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Government Stats: compare key data on Russia & Slovakia

Definitions

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

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

  • Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  • Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Country name > Conventional short form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Constitutional form: Constitutional form of government.
  • Transnational Issues > Disputes > International: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
  • Total businesses registered > Number: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward.
  • National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  • Legislative branch > Election results: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Legislative branch > Elections: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Democracy and rights > Press freedom index: Compares countries by their degree of government censorship, according to the Press freedom index. This index, created by the non-governmental organization Reporters without borders (RWS), is ellaborated using data from an extensive annual survey sent to professional reporters throughout the world. The survey contains questions about the type and ownership of media present in the country, freedom of speech, violence exerted against reporters, election campaigns, access of political parties to the media, etc.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage: Percentage of seats held by women in country's national parliament or legislative houses.
  • Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. "
  • Executive branch > Election results: Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election (if any)
  • Judicial branch > Subordinate courts: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Basis of executive legitimacy: Basis of executive legitimacy.

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

  • 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 and rights > Nationalist vote: Percentage of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
  • Democracy > Civil and political liberties: Civil and political liberties
    Units: Index Ranging from 7 (High Levels of Liberties) to 1 (Low
    Units: This is the average of two indicators - civil liberties and political liberties.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
  • Capital > Geographic coordinates: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Democracy > First female parliamentarian: Year first woman elected or appointed to parliament.
  • Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Leaders > President: Government > Leaders > President
  • Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient.
  • 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 from the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • 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)
  • Executive branch > Note: This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of 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. 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. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. 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 for each candidate in the last election.
  • UN membership date: Date of United Nations Membership
  • Total businesses registered > Number per 1000: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
  • Capital city: The location of the seat of government.
  • Capital > Name: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Legal origin: Legal origin identifies the origin of the Company Law or Commercial Code in each country
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Per capita figures expressed per 1 population.
  • Spending > Expense > Current LCU: Expense is cash payments for operating activities of the government in providing goods and services. It includes compensation of employees (such as wages and salaries), interest and subsidies, grants, social benefits, and other expenses such as rent and dividends."
  • Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days: Time required to get electricity (days). Time required to get electricity is the number of days to obtain a permanent electricity connection. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout: The proportion of registered voters who actually voted.
  • Legislature (parliament) > People per member: Number of people each member of the legislature represents on average. The number of members of the legislature is the sum of the members of all chambers of parliament, if applicable.
  • Capital > Time difference: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • 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) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
  • Democracy > Female ministers: Women in government at ministerial level in 2000 (as % of total). Data were provided by states based on their definition of national executive and may therefore include women serving as ministers and vice ministers and those holding other ministerial positions, including parliamentary secretaries.
  • 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.
  • Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote): This list shows the percentage of votes obtained by nationalist parties across Europe at the latest  elections held in their respective countries. Note that the percentages show the votes from all the parties combined, and only for general elections (some parties may obtain a quite higher percentage in regional elections). Nationalist parties usually hold right-wing populist views, and among their common demands are a higher control of immigration, extended social/labor rights for country nationals, and a restriction of islamic customs -such as the veil or the construction of mosques-, though their ideologies and goals vary from country to country. Some parties have as their main goal the seggregation of a region from its parent country (with examples in Scotland, Catalonia and Northern Ireland). Most of nationalist parties with elected members in the European Parliament belong to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
  • 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.
  • Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong: Strength of legal rights index measures the degree to which collateral and bankruptcy laws protect the rights of borrowers and lenders and thus facilitate lending. The index ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating that these laws are better designed to expand access to credit."
  • Spending > 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."
  • 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 > Time required to start a business > Days per million: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > 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.
  • Capital > Daylight saving time: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador: Name of ambassador to the USA.
  • Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties: Absolute number of votes at the most recent national election that went to parties with a nationalist ideology.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 > 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
  • 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
  • Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage.
  • Democracy > Presidential elections > Invalid votes: The number of invalid votes, as reported by each country.
  • 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 > 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.
  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes: The number of invalid votes, as reported by each country.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Spending > Other expense > Current LCU: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • 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 > 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.
  • 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 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.
  • 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."
  • Democracy and rights > Next election: Next election.

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

  • 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."
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Key ministers > Agriculture: Minister of Agriculture, 2005
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine: Indicates whether or not each country has diplomatic relations with Palestine.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Key ministers > Justice: Minister of Justice, 2005
  • 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."
  • 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 > 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."
  • 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.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current local currency.
  • 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 > 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.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • 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 > Goods and services expense > % of expense: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Trademarks > Residents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > 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."
  • Ruling party: In power now.

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

  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
STAT Russia Slovakia HISTORY
Administrative divisions 46 provinces (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')<br /><strong>oblasts:</strong> Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'<br /><strong>republics:</strong> Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas), Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista), Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk), Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola), Mordoviya (Saransk), North Ossetia (Vladikavkaz), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)<br /><strong>autonomous okrugs:</strong> Chukotka (Anadyr'), Khanty-Mansi (Khanty-Mansiysk), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)<br /><strong>krays:</strong> Altay (Barnaul), Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, Perm', Primorskiy [Maritime] (Vladivostok), Stavropol', Zabaykal'sk (Chita)<br /><strong>federal cities:</strong> Moscow [Moskva], Saint Petersburg [Sankt-Peterburg]<br /><strong>autonomous oblast:</strong> Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan) 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 55 45 N, 37 35 E 48 09 N, 17 07 E
Capital city > Name Moscow Bratislava
Constitution several previous (during Russian Empire and Soviet eras); latest drafted 12 July 1993, adopted by referendum 12 December 1993, effective 25 December 1993; amended 2008 ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed September 1998; amended February 2001
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address PSC-77, APO AE 09721 P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
Executive branch > Cabinet the "Government" is composed of the premier, his deputies, and ministers; all are appointed by the president, and the premier is also confirmed by the Duma Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister
Executive branch > Chief of state President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2012) President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
Executive branch > Head of government Premier Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV (since 8 May 2012); First Deputy Premier Igor Ivanovich SHUVALOV (since 12 May 2008); Deputy Premiers Arkadiy Vladimirovich DVORKOVICH (since 21 May 2012), Olga Yuryevna GOLODETS (since 21 May 2012), Aleksandr Gennadiyevich KHLOPONIN (since 19 January 2010), Dmitriy Nikolayevich KOZAK (since 14 October 2008), Dmitriy Olegovich ROGOZIN (since 23 December 2011), Sergey Eduardovich PRIKHODKO (since 22 May 2013), Yuriy Petrovich TRUTNEV (since 31 August 2013) Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 4 April 2012); Deputy Prime Ministers Robert KALINAK, Peter KAZIMIR, Miroslav LAJCAK (since 4 April 2012), Lubomir VAZNY (since 26 November 2012)
Government type federation parliamentary democracy
Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Supreme Arbitration Court; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council)
Legal system civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of an upper house, the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (168 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 84 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; to serve four-year terms) and a lower house, the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; as of 2007, all members elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 7% of the vote; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky
Political parties and leaders A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV]<br />Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy ZYUGANOV]<br />Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY]<br />Right Cause [Andrey DUNAYEV]<br />Rodina [Aleksey ZHURAVLEV]<br />United Russia [Dmitriy MEDVEDEV]<br />Yabloko Party [Sergey MITROKHIN] <strong>parties in the Parliament: </strong><br />Bridge or Most-Hid [Bela BUGAR]<br />Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Jan FIGEL]<br />Direction-Social Democracy or Smer-SD [Robert FICO]<br />Freedom and Solidarity or SaS [Richard SULIK]<br />Ordinary People and Independent Personalities or OLaNO [Igor MATOVIC]<br />Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party or SDKU-DS [Pavol FRESO]<br /><strong>selected parties outside the Parliament:</strong><br />Civic Conservative Party or OKS [Ondrej DOSTAL]<br />Nation and Justice - Our Party or NAS [Anna BELOUSOVOVA]<br />Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Jozef DURICA]<br />Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Jozsef BERENYI]<br />People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or LS-HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]<br />People's Party - Our Slovakia or LSNS [Marian KOTLEBA]<br />Slovak National Party or SNS [Andrej DANKO]
Political pressure groups and leaders Association of Citizens with Initiative of Russia (TIGR)<br />Confederation of Labor of Russia (KTR)<br />Federation of Independent Labor Unions of Russia<br />Freedom of Choice Interregional Organization of Automobilists<br />Glasnost Defense Foundation<br />Golos Association in Defense of Voters' Rights<br />Greenpeace Russia<br />Human Rights Watch (Russian chapter)<br />Institute for Collective Action<br />Memorial (human rights group)<br />Movement Against Illegal Migration<br />Pamjat (preservation of historical monuments and recording of history)<br />PARNAS<br />Russian Orthodox Church<br />Russian Federation of Car Owners<br />Russian-Chechen Friendship Society<br />Solidarnost<br />SOVA Analytical-Information Center<br />Union of the Committees of Soldiers' Mothers<br />World Wildlife Fund (Russian chapter) Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS<br />Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ<br />Entrepreneurs Association of Slovakia or ZPS<br />Federation of Employers' Associations of the Slovak Republic<br />Medical Trade Association or LOZ<br />National Union of Employers or RUZ<br />Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry or SOPK<br />The Business Alliance of Slovakia or PAS
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
International organization participation APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BRICS, BSEC, CBSS, CD, CE, CERN (observer), CICA, CIS, CSTO, EAEC, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-8, GCTU, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NSG, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Country name > Conventional long form Russian Federation Slovak Republic
Civil law system Civil Law system descendant from Roman Law through Byzantine tradition. Heavily influenced by German and Dutch norms in 1700-1800's. Socialist-style modification in 1900's, and Continental European Law influences since 1990's. Descended from the Civil Code of the Austrian Empire (1811), influenced by German (1939\u201345) and Soviet (1947/68-89) legal codes during occupation periods, substantially reformed to remove Soviet influence and elements of socialist law after the Velvet Revolution (1989).
Executive branch > Elections president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 March 2012 (next to be held in March 2018) president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 March and 4 April 2009 (next to be held no later than April 2014); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president
National symbol(s) bear; double-headed eagle double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 15
Ranked 97th.
18.5
Ranked 80th. 23% more than Russia

Country name > Conventional short form Russia Slovakia
Constitutional form Republic Republic
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International Russia remains concerned about the smuggling of poppy derivatives from Afghanistan through Central Asian countries; China and Russia have demarcated the once disputed islands at the Amur and Ussuri confluence and in the Argun River in accordance with the 2004 Agreement, ending their centuries-long border disputes; the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia's military support and subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia independence in 2008 continue to sour relations with Georgia; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; Norway and Russia signed a comprehensive maritime boundary agreement in 2010; various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia (Kareliya) and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union following World War II but the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; Russia and Estonia signed a technical border agreement in May 2005, but Russia recalled its signature in June 2005 after the Estonian parliament added to its domestic ratification act a historical preamble referencing the Soviet occupation and Estonia's pre-war borders under the 1920 Treaty of Tartu; Russia contends that the preamble allows Estonia to make territorial claims on Russia in the future, while Estonian officials deny that the preamble has any legal impact on the treaty text; Russia demands better treatment of the Russian-speaking population in Estonia and Latvia; Lithuania and Russia committed to demarcating their boundary in 2006 in accordance with the land and maritime treaty ratified by Russia in May 2003 and by Lithuania in 1999; Lithuania operates a simplified transit regime for Russian nationals traveling from the Kaliningrad coastal exclave into Russia, while still conforming, as an EU member state with an EU external border, where strict Schengen border rules apply; preparations for the demarcation delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine have commenced; the dispute over the boundary between Russia and Ukraine through the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov remains unresolved despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going expert-level discussions; Kazakhstan and Russia boundary delimitation was ratified on November 2005 and field demarcation should commence in 2007; Russian Duma has not yet ratified 1990 Bering Sea Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US; Denmark (Greenland) and Norway have made submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental shelf (CLCS) and Russia is collecting additional data to augment its 2001 CLCS submission bilateral government, legal, technical and economic working group negotiations continued in 2006 between Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia has implemented the strict Schengen border rules
Total businesses registered > Number 8.95 million
Ranked 1st. 21 times more than Slovakia
420,812
Ranked 27th.

National anthem <strong>name: </strong>"Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii" (National Anthem of the Russian Federation)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Sergei Vladimirovich MIKHALKOV/Alexandr Vasilievich ALEXANDROV <strong>name: </strong>"Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras)<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Janko MATUSKA/traditional
FAX 7 421
Legislative branch > Election results State Duma - United Russia 49.6%, CPRF 19.2%, Just Russia 13.2%, LDPR 11.7%, other 6.3%; total seats by party - United Russia 238, CPRF 92, Just Russia 64, LDPR 56 percent of vote by party - Smer-SD 44.4%, KDH 8.8%, OLaNO 8.6%, Most-Hid 6.9%, SDKU-DS 6.1%, SaS 5.9%, other 19.3%; seats by party - Smer-SD 83, KDH 16, OLaNO 16, Most-Hid 13, SDKU-DS 11, SaS 11
Legislative branch > Elections State Duma - last held on 4 December 2011 (next to be held in December 2015) last held on 10 March 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 43.42
Ranked 32nd. 3 times more than Slovakia
13.25
Ranked 17th.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 13.56%
Ranked 119th.
18.67%
Ranked 88th. 38% more than Russia

Independence 24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union); notable earlier dates: 1157 (Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal created); 16 January 1547 (Tsardom of Muscovy established); 22 October 1721 (Russian Empire proclaimed); 30 December 1922 (Soviet Union established) 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Executive branch > Election results Vladimir PUTIN elected president; percent of vote - Vladimir PUTIN 63.6%, Gennadiy ZYUGANOV 17.2%, Mikhail PROKHOROV 8%, Vladimir ZHIRINOVSKIY 6.2%, Sergey MIRONOV 3.9%, other 1.1%; Dmitriy MEDVEDEV approved as premier by Duma 299 to 144 Ivan GASPAROVIC reelected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 55.5%, Iveta RADICOVA 44.5%
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts Higher Arbitration Court; regional (kray) and provincial (oblast) courts; Moscow and St. Petersburg city courts; autonomous province and district courts regional and district civil courts; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit
Basis of executive legitimacy Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence Ministry is subject to parliamentary confidence
Transnational Issues > Illicit drugs limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption; government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are key concerns; major consumer of opiates transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market; consumer of ecstasy
Country name > Local short form Rossiya Slovensko
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 80
Ranked 23th. 4 times more than Slovakia
21
Ranked 164th.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament 9.8%
Ranked 122nd.
20%
Ranked 56th. 2 times more than Russia

Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 7
Ranked 77th. The same as Slovakia
7
Ranked 95th.

Democracy and rights > Nationalist vote 11.7%
Ranked 8th. 3 times more than Slovakia
4.6%
Ranked 9th.
Democracy > Civil and political liberties 2
Ranked 95th.
5.5
Ranked 33th. 3 times more than Russia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ 125.84 billion$
Ranked 9th. 14 times more than Slovakia
9.23 billion$
Ranked 47th.

National holiday Russia Day, 12 June Constitution Day, 1 September
Capital > Geographic coordinates 55 45 N, 37 36 E 48 09 N, 17 07 E
Democracy > First female parliamentarian 1993 (elected) 1992 (elected)
Time required to start a business > Days 28 days
Ranked 108th. 12% more than Slovakia
25 days
Ranked 117th.

Leaders > President Vladimir Putin Ivan Gasparovic
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.996
Ranked 38th. 1% more than Slovakia
0.985
Ranked 61st.

Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office all members of Russia's three highest courts nominated by the president and appointed by the Federation Council (the upper house of the legislature); members of all three courts appointed for life Supreme Court judge candidates proposed by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, a 17-member independent body to include the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential and governmental appointees; judges appointed by the president for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges appointed for 12-year terms
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient 2.9
Ranked 137th.
4.3
Ranked 62nd. 48% more than Russia

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 6.14
Ranked 46th.
9.06
Ranked 6th. 48% more than Russia
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 22
Ranked 125th. 33% more than Slovakia
16.5
Ranked 141st.

Politics Vladimir Putin, Russia&#039;s dominant political figure since 2000, resumed the presidency in 2012 PM Robert Fico from the leftist Smer party won general elections in March 2012. He was a critic of the former government&#039;s austerity programme
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 389
Ranked 18th. 3 times more than Slovakia
122
Ranked 78th.

Country name > Local long form Rossiyskaya Federatsiya Slovenska republika
Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years 2
Ranked 101st.
4
Ranked 31st. Twice as much as Russia

Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.0557
Ranked 179th.
1.11
Ranked 76th. 20 times more than Russia

Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Michael A. MCFAUL Ambassador Theodore SEDGWICK
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [7] (495) 728-5000 [421] (2) 5443-3338
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None None
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Sergey Ivanovich KISLYAK Ambassador Peter KMEC
Parliament > Seats held by women 61
Ranked 41st. 2 times more than Slovakia
28
Ranked 85th.

Leaders > President > Summary Mr Putin has devoted a good deal of effort to burnishing his image as a strong leader Ivan Gasparovic was first voted into office in 2004
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating 5
Ranked 77th.
9
Ranked 40th. 80% more than Russia
Executive branch > Note there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the president government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO
UN membership date 24 Oct. 1945 19 Jan. 1993
Total businesses registered > Number per 1000 61.87
Ranked 22nd.
78.22
Ranked 13th. 26% more than Russia

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 36
Ranked 1st. 3 times more than Slovakia
11
Ranked 154th.

Capital city Moscow Bratislava
Capital > Name Moscow Bratislava
Legal origin Socialist <a href=/country/gm>German</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita 879.31$ per capita
Ranked 40th.
1,713.17$ per capita
Ranked 30th. 95% more than Russia

Spending > Expense > Current LCU 8.89 trillion
Ranked 6th. 428 times more than Slovakia
20.75 billion
Ranked 67th.

Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 162
Ranked 24th. 3% more than Slovakia
158
Ranked 33th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 60.5%
Ranked 114th.
70.1%
Ranked 71st. 16% more than Russia
Legislature (parliament) > People per member 229,584
Ranked 12th. 6 times more than Slovakia
36,090
Ranked 72nd.
Capital > Time difference UTC+4 (9 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 109.04 million
Ranked 2nd. 29 times more than Slovakia
3.77 million
Ranked 49th.
International relations A planned US-led missile shield for Europe is a stumbling block in ties with the US. Russia is at odds with the West over some key international issues, including Syria and Iran. Russia drove Georgian forces from breakaway South Ossetia during a brief war in 2008 Slovakia joined the EU in 2004 and the eurozone in 2009. Its forces have taken part in the Nato-led operation in Afghanistan, and in peacekeeping duties in Kosovo
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 1.96
Ranked 160th.
29.2
Ranked 61st. 15 times more than Russia

Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state 6
Ranked 19th. 20% more than Slovakia
5
Ranked 107th.
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 450
Ranked 22nd. 3 times more than Slovakia
150
Ranked 64th.
Democracy > Female ministers 18.8%
Ranked 39th. 2 times more than Slovakia
8.7%
Ranked 84th.
Foreign relations > Recognition of Israel notes Recognition extended as the Soviet Union . Relations broken in 1967, restored on 19 October 1991. Recognition extended under Czechoslovakia . Relations under Czechoslovakia were severed between June 1967 and February 1990. Diplomatic relations with Slovakia were established 1 January 1993.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 270
Ranked 179th.
545
Ranked 98th. 2 times more than Russia

Democracy > Female parliamentarians 6.4%
Ranked 124th.
14%
Ranked 59th. 2 times more than Russia
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 4
Ranked 143th. 33% more than Slovakia
3
Ranked 174th.

Leaders > President > Profile <p>Vladimir Putin has been Russia&#039;s dominant political figure since his election as president in 2000. </p> <p>He served two terms as president before becoming prime minister for a four-year spell and subsequently resuming the presidency in May 2012. </p> <p>His re-election as president was accompanied by months of protests fuelled by allegations of electoral fraud and driven by an embryonic, primarily urban, civil society determined to challenge Mr Putin&#039;s rule.</p> <p>Mr Putin presents himself as a strong leader who took Russia out of the economic, social and political crisis of the 1990s. He also casts himself as a staunch defender of Russia&#039;s national interests, particularly against what he portrays as Western attempts to foist its cultural and political values on Russia.</p> <p>Critics say the new-found economic strength is almost wholly based on raw material exports and that little has been done to truly modernise Russia&#039;s industry and infrastructure. They also say that corruption has flourished under Mr Putin, with much of the new wealth ending up in top officials&#039; pockets and dissent often suppressed to protect the interests of the powerful.</p> <p>Mr Putin and his allies dismiss his opponents as a small, if vocal, minority without support in the wider population, reliant on Western backing.</p> <p>Several of Mr Putin&#039;s rivals and opposition activists have sought safety abroad or ended up in prison, most prominently the former oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who spent 10 years in jail following his arrest on tax evasion and fraud charges in 2003.</p> <p>KGB background</span> <p>Born in St Petersburg in 1952, Vladimir Putin began his career in the KGB, the Soviet-era secret police. From 1990 he worked in the St Petersburg administration before moving to Moscow in 1996. By August 1999 he was prime minister. </p><p>He was named acting president by his predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, and went on to win presidential elections in May 2000, having gained widespread popularity for his pledge to take a tough line against Chechen rebels. He won again in 2004. </p> <p>Barred by the constitution from running for a third consecutive presidential term in 2008, he made way for his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev. On Mr Putin&#039;s return to the presidency in 2012, he duly reappointed Mr Medvedev to the premiership.</p> <p>A parliamentary vote earlier extended presidential terms from four to six years, so that Mr Putin need not seek re-election until 2018.</p> <p>Despite suggestions that Russia had become a &quot;tandemocracy&quot; or &quot;duumvirate&quot; as a result of the rotation with Mr Medvedev, most observers believe Mr Putin remained effectively in control throughout.</p> <p>Russian TV frequently features choreographed macho antics meant to bolster Mr Putin&#039;s image in Russia, such as riding horseback bare-chested and shooting a tiger with a tranquilliser gun.</p> <p>Although still high, Mr Putin&#039;s popularity has been dented - at least in the major cities - by claims that the austere persona projected in public conceals a luxury lifestyle, as well as by opposition insinuations about the personal wealth acquired by close associates during his time in office.</p> <p>Mr Putin married Lyudmila Shkrebneva in 1983, and the couple have two daughters, Maria and Yekaterina. In 2013, after years of rumours about the state of the Putins&#039; marriage, fanned in part by Mrs Putin&#039;s increasingly rare public appearances, the couple announced on state TV that they were divorcing.</p> <p>Ivan Gasparovic defeated former Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar in the second round of the presidential elections in April 2004 on the eve of EU entry. </p> <p>During his election campaign he supported EU accession but criticised the minority government&#039;s EU-oriented economic reforms. </p> <p>In April 2009 Mr Gasparovic became the first president of Slovakia to win re-election, when he defeated his centre-right challenger, Iveta Radicova, in the second round of voting by more than ten percentage points. He received more than 55% of the vote. </p> <p>The president appoints the prime minister. However, parliament exercises legislative power. </p>
Role of head of state Executive Ceremonial
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita 879.09$
Ranked 39th.
1,713.17$
Ranked 30th. 95% more than Russia

Democracy > Presidential elections > Registered voter turnout 68.6%
Ranked 52nd.
73.8%
Ranked 38th. 8% more than Russia
Democracy and rights > Nationalist party (percent of vote) 11.7%
Ranked 8th. 3 times more than Slovakia
4.6%
Ranked 9th.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 7
Ranked 126th.
9
Ranked 99th. 29% more than Russia

Democracy > Presidential elections > Voting age population per 1000 754.06
Ranked 13th. 8% more than Slovakia
700.24
Ranked 20th.
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million 0.0202
Ranked 138th.
0.795
Ranked 51st. 39 times more than Russia

Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong 3
Ranked 130th.
9
Ranked 19th. 3 times more than Russia

Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU 1.61 trillion
Ranked 5th. 573 times more than Slovakia
2.82 billion
Ranked 71st.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU 5.69 trillion
Ranked 4th. 406 times more than Slovakia
13.99 billion
Ranked 61st.

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 3.84
Ranked 86th.
7.32
Ranked 6th. 91% more than Russia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP 0.165$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 57th.
0.199$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 33th. 21% more than Russia

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 0.428
Ranked 168th.
5.1
Ranked 69th. 12 times more than Russia

Democracy > Female suffrage 1918 1920
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 297
Ranked 15th. 4% more than Slovakia
286
Ranked 18th.

Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 0.125
Ranked 174th.
2.5
Ranked 87th. 20 times more than Russia

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.251
Ranked 180th.
5.91
Ranked 86th. 24 times more than Russia

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 0.307
Ranked 164th.
3.05
Ranked 100th. 10 times more than Russia

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 2.18
Ranked 165th.
52.86
Ranked 57th. 24 times more than Russia

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.279
Ranked 159th.
2.03
Ranked 92nd. 7 times more than Russia

Capital > Daylight saving time +1hr +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita 61.87 per 1,000 people
Ranked 23th.
78.22 per 1,000 people
Ranked 13th. 26% more than Russia

Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU 155.5 billion
Ranked 13th. 190 times more than Slovakia
817.95 million
Ranked 66th.

Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Kislyak, Sergey Ivanovich Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak Burian, Peter Peter Burian
Democracy and rights > Votes for nationalist parties 7.66 million
Ranked 1st. 66 times more than Slovakia
116,420
Ranked 26th.
Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 5.7
Ranked 66th.
9.2
Ranked 10th. 61% more than Russia
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons 178,000
Ranked 5th. 117 times more than Slovakia
1,523
Ranked 5th.
Transnational Issues > Refugees and internally displaced persons > Stateless persons per thousand people 1.24
Ranked 14th. 4 times more than Slovakia
0.277
Ranked 5th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita 296.1 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 52nd.
904.35 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 28th. 3 times more than Russia

Time required to build a warehouse > Days 531 days
Ranked 3rd. 95% more than Slovakia
272 days
Ranked 36th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 109.21 million
Ranked 4th. 25 times more than Slovakia
4.3 million
Ranked 75th.
Democracy > Female candidacy 1,918
Ranked 148th.
1,920
Ranked 136th. About the same as Russia
Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000 0.0493
Ranked 43th.
0.213
Ranked 18th. 4 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita 0.049 per 1,000 people
Ranked 43th.
0.213 per 1,000 people
Ranked 18th. 4 times more than Russia

Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment May 25, 1992 January 1, 1993
National anthem > Name "Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii" (National Anthem of the Russian Federation) "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Storm Over the Tatras)
Executive branch > A note there is also a <a href=/encyclopedia/President-of-the-United-States><a href=/encyclopedia/President-of-the-United-States>Presidential</a></a> Administration (<a href=/encyclopedia/Pennsylvania>PA</a>) that provides staff and policy support to the <a href=/kp/president>president</a>, drafts presidential decrees, and coordinates policy among <a href=/cat/Government>government</a> agencies; a Security Council also reports directly to the <a href=/kp/president>president</a> <a href=/cat/Government>government</a> coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 108.07 million
Ranked 5th. 26 times more than Slovakia
4.16 million
Ranked 71st.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote 65.37 million
Ranked 4th. 22 times more than Slovakia
2.91 million
Ranked 64th.
Time required to enforce a contract > Days 178 days
Ranked 166th.
565 days
Ranked 65th. 3 times more than Russia

Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita 0.049 per 1 million people
Ranked 167th.
1.67 per 1 million people
Ranked 67th. 34 times more than Russia

Procedures to register property > Number 6
Ranked 75th. Twice as much as Slovakia
3
Ranked 158th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 22
Ranked 30th. 69% more than Slovakia
13
Ranked 137th.

Key ministers > Defence Sergei Ivanov Juraj Liska (SDKU)
Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout 68.8
Ranked 43th.
79.2
Ranked 15th. 15% more than Russia
Democracy > Presidential elections > Invalid votes 0.9%
Ranked 54th.
1.1%
Ranked 49th. 22% more than Russia
Democracy > Presidential elections > Total vote 75.07 million
Ranked 3rd. 25 times more than Slovakia
2.98 million
Ranked 38th.
Democracy > Presidential elections > Turnout per million 0.476
Ranked 74th.
14.72
Ranked 28th. 31 times more than Russia
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 6.34%
Ranked 7th. 2 times more than Slovakia
3.04%
Ranked 27th.
Time to resolve insolvency > Years 3.8 years
Ranked 51st.
4 years
Ranked 46th. 5% more than Russia

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 2%
Ranked 64th. 54% more than Slovakia
1.3%
Ranked 80th.
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 298-5735 [1] (202) 237-6438
Key ministers > Finance Aleksei Kudrin Ivan Miklos (SDKU)
Key ministers > Foreign affairs Sergei Lavrov Eduard Kukan (SDKU)
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU 1192051000000 169950000000
Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 25.84%
Ranked 14th. 2 times more than Slovakia
12.73%
Ranked 26th.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth 1.8%
Ranked 74th.
2.14%
Ranked 71st. 19% more than Russia

Spending > Other expense > Current LCU 637.5 billion
Ranked 6th. 674 times more than Slovakia
945.63 million
Ranked 67th.

Time required to register property > Days 52 days
Ranked 77th. 3 times more than Slovakia
17 days
Ranked 138th.

Trademarks > Residents per million 163.86
Ranked 40th.
541.02
Ranked 23th. 3 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Nonresidents 7,088
Ranked 10th. 6 times more than Slovakia
1,148
Ranked 25th.

Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.0421
Ranked 158th.
0.556
Ranked 86th. 13 times more than Russia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.218
Ranked 162nd.
5.01
Ranked 75th. 23 times more than Russia

Council of Europe > Date joined 2/28/1996 6/30/1993
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 13.6%
Ranked 124th.
18.7%
Ranked 92nd. 38% more than Russia

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense 63.97%
Ranked 22nd.
67.42%
Ranked 15th. 5% more than Russia

Democracy and rights > Next election March 2018 March 2016
Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue 1.1%
Ranked 82nd.
4.13%
Ranked 48th. 4 times more than Russia

Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle Los Angeles, New York
Key ministers > Agriculture Aleksei Gordeyev Zsolt Simon (SMK)
National anthem > Note in 2000, Russia adopted the tune of the anthem of the former Soviet Union (composed in 1939); the lyrics, also adopted in 2000, were written by the same person who authored the Soviet lyrics in 1943 adopted 1993, in use since 1844; the anthem"s music is based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku"
Flag description > Note the colors may have been based on those of the Dutch flag; despite many popular interpretations, there is no official meaning assigned to the colors of the Russian flag; this flag inspired other Slav countries to adopt horizontal tricolors of the same colors but in different arrangements, and so red, blue, and white became the Pan-Slav colors the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.0491
Ranked 166th.
1.67
Ranked 67th. 34 times more than Russia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 31
Ranked 91st. 15% more than Slovakia
27
Ranked 120th.

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 36
Ranked 117th. 13% more than Slovakia
32
Ranked 160th.

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.0348
Ranked 177th.
0.555
Ranked 93th. 16 times more than Russia

Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 14.7%
Ranked 1st. 2 times more than Slovakia
6.7%
Ranked 35th.

Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine Yes Yes
Trademarks > Residents 23,571
Ranked 9th. 8 times more than Slovakia
2,912
Ranked 26th.

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ 42.38 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 15th. 9 times more than Slovakia
4.87 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 43th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita 0.155 per 1 million people
Ranked 155th.
2.41 per 1 million people
Ranked 78th. 16 times more than Russia

Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU 1.23 trillion
Ranked 3rd. 564 times more than Slovakia
2.18 billion
Ranked 73th.

Key ministers > Justice <a href=/encyclopedia/Yuri-(singer)>Yuri</a> Chaika Daniel Lipsic (KDH)
Spending > Expense > % of GDP 21.44%
Ranked 62nd.
30.87%
Ranked 38th. 44% more than Russia

Informal payments to public officials > % of firms 29.44%
Ranked 14th. 3 times more than Slovakia
9.11%
Ranked 37th.

Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense 18.15%
Ranked 55th. 34% more than Slovakia
13.57%
Ranked 67th.

Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 2.73
Ranked 176th.
22.23
Ranked 70th. 8 times more than Russia

Democracy and rights > Last election March 2012 March 2012
Democracy > Presidential elections > Voter registration 109.37 million
Ranked 3rd. 27 times more than Slovakia
4.04 million
Ranked 45th.
FAX > Consulate(s) general Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg Los Angeles, New York
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000 755.27
Ranked 31st.
798.92
Ranked 13th. 6% more than Russia
Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 618
Ranked 15th. 4 times more than Slovakia
150
Ranked 72nd.
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU 3558800000000 286297000000
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 5
Ranked 32nd. 25% more than Slovakia
4
Ranked 170th.
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of State of Palestine 18 November 1988 18 November 1988
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 1.88
Ranked 184th.
100.73
Ranked 76th. 54 times more than Russia

Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours 256 hours
Ranked 82nd.
344 hours
Ranked 50th. 34% more than Russia

Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita 0.042 per 1 million people
Ranked 159th.
0.557 per 1 million people
Ranked 88th. 13 times more than Russia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita 0.218 per 1 million people
Ranked 163th.
5.01 per 1 million people
Ranked 76th. 23 times more than Russia

Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [7] (495) 728-5090 [421] (2) 5441-8861
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 [1] (202) 237-1054
Capital city > Time difference UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense 13.84%
Ranked 37th. 32% more than Slovakia
10.52%
Ranked 61st.

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita 296.03 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 52nd.
904.35 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 28th. 3 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Residents > Per capita 0.164 per 1,000 people
Ranked 40th.
0.541 per 1,000 people
Ranked 24th. 3 times more than Russia

Spending > Interest payments > % of expense 1.75%
Ranked 74th.
3.94%
Ranked 52nd. 2 times more than Russia

Spending > Other expense > % of expense 7.17%
Ranked 32nd. 57% more than Slovakia
4.56%
Ranked 54th.

Ruling party United Russia Social Democrats
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.154
Ranked 153th.
2.41
Ranked 78th. 16 times more than Russia

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; Wikipedia: List of national legal systems (Civil law); World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).; Wikipedia: List of countries by system of government (Alphabetical list of countries); All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: Censorship by country (Censorship by country) ("Press Freedom Index 2013" , Reporters Without Borders, 30 January 2013); United Nations Statistics Division; "2012 Freedom of the Press Data" , Freedom House, 1 May 2012; Wikipedia: List of active nationalist parties in Europe (National); Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2000-2001, New York: Freedom House, 2001; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 1995. Women in Parliaments 1945-1995: A World Statistical Survey. Geneva and IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. 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; World Economic Forum, Global Competiveness Report and data files.; 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; 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.; 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); IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; 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.; World Economic Forum, Global Competiveness Report and data files. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; 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; Wikipedia: List of ambassadors to the United States; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/fileadmin/pdf/BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; 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; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; Economist Intelligence Unit; Wikipedia: Member states of the Council of Europe; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (www.ipu.org); Wikipedia: List of next general elections (Africa); World Bank, Enterprise Surveys; 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.); International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; World Bank, Enterprise Surveys (http://www.enterprisesurveys.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: International recognition of the State of Palestine (Diplomatic recognition)

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