key ministers > Finance: Minister of Finance, 2005
  • Key ministers > Foreign affairs: Minister of Foreign affairs, 2005
  • 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.
  • Procedures to enforce a contract > Number: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer.
  • Democracy and rights > Next election: Next election.

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

  • 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > %: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (%). Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber held by women.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members: Members of the lower (or sole) house.

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

  • Trademarks > Residents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
  • Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Republic establishment date: The date on which each country (or its precursor) changed its form of government to a republic. In a republic, the power resides in the country’s people, the government and legislature is elected and the country is ruled according to its laws.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Capital city > Time difference: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • 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.
  • Trademarks > Residents per million: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Procedures to register property > Number per million: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Key ministers > Agriculture: Minister of Agriculture, 2005
  • Key ministers > Education: Minister of Education, 2005
  • Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China: The date on which each country established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
  • 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.
STAT Colombia Iraq HISTORY
Administrative divisions 32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca, Atlantico, Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas, Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca, Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, Archipielago de San Andres, Providencia y Santa Catalina (colloquially San Andres y Providencia), Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes, Vichada 18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah (Arabic); parezgakan, singular - parezga (Kurdish)) and 1 region*; Al Anbar; Al Basrah; Al Muthanna; Al Qadisiyah (Ad Diwaniyah); An Najaf; Arbil (Erbil) (Arabic), Hewler (Kurdish); As Sulaymaniyah (Arabic), Slemani (Kurdish); Babil; Baghdad; Dahuk (Arabic), Dihok (Kurdish); Dhi Qar; Diyala; Karbala'; Kirkuk; Kurdistan Regional Government*; Maysan; Ninawa; Salah ad Din; Wasit
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 4 36 N, 74 05 W 33
Capital city > Name Bogota Baghdad
Constitution several previous; latest promulgated 5 July 1991; amended many times, last in 2011 several previous; latest adopted by referendum 15 October 2005
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address Carrera 45 No. 24B-27, Bogota, D.C. APO AE 09316
Executive branch > Cabinet Cabinet appointed by the president The Council of Ministers consists of the prime minister and cabinet ministers the prime minister proposes; approved by an absolute majority vote by the Council of Representatives
Executive branch > Chief of state President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010) President Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005)
Executive branch > Head of government President Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon (since 7 August 2010); Vice President Angelino GARZON (since 7 August 2010) Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI (since 20 May 2006)
Government type republic; executive branch dominates government structure parliamentary democracy
Judicial branch four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms) the Iraq Constitution calls for the federal judicial power to be comprised of the Higher Judicial Council, Federal Supreme Court, Federal Court of Cassation, Public Prosecution Department, Judiciary Oversight Commission and other federal courts that are regulated in accordance with the law
Legal system civil law system influenced by the Spanish and French civil codes mixed legal system of civil and Islamic law
Legislative branch bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado unicameral Council of Representatives (325 seats consisting of 317 members elected by an optional open-list, proportional representation system and 8 seats reserved for minorities; members serve four-year terms); note - Iraq's Constitution calls for the establishment of an upper house, the Federation Council
Political parties and leaders Alternative Democratic Pole or PDA [Clara LOPEZ]<br />Conservative Party or PC [Efrain CEPEDA Sarabia]<br />Green Party [Jorge LONDONO Ulloa; Enrique PENALOSA]<br />Liberal Party or PL [Simon GAVIRIA Munoz]<br />National Integration Party or PIN [Angel ALIRIO Moreno]<br />Radical Change or CR [Antonio GUERRA de la Espriella]<br />Social National Unity Party or U Party [Juan Francisco LOZANO Ramirez] Badr Organization [Hadi al-AMIRI]<br />Da'wa Party (Islamic) [Prime Minister Nuri al-MALIKI]<br />Da'wa Tanzim [Hashim al-MUSAWI branch]<br />Da-wa Tanzim [Abd al-Karim al-ANZI branch]<br />Fadilah Party [Hasan al-SHAMMARI and Ammar TUAMA]<br />Goran (Change) List (also known as the Movement for Change) [Nushirwan MUSTAFA]<br />Iraqi Covenant Gathering [Ahmad Abd al-Ghafur al-SAMARRAI]<br />Iraqi Constitutional Party [Jawad al-BULANI]<br />Iraqi Front for National Dialogue [Deputy Prime Minister Salih al-MUTLAQ]<br />Iraqi Islamic Party or IIP [Usama al-TIKRITI]<br />Iraqi Justice and Reform Movement [Shaykh Abdallah al-YAWR]<br />Iraqi National Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]<br />Iraqi National Alliance [Ibrahim al-JAFARI]<br />Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad CHALABI]<br />Iraqi National Movement (see Iraqi National Accord)<br />Iraqi Unity Alliance [Nauaf Saud ZAID]<br />Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq or ISCI [Ammar al-HAKIM]<br />Kurdistan Alliance<br />Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Kurdistan Regional Government President Masud BARZANI]<br />Kurdistan Islamic Group (also called Islamic Group of Kurdistan) [Ali BAPIR]<br />Kurdistan Islamic Union [ Mohammed FARAI]<br />Future National Gathering [Finance Minister Rafi al-ISSAWI]<br />National Iraqiyun Gathering [Usama al-NUJAYFI]<br />National Movement for Reform and Development [Jamal al-KARBULI]<br />National Reform Trend (part of the National Iraqi Alliance) [former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI]<br />Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [President Jalal TALABANI]<br />Renewal List [Vice President Tariq al-HASHIMI]<br />Sadrist Trend [Muqtada al-SADR]<br />Sahawa al-Iraq [Ahmad al-RISHAWI]<br />State of Law Coalition [Nouri al-MALIKI]<br />Tawafuq Front (also known as the Iraqi Accord Front)<br />
Political pressure groups and leaders Central Union of Workers or CUT<br />Colombian Confederation of Workers or CTC<br />General Confederation of Workers or CGT<br />National Liberation Army or ELN<br />Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC Sunni militias<br />Shia militias, some associated with political parties
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
International organization participation BCIE, BIS, CAN, Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, CICA, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Country name > Conventional long form Republic of Colombia Republic of Iraq
Executive branch > Elections president and vice president elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 May 2010 with a runoff election 20 June 2010 (next to be held in May 2014) president elected by Council of Representatives (parliament) to serve a four-year term (eligible for a second term); presidential election in parliament last held on 11 November 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
National symbol(s) Andean condor golden eagle
Flag description three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and red; the flag retains the three main colors of the banner of Gran Colombia, the short-lived South American republic that broke up in 1830; various interpretations of the colors exist and include: yellow for the gold in Colombia's land, blue for the seas on its shores, and red for the blood spilled in attaining freedom; alternatively, the colors have been described as representing more elemental concepts such as sovereignty and justice (yellow), loyalty and vigilance (blue), and valor and generosity (red); or simply the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the Takbir (Arabic expression meaning "God is great") in green Arabic script is centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white); the Council of Representatives approved this flag in 2008 as a compromise temporary replacement for the Ba'athist Saddam-era flag
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 15
Ranked 100th.
29
Ranked 50th. 93% more than Colombia

Country name > Conventional short form Colombia Iraq
Constitutional form Republic Republic
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International in December 2007, ICJ allocated San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands to Colombia under 1928 Treaty but did not rule on 82 degrees W meridian as maritime boundary with Nicaragua; managed dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes Islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics, guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all neighboring borders and have caused Colombian citizens to flee mostly into neighboring countries; Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Jamaica, and the US assert various claims to Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla Bank approximately two million Iraqis have fled the conflict in Iraq, with the majority taking refuge in Syria and Jordan, and lesser numbers to Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, and Turkey; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Turkey has expressed concern over the autonomous status of Kurds in Iraq
National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Rafael NUNEZ/Oreste SINDICI <strong>name: </strong>"Mawtini" (My Homeland)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Ibrahim TOUQAN/Mohammad FLAYFEL
FAX 57 NA
Legislative branch > Elections Senate - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014); Chamber of Representatives - last held on 14 March 2010 (next to be held in March 2014) last held on 7 March 2010 for an enlarged 325-seat parliament (next to be held in 2014)
Legislative branch > Election results Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 28, PC 22, PL 17, PIN 9, CR 8, PDA 8, Green Party 5, other parties 5; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - U Party 47, PC 38, PL 37, CR 15, PIN 12, PDA 4, Green Party 3, other parties 10 Council of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition - Iraqi National Movement 25.9%, State of Law coalition 25.8%, Iraqi National Alliance 19.4%, Kurdistan Alliance 15.3%, Goran (Change) List 4.4%, Tawafuq Front 2.7%, Iraqi Unity Alliance 2.9%, Kurdistan Islamic Union 2.3%, Kurdistan Islamic Group 1.4%; seats by coalition - NA
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 37.48
Ranked 50th.
44.67
Ranked 30th. 19% more than Colombia
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 12.12%
Ranked 131st.
25.23%
Ranked 47th. 2 times more than Colombia

Independence 20 July 1810 (from Spain) 3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Executive branch > Election results Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - Juan Manuel SANTOS Calderon 69.06%, Antanas MOCKUS 27.52% President Jalal TALABANI reelected on 11 November 2010; Council of Representatives vote count on second ballot - 195 votes; Nuri al-MALIKI reelected prime minister
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts Superior Tribunals (appellate courts for each of the judicial districts); regional courts; civil municipal courts; Superior Military Tribunal; first instance administrative courts Courts of Appeal (governorate level); courts of first instance; personal status, labor, criminal, juvenile, and religious courts
Basis of executive legitimacy Presidency is independent of legislature Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Country name > Local short form Colombia Al Iraq/Eraq
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 55
Ranked 77th.
69
Ranked 40th. 25% more than Colombia
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament 12.1%
Ranked 97th.
25.5%
Ranked 30th. 2 times more than Colombia

Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Calle 24 Bis No. 48-50, Bogota, D.C. Al-Kindi Street, International Zone, Baghdad
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 9
Ranked 49th.
10
Ranked 30th. 11% more than Colombia

Democracy > Civil and political liberties 3
Ranked 81st.
0.0
Ranked 134th.
National holiday Independence Day, 20 July Republic Day, July 14 (1958); note - the Government of Iraq has yet to declare an official national holiday but still observes Republic Day
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > IDPs per thousand people 8.28e-05
Ranked 12th.
34.53
Ranked 4th. 416801 times more than Colombia

Capital > Geographic coordinates 4 36 N, 74 05 W 33 20 N, 44 24 E
Time required to start a business > Days 44 days
Ranked 63th.
77 days
Ranked 20th. 75% more than Colombia

Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > IDPs 3.9
Ranked 13th.
1.1 million
Ranked 2nd. 282051 times more than Colombia

Leaders > President Juan Manuel Santos Jalal Talabani
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.982
Ranked 67th. 19% more than Iraq
0.825
Ranked 137th.

Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office Supreme Court judges appointed by the Congress from candidates submitted by the president; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Court magistrates - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Supreme Court, and 3 elected by the Senate; judges elected for individual 2-8 year terms Federal Supreme Court and Court of Cassation judges appointed by the Higher Juridical Council, a 26-member independent committee of judicial officials; FSC members appointed for life ; Court of Cassation judges appointed for 1-year probationary period and upon satisfactory performance may be confirmed for permanent tenure until retirement at age 63
Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 6.1
Ranked 48th. 2 times more than Iraq
2.79
Ranked 113th.
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 13
Ranked 156th.
51
Ranked 61st. 4 times more than Colombia

Politics President Santos maintains his predecessor&#039;s tough line against the Farc Iraq became a battleground for forces vying for power after the US-led invasion of 2003, and an uneasy Shia-led government took over when US forces left in 2011
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Parliament > Seats held by men 145
Ranked 66th.
243
Ranked 38th. 68% more than Colombia

Country name > Local long form Republica de Colombia Jumhuriyat al-Iraq/Komar-i Eraq
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.189
Ranked 150th.
0.307
Ranked 133th. 63% more than Colombia

Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None None
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [57] (1) 275-2000 760
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Benjamin ZIFF Ambassador Robert Stephen BEECROFT (since 9 October 2012)
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Luis Carlos VILLEGAS Echeverri (since 3 December 2013) Ambassador Luqman Abd al-Rahim FAYLI (since 31 May 2013)
Parliament > Seats held by women 20
Ranked 110th.
82
Ranked 24th. 4 times more than Colombia

Leaders > President > Summary Mr Santos maintains his predecessor&#039;s tough stance against Farc President Talabani is a veteran of Kurdish and Iraqi national politics
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating 8
Ranked 44th.
-9
Ranked 136th.
UN membership date 5 Nov. 1945 21 Dec. 1945
Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 8
Ranked 178th.
10
Ranked 157th. 25% more than Colombia

Capital city Bogota Baghdad
Capital > Name Bogota Baghdad
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 105
Ranked 83th. 2 times more than Iraq
47
Ranked 158th.

Democracy and rights > Year women first voted at national level 1954 1980
Legislature (parliament) > People per member 169,377
Ranked 16th. 49% more than Iraq
113,578
Ranked 25th.
Capital > Time difference UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 3.46
Ranked 142nd. 2 times more than Iraq
1.44
Ranked 169th.

Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state 4
Ranked 136th. The same as Iraq
4
Ranked 122nd.
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 166
Ranked 57th.
275
Ranked 40th. 66% more than Colombia
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 1,288
Ranked 12th. 2 times more than Iraq
520
Ranked 105th.

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 7
Ranked 59th. 40% more than Iraq
5
Ranked 107th.

Leaders > President > Profile <p>Juan Manuel Santos, who won an easy victory in the second round of presidential elections in June 2010, is no stranger to high office.</p> <p>He comes from a powerful Colombian family. His great-uncle, Eduardo Santos, was president from 1938 to 1942 and owned the country&#039;s largest newspaper, El Tiempo. </p> <p>Mr Santos himself held a number of ministerial posts, most prominently defence minister in 2006-2009 under President Alvaro Uribe. He played a key role in implementing the president&#039;s tough policies against Colombia&#039;s main left-wing rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc). </p> <p>He oversaw Operation Checkmate, the successful rescue by the military of 15 high-profile hostages, and was also in charge when the military mounted a controversial air raid into Ecuador that resulted in the death of senior Farc figure Raul Reyes. </p> <p>The improved security achieved during his term as defence minister earned him considerable credit and helped to pave his way to the presidency. </p> <p>During his campaign for the presidency, Mr Santos insisted that he would continue the policies of President Uribe, with a strong emphasis on combating the drugs trade and Farc. </p> <p>Shortly before taking office in August 2010, he rejected a Farc offer of peace talks, saying that the rebels would have to release all their hostages before any talks could take place. When Farc showed signs of doing so in early 2012, the government and Congress put a law in place that allowed talks to begin.</p> <p>President Santos has also promised to develop the country&#039;s infrastructure and to create more jobs, vowing to make Colombians less dependent on the informal economy. </p> <p>Jalal Talabani - a veteran leader of Iraq&#039;s minority Kurds - became Iraq&#039;s first elected president in more than 50 years in 2005. </p> <p>He was selected for a second term in 2006, and in November 2010 he was picked for another term by members of parliament under a power-sharing deal which followed months of negotiations after inconclusive parliamentary elections in March. </p> <p>His health went into sharp decline in the following two years, and he suffered a stroke in December 2012. He has been undergoing treatment in Germany since then, and is making progress.</p> <p>He became a key player in Iraqi national politics following the toppling of Saddam Hussein in the 2003 US-led invasion, with the Kurds forming a powerful voting bloc in the national parliament. </p> <p>Talabani, who is seen as being close to both the United States and Iran, won praise at the height of Iraq&#039;s sectarian war for building bridges between the country&#039;s divided factions. </p> <p>Born in 1933, Mr Talabani rose to a senior position in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), but split from it in 1974 and helped to form the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK the following year. The KDP and PUK have alternatively been bitter rivals and allies, currently administering the semi-autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. </p>
Role of head of state Executive Ceremonial
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 13
Ranked 29th. 18% more than Iraq
11
Ranked 46th.

Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong 5
Ranked 96th. 67% more than Iraq
3
Ranked 124th.

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 0.437
Ranked 167th.
2.57
Ranked 107th. 6 times more than Colombia

Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment May 7, 1987 October 30, 1968
Political parties and leaders > Note Colombia has 15 formally recognized political parties, and numerous unofficial parties that did not meet the vote threshold in the March 2006 legislative elections required for recognition the Kurdistan Alliance, Iraqi National List, Tawafuq Coalition, Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, and Unified Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political parties
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 54
Ranked 180th.
139
Ranked 103th. 3 times more than Colombia

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.713
Ranked 161st.
1.57
Ranked 137th. 2 times more than Colombia

Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 0.314
Ranked 161st.
0.89
Ranked 123th. 3 times more than Colombia

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 0.273
Ranked 167th.
1.57
Ranked 128th. 6 times more than Colombia

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 1.13
Ranked 176th.
4.27
Ranked 151st. 4 times more than Colombia

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.168
Ranked 168th.
0.307
Ranked 156th. 83% more than Colombia

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 5.85
Ranked 65th. 2 times more than Iraq
2.68
Ranked 112th.
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Silva Luján, Gabriel Gabriel Silva Luján Faily, Lukman Lukman Faily
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people 0.000252
Ranked 61st.
3.68
Ranked 8th. 14643 times more than Colombia
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons 12
Ranked 60th.
120,000
Ranked 6th. 10000 times more than Colombia
Time required to build a warehouse > Days 150 days
Ranked 111th.
216 days
Ranked 61st. 44% more than Colombia

Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita 0.168 per 1,000 people
Ranked 33th. 5 times more than Iraq
0.031 per 1,000 people
Ranked 45th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000 0.175
Ranked 35th. 5 times more than Iraq
0.0322
Ranked 46th.

Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment April 25, 1995 January 5, 2005
National anthem > Name "Himno Nacional de la Republica de Colombia" (National Anthem of the Republic of Colombia) "Mawtini" (My Homeland)
Time required to enforce a contract > Days 1,346 days
Ranked 6th. 3 times more than Iraq
520 days
Ranked 72nd.

Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita 0.285 per 1 million people
Ranked 135th.
0.411 per 1 million people
Ranked 124th. 44% more than Colombia

Procedures to register property > Number 7
Ranked 61st. 40% more than Iraq
5
Ranked 105th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 12
Ranked 144th.
14
Ranked 116th. 17% more than Colombia

Key ministers > Defence Jorge Alberto Uribe Saadoun al-Dulaimi
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 3.17
Ranked 174th.
7.63
Ranked 133th. 2 times more than Colombia

Democracy and rights > Last election May 2010 March 2010
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 28.22
Ranked 132nd. 77% more than Iraq
15.96
Ranked 153th.

Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours 456 hours
Ranked 31st. 46% more than Iraq
312 hours
Ranked 57th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita 0.263 per 1 million people
Ranked 149th.
0.523 per 1 million people
Ranked 135th. 99% more than Colombia

Key ministers > Transport Andres Uriel Gallego Salam al-Maliki
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 387-8338 [1] (202) 742-1600
Key ministers > Finance Alberto Carrasquilla Ali Allawi
Key ministers > Foreign affairs Carolina Barco Hoshyar Zebari
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.274
Ranked 147th.
0.499
Ranked 135th. 82% more than Colombia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 37
Ranked 67th.
65
Ranked 4th. 76% more than Colombia

Democracy and rights > Next election May 2014 March 2014
Time required to register property > Days 23 days
Ranked 129th. 3 times more than Iraq
8 days
Ranked 154th.

Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 268
Ranked 44th.
275
Ranked 43th. 3% more than Colombia
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 12.1%
Ranked 137th.
25.2%
Ranked 53th. 2 times more than Colombia

Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 4
Ranked 150th. The same as Iraq
4
Ranked 113th.
Trademarks > Residents 7,265
Ranked 21st. 15 times more than Iraq
474
Ranked 38th.

Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita 0.154 per 1 million people
Ranked 136th.
0.187 per 1 million people
Ranked 129th. 21% more than Colombia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita 0.812 per 1 million people
Ranked 139th.
2.43 per 1 million people
Ranked 103th. 3 times more than Colombia

Republic establishment date December 17, 1819 July 14, 1958
Trademarks > Nonresidents 7,096
Ranked 11th. 14 times more than Iraq
514
Ranked 42nd.

National anthem > Note adopted 1920; the anthem was created from an inspirational poem written by President Rafael NUNEZ adopted 2004; following the ousting of Saddam HUSSEIN, Iraq adopted "Mawtini," a popular folk song throughout the Arab world, which also serves as an unofficial anthem of the Palestinian people
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 34
Ranked 139th.
51
Ranked 4th. 50% more than Colombia

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.147
Ranked 152nd.
0.153
Ranked 151st. 5% more than Colombia

Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 12.9%
Ranked 13th. 98% more than Iraq
6.5%
Ranked 2nd.
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.844
Ranked 138th.
2.32
Ranked 106th. 3 times more than Colombia

Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 232-8643 [1] (202) 333-1129
Capital city > Time difference UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) 3
Trademarks > Residents > Per capita 0.172 per 1,000 people
Ranked 49th. 6 times more than Iraq
0.028 per 1,000 people
Ranked 43th.

Trademarks > Residents per million 179.12
Ranked 51st. 6 times more than Iraq
29.73
Ranked 44th.

Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.16
Ranked 133th.
0.178
Ranked 131st. 12% more than Colombia

Key ministers > Agriculture Andres Felipe Arias Ali al-Bahadili
Key ministers > Education Cecilia Maria Velez Abdel Falah Hassan
Foreign relations > Date of establishment of relations with China February 7, 1980 August 25, 1958
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.297
Ranked 135th.
0.392
Ranked 124th. 32% more than Colombia

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; 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.; 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; Wikipedia: Women's suffrage (Summary); Wikipedia: List of legislatures by number of members; Wikipedia: Term of office (Terms of office by country); 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; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/fileadmin/pdf/BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Wikipedia: List of ambassadors to the United States; 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.; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia; Economist Intelligence Unit; 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 next general elections (Africa); Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (www.ipu.org); Wikipedia: List of countries by date of transition to republican system of government (List); World Bank, Enterprise Surveys; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dates_of_establishment_of_diplomatic_relations_with_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China

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