×

Government Stats: compare key data on Russia & South Africa

Definitions

  • Administrative divisions: This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by BGN are noted.
  • Capital city > Geographic coordinates: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Capital city > Name: This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Constitution: The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Executive branch > Cabinet: Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members.
  • Executive branch > Chief of state: The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
  • Executive branch > Head of government: Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
  • Government type: A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
  • Judicial branch: The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
  • Legal system: A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
  • Legislative branch: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Political parties and leaders: Significant political organizations and their leaders.
  • Political pressure groups and leaders: Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
  • Suffrage: The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
  • International organization participation: This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
  • Country name > Conventional long form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Executive branch > Elections: Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
  • National symbol(s): A national symbol is a faunal, floral, or other abstract representation - or some distinctive object - that over time has come to be closely identified with a country or entity. Not all countries have national symbols; a few countries have more than one.
  • Flag description: A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
  • Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Country name > Conventional short form: This entry is derived from Government > Country name, which includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example): conventional long form (Italian Republic), conventional short form (Italy), local long form (Repubblica Italiana), local short form (Italia), former (Kingdom of Italy), as well as the abbreviation. Also see the Terminology note.
  • Constitutional form: Constitutional form of government.
  • Transnational Issues > Disputes > International: This entry includes a wide variety of situations that range from traditional bilateral boundary disputes to unilateral claims of one sort or another. Information regarding disputes over international terrestrial and maritime boundaries has been reviewed by the US Department of State. References to other situations involving borders or frontiers may also be included, such as resource disputes, geopolitical questions, or irredentist issues; however, inclusion does not necessarily constitute official acceptance or recognition by the US Government.
  • Total businesses registered > Number: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward.
  • National anthem: A generally patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.
  • Legislative branch > Elections: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Legislative branch > Election results: This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
  • Democracy and rights > Press freedom index: Compares countries by their degree of government censorship, according to the Press freedom index. This index, created by the non-governmental organization Reporters without borders (RWS), is ellaborated using data from an extensive annual survey sent to professional reporters throughout the world. The survey contains questions about the type and ownership of media present in the country, freedom of speech, violence exerted against reporters, election campaigns, access of political parties to the media, etc.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage: Percentage of seats held by women in country's national parliament or legislative houses.
  • Independence: For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. "
  • Executive branch > Election results: Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election (if any)
  • Judicial branch > Subordinate courts: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • Basis of executive legitimacy: Basis of executive legitimacy.

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

  • 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
  • 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.
  • Corruption > Bribe Payers Index: 2008
  • Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament: Women in parliaments are the percentage of parliamentary seats in a single or lower chamber occupied by women.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
  • Democracy > Civil and political liberties: Civil and political liberties
    Units: Index Ranging from 7 (High Levels of Liberties) to 1 (Low
    Units: This is the average of two indicators - civil liberties and political liberties.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
  • National holiday: The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
  • Capital > Geographic coordinates: This entry is derived from Government > Capital, which gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
  • Democracy > First female parliamentarian: Year first woman elected or appointed to parliament.
  • Time required to start a business > Days: Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen.
  • Leaders > President: Government > Leaders > President
  • Judicial branch > Judge selection and term of office: This entry is derived from Government > Judicial branch, which includes three subfields. The highest court(s) subfield includes the name(s) of a country's highest level court(s), the number and titles of the judges, and the types of cases heard by the court, which commonly are based on civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional law. A number of countries have separate constitutional courts. The judge selection and term of office subfield includes the organizations and associated officials responsible for nominating and appointing judges, and a brief description of the process. The selection process can be indicative of the independence of a country's court system from other branches of its government. Also included in this subfield are judges' tenures, which can range from a few years, to a specified retirement age, to lifelong appointments. The subordinate courts subfield lists the courts lower in the hierarchy of a country's court system. A few countries with federal-style governments, such as Brazil, Canada, and the US, in addition to their federal court, have separate state- or province-level court systems, though generally the two systems interact.
  • 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.
  • Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years: Time to resolve insolvency (years). Time to resolve insolvency is the number of years from the filing for insolvency in court until the resolution of distressed assets.
  • Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million: Start-up procedures to register a business (number). Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Parliament > Seats held by women: Number of seats held by women in country's parliament or legislative houses.
  • Leaders > President > Summary: Government > Leaders > President > Summary
  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel: Date on which Israel was officially recognized as a state. Note that some countries had a “de facto” recognition in place long before the legal recognition.
  • Democracy > Democratic institutions rating: Democratic institutions
    Units: Scale ranging from -10 (autocratic) to +10 (democratic)
  • 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.
  • International relations: Country international relations.
  • Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million: Time required to get electricity (days). Time required to get electricity is the number of days to obtain a permanent electricity connection. The measure captures the median duration that the electricity utility and experts indicate is necessary in practice, rather than required by law, to complete a procedure. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members: Members of the upper house of the legislature. Does not include countries with 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members: Members of the lower house of the legislature or of the only chamber in a unicameral system.
  • Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state: Head(s) of state.

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

  • Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract (days). Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
  • 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.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production.
  • Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million: Burden of customs procedure, WEF (1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient). Burden of Customs Procedure measures business executives' perceptions of their country's efficiency of customs procedures. The rating ranges from 1 to 7, with a higher score indicating greater efficiency. Data are from the World Economic Forum's Executive Opinion Survey, conducted for 30 years in collaboration with 150 partner institutes. The 2009 round included more than 13,000 respondents from 133 countries. Sampling follows a dual stratification based on company size and the sector of activity. Data are collected online or through in-person interviews. Responses are aggregated using sector-weighted averaging. The data for the latest year are combined with the data for the previous year to create a two-year moving average. Respondents evaluated the efficiency of customs procedures in their country. The lowest score (1) rates the customs procedure as extremely inefficient, and the highest score (7) as extremely efficient. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Strength of legal rights index > 0=weak to 10=strong: Strength of legal rights index measures the degree to which collateral and bankruptcy laws protect the rights of borrowers and lenders and thus facilitate lending. The index ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating that these laws are better designed to expand access to credit."
  • Spending > 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 > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million: Time required to start a business (days). Time required to start a business is the number of calendar days needed to complete the procedures to legally operate a business. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million: Time required to register property (days). Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million: Procedures to build a warehouse (number). Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million: Time required to build a warehouse (days). Time required to build a warehouse is the number of calendar days needed to complete the required procedures for building a warehouse. If a procedure can be speeded up at additional cost, the fastest procedure, independent of cost, is chosen. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita: Total businesses registered. Because of underreporting of firms that have closed or exited, especially in developing countries, the data on total registered firms may be biased upward. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation: Political Transformation The score for â€?Political Transformation“ is obtained by calculating the mean value of the ratings for the following criteria: · Stateness · Political Participation · Rule of Law · Stability of Democratic Institutions · Political and Social Integration
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador: Name of ambassador to the USA.
  • Country name > Former: 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.
  • 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 capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > 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 > Parliamentary elections > Turnout: The number of votes divided by the Voting Age Population figure, expressed as a percentage.
  • 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.
  • Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita: Start-up procedures are those required to start a business, including interactions to obtain necessary permits and licenses and to complete all inscriptions, verifications, and notifications to start operations. Data are for businesses with specific characteristics of ownership, size, and type of production. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Time required to enforce a contract > Days: Time required to enforce a contract is the number of calendar days from the filing of the lawsuit in court until the final determination and, in appropriate cases, payment.
  • Procedures to register property > Number: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers.
  • Key ministers > Defence: Minister of Defence, 2005
  • Trademarks > Residents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
  • Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Foreign relations > Date of recognition of State of Palestine: Date on which Palestine was officially recognized as a state.
  • Key ministers > Transport: Minister of Transport, 2005
  • 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.

  • 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).
  • 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.
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes: The number of invalid votes, as reported by each country.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Democracy and rights > Last election: Last election.

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

  • 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.
  • 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 > 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.
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint: Policy uncertainty measures the share of senior managers who ranked economic and regulatory policy uncertainty as a major or very severe constraint.
  • Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense: Compensation of employees consists of all payments in cash, as well as in kind (such as food and housing), to employees in return for services rendered, and government contributions to social insurance schemes such as social security and pensions that provide benefits to employees."
  • Informal payments to public officials > % of firms: Informal payments to public officials are the percentage of firms expected to make informal payments to public officials to ""get things done"" with regard to customs, taxes, licenses, regulations, services, and the like."
  • Spending > Interest payments > % of expense: Interest payments include interest payments on government debt--including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments--to domestic and foreign residents."
  • Trademarks > Residents per million: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Procedures to register property > Number per million: Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • 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."
  • 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 > Other expense > % of expense: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • 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.
  • Democracy and rights > Next election: Next election.

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

  • 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."
  • 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.
  • Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament: Number of members of the legislature (sum of members of all chambers of parliament where applicable).
  • Capital city > Note: 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.
  • Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine: Indicates whether or not each country has diplomatic relations with Palestine.
  • Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours: Time to prepare and pay taxes is the time, in hours per year, it takes to prepare, file, and pay (or withhold) three major types of taxes: the corporate income tax, the value added or sales tax, and labor taxes, including payroll taxes and social security contributions.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars.
  • Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita: Number of procedures to build a warehouse is the number of interactions of a company's employees or managers with external parties, including government agency staff, public inspectors, notaries, land registry and cadastre staff, and technical experts apart from architects and engineers. Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU: Goods and services include all government payments in exchange for goods and services used for the production of market and nonmarket goods and services. Own-account capital formation is excluded.
  • Trademarks > Nonresidents: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment.
  • Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number: Procedures to enforce a contract (number). Number of procedures to enforce a contract are the number of independent actions, mandated by law or courts, that demand interaction between the parties of a contract or between them and the judge or court officer.
  • Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million: Procedures to register property (number). Number of procedures to register property is the number of procedures required for a businesses to secure rights to property. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time: Management time dealing with officials (% of management time). Time dealing with officials is the percentage of management time in a given week spent on requirements imposed by government regulations (taxes, customs, labor regulations, licensing and registration).
  • Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita: General government final consumption expenditure (formerly general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation. Data are in constant 2000 U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
  • Trademarks > Residents > Per capita: Trademark applications filed are applications for registration of a trademark with a national or regional trademark office. Trademarks are distinctive signs that identify goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. Trademarks protect owners of the mark by ensuring exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services or to authorize its use in return for payment. Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Spending > Other expense > Current LCU: Other expense is spending on dividends, rent, and other miscellaneous expenses, including provision for consumption of fixed capital."
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth: Annual percentage growth of general government final consumption expenditure based on constant local currency. Aggregates are based on constant 2000 U.S. dollars. General government final consumption expenditure (general government consumption) includes all government current expenditures for purchases of goods and services (including compensation of employees). It also includes most expenditures on national defense and security, but excludes government military expenditures that are part of government capital formation.
  • Time required to register property > Days: Time required to register property is the number of calendar days needed for businesses to secure rights to property.
  • Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general: This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
  • 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."
STAT Russia South Africa 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) 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape
Capital city > Geographic coordinates 55 45 N, 37 35 E 25 42 S, 28 13 E
Capital city > Name Moscow Pretoria (administrative capital)
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 several previous; latest drafted 8 May 1996, approved 4 December 1997, effective 4 February 1997; amended many times, last in 2013
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address PSC-77, APO AE 09721 P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
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
Executive branch > Chief of state President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since 7 May 2012) President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)
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) President Jacob ZUMA (since 9 May 2009); Deputy President Kgalema MOTLANTHE (since 11 May 2009)
Government type federation republic
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 Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Legal system civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law
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) bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Council of Provinces
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] African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE]<br />African National Congress or ANC [Jacob ZUMA]<br />Congress of the People or COPE [Mosiuoa LEKOTA]<br />Democratic Alliance or DA [Helen ZILLE]<br />Freedom Front Plus or FF+ [Pieter MULDER]<br />Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI]<br />Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Motsoko PHEKO]<br />United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP [Lucas MANGOPE]<br />United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
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) Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]<br />South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]<br />South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]<br />
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 ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OECD (Enhanced Engagement, OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNSC (temporary), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Country name > Conventional long form Russian Federation Republic of South Africa
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 the National Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 May 2009 (next to be held in 2014)
National symbol(s) bear; double-headed eagle springbok antelope
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes; the flag colors do not have any official symbolism, but the Y stands for the "convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity"; black, yellow, and green are found on the flag of the African National Congress, while red, white, and blue are the colors in the flags of the Netherlands and the UK, whose settlers ruled South Africa during the colonial era
Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days 15
Ranked 97th.
19
Ranked 74th. 27% more than Russia

Country name > Conventional short form Russia South Africa
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 South Africa has placed military units to assist police operations along the border of Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique to control smuggling, poaching, and illegal migration; the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River
Total businesses registered > Number 8.95 million
Ranked 1st. 5 times more than South Africa
1.78 million
Ranked 14th.

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>"National Anthem of South Africa"<br /><strong>lyrics/music:</strong> Enoch SONTONGA and Cornelius Jacob LANGENHOVEN/Enoch SONTONGA and Marthinus LOURENS de Villiers
FAX 7 27
Legislative branch > Elections State Duma - last held on 4 December 2011 (next to be held in December 2015) National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held on 22 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)
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 National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 65.9%, DA 16.7%, COPE 7.4%, IFP 4.6%, other 5.4%; seats by party - ANC 264, DA 67, COPE 30, IFP 18, other 21
Democracy and rights > Press freedom index 43.42
Ranked 32nd. 77% more than South Africa
24.56
Ranked 125th.
Parliament > Seats held by women > Percentage 13.56%
Ranked 119th.
42.25%
Ranked 8th. 3 times 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) 31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 31 May 1961 (republic declared); 27 April 1994 (majority rule)
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 Jacob ZUMA elected president; National Assembly vote - Jacob ZUMA 277, Mvume DANDALA 47, other 76
Judicial branch > Subordinate courts Higher Arbitration Court; regional (kray) and provincial (oblast) courts; Moscow and St. Petersburg city courts; autonomous province and district courts High Courts; Magistrates' Courts; labor courts; land claims courts;
Basis of executive legitimacy Presidency independent of legislature; ministry subject to parliamentary confidence Presidency and ministry are 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 center for heroin, hashish, and cocaine, as well as a major cultivator of marijuana in its own right; cocaine and heroin consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries, but increasingly producing its own synthetic drugs for domestic consumption; attractive venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the region and the size of the South African economy
Democracy and rights > Freedom of the press 80
Ranked 23th. 2 times more than South Africa
34
Ranked 122nd.
Corruption > Bribe Payers Index 5.9
Ranked 21st.
7.5
Ranked 15th. 27% more than Russia
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament 9.8%
Ranked 122nd.
32.8%
Ranked 14th. 3 times more than Russia

Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Bolshoy Deviatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow 877
Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 7
Ranked 77th. 40% more than South Africa
5
Ranked 127th.

Democracy > Civil and political liberties 2
Ranked 95th.
5.5
Ranked 21st. 3 times more than Russia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ 125.84 billion$
Ranked 9th. 3 times more than South Africa
48.34 billion$
Ranked 20th.

National holiday Russia Day, 12 June Freedom Day, 27 April
Capital > Geographic coordinates 55 45 N, 37 36 E 25 42 S, 28 13 E
Democracy > First female parliamentarian 1993 (elected) 1933 (elected)
Time required to start a business > Days 28 days
Ranked 108th.
35 days
Ranked 85th. 25% more than Russia

Leaders > President Vladimir Putin Jacob Zuma
Democracy > Gender Parity Index in primary level enrolment 0.996
Ranked 38th. 3% more than South Africa
0.965
Ranked 115th.

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 of Appeals president and vice-president appointed by the national president after consultation with the Joint Services Commission (JSC), a 22-member body of judicial and other government officials, and a law academics; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the national president on the advice of the JSC and hold office until discharged from active service in terms of an Act of Parliament; Constitutional Court chief and deputy chief justices appointed by the national president after consultation with the JSC and with heads of the National Assembly; other Constitutional Court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the chief justice and leaders of the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 12-year non-renewable terms or until age 70
Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient 2.9
Ranked 137th.
4.3
Ranked 59th. 48% more than Russia

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Status Index 2006 6.14
Ranked 46th.
7.98
Ranked 16th. 30% more than Russia
Red tape > Time required to register property > Days 22
Ranked 125th.
23
Ranked 122nd. 5% more than Russia

Politics Vladimir Putin, Russia&#039;s dominant political figure since 2000, resumed the presidency in 2012 The ANC scored its fourth election victory in April 2009
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Parliament > Seats held by men 389
Ranked 18th. 68% more than South Africa
231
Ranked 42nd.

Red tape > Time to resolve insolvency > Years 2
Ranked 101st. The same as South Africa
2
Ranked 100th.

Red tape > Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.0557
Ranked 179th.
0.0977
Ranked 169th. 75% more than Russia

Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Sergey Ivanovich KISLYAK Ambassador Ebrahim RASOOL
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone [7] (495) 728-5000 [27] (12) 431-4000
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery None None
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Michael A. MCFAUL Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Viginia E. PALMER
Parliament > Seats held by women 61
Ranked 41st.
169
Ranked 6th. 3 times more than Russia

Leaders > President > Summary Mr Putin has devoted a good deal of effort to burnishing his image as a strong leader Jacob Zuma trod a rocky road to the presidency
Foreign relations > Date of recognition of Israel None
None
Democracy > Democratic institutions rating 5
Ranked 77th.
9
Ranked 33th. 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 ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
UN membership date 24 Oct. 1945 7 Nov. 1945
Total businesses registered > Number per 1000 61.87
Ranked 22nd. 60% more than South Africa
38.68
Ranked 30th.

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 36
Ranked 1st. 2 times more than South Africa
16
Ranked 59th.

Capital city Moscow Pretoria (administrative capital)
Capital > Name Moscow Pretoria (administrative capital)
Legal origin Socialist <a href=/encyclopedia/England>English</a>
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per capita 879.31$ per capita
Ranked 40th.
1,030.97$ per capita
Ranked 37th. 17% more than Russia

Spending > Expense > Current LCU 8.89 trillion
Ranked 6th. 13 times more than South Africa
706.66 billion
Ranked 26th.

Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days 162
Ranked 24th.
226
Ranked 14th. 40% more than Russia

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Registered voter turnout 60.5%
Ranked 114th.
89.3%
Ranked 19th. 48% more than Russia
Legislature (parliament) > People per member 229,584
Ranked 12th. 2 times more than South Africa
100,653
Ranked 34th.
Capital > Time difference UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 Plays a leading role in diplomatic and anti-poverty initiatives in Africa. Emerged from international isolation in 1994 at the end of the apartheid era
Red tape > Time required to get electricity > Days per million 1.96
Ranked 160th.
4.41
Ranked 131st. 2 times more than Russia

Legislature (parliament) > Upper house members 168
Ranked 10th. 87% more than South Africa
90
Ranked 26th.
Democracy > Female ministers 18.8%
Ranked 39th. 4 times more than South Africa
4.4%
Ranked 109th.
Legislature (parliament) > Lower house members 450
Ranked 22nd. 13% more than South Africa
400
Ranked 27th.
Leaders > Head of state > Term limit for head of state 6
Ranked 19th. 20% more than South Africa
5
Ranked 51st.
Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days 270
Ranked 179th.
600
Ranked 73th. 2 times more than Russia

Democracy > Female parliamentarians 6.4%
Ranked 124th.
29.8%
Ranked 11th. 5 times more than Russia
Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number 4
Ranked 143th.
7
Ranked 46th. 75% more than Russia

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>The leader of the ANC, Jacob Zuma, was officially chosen as the country&#039;s president by the newly-elected parliament in May 2009. </p> <p>Born to a Zulu family in 1942, Mr Zuma has spent his entire adult life since 1959 in the service of the ANC. He joined its armed wing Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1962 and was arrested the following year. He spent ten years in prison for conspiracy to overthrow the apartheid-era government. </p> <p>After his release he left South Africa and was a leading figure in the ANC abroad until he returned home in 1990 to take part in the talks that brought apartheid to an end. </p> <p>Mr Zuma was prominent in promoting the ANC among Zulus who had voted for the Inkatha Freedom Party in the first free elections in 1994, and was consistently elected to senior ANC posts. In 1999, he became the deputy president of South Africa under President Thabo Mbeki. </p> <p>Mr Zuma&#039;s standing in the country fell rapidly after he was named in a corruption case related to a controversial arms deal, and President Mbeki dismissed him from the deputy presidency in 2005. Prosecutors then brought corruption charges against him, and shortly afterwards he was charged with rape.</p> <p>He was acquitted of the rape charge the following year, and his support on the populist left of the party ensured that he was able to defeat President Mbeki in elections for the ANC leadership in December 2007.</p> <p>Election</span> <p>Mr Zuma looked set to become president of South Africa after the 2009 parliamentary elections, but the corruption allegations persisted. It was not until April 2009 - weeks before the parliamentary polls - that state prosecutors finally threw out the charges on the grounds that there had been political interference. </p> <p>The opposition said this was a technicality and that Mr Zuma ought to answer the charges in court. Nonetheless, he led the ANC to a convincing election victory and was duly inaugurated on 9 May.</p> <p>In November 2011, a man seen as a potential serious challenger for Mr Zuma&#039;s post, the firebrand ANC youth leader Julius Malema, was suspended from the governing party. He remains a thorn in Mr Zuma&#039;s side, however, and called for him to resign over the Marikana mine shooting incident in August 2012.</p> <p>In December 2012 Mr Zuma was was re-elected as ANC leader with an overwhelming majority.</p> <p>The ANC is in a formal alliance with the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), known as the Tripartite Alliance. Neither the Communist Party nor COSATU contest elections, but call on supporters to vote for the ANC. Several members of post-Apartheid governments have been members of the Communist Party, including Mr Zuma. </p>
Role of head of state Executive Executive
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ per capita 879.09$
Ranked 39th.
1,024.19$
Ranked 38th. 17% more than Russia

Start-up procedures to register a business > Number 7
Ranked 126th.
9
Ranked 86th. 29% more than Russia

Red tape > Burden of customs procedure, WEF > 1=extremely inefficient to 7=extremely efficient per million 0.0202
Ranked 138th.
0.084
Ranked 114th. 4 times more than Russia

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

Spending > Compensation of employees > Current LCU 1.61 trillion
Ranked 5th. 18 times more than South Africa
91.94 billion
Ranked 32nd.

Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > Current LCU 5.69 trillion
Ranked 4th. 13 times more than South Africa
434.22 billion
Ranked 21st.

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index > Management Index 2006 3.84
Ranked 86th.
6.93
Ranked 11th. 80% more than Russia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current US$ > Per $ GDP 0.165$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 57th.
0.202$ per $1 of GDP
Ranked 32nd. 22% more than Russia

Parliament > Seats held by women per million people 0.428
Ranked 168th.
3.48
Ranked 88th. 8 times more than Russia

Democracy > Female suffrage 1918 "1930 ,1994"
Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days 297
Ranked 15th. 4 times more than South Africa
78
Ranked 166th.

Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.251
Ranked 180th.
0.567
Ranked 166th. 2 times more than Russia

Red tape > Time required to start a business > Days per million 0.125
Ranked 174th.
0.371
Ranked 155th. 3 times more than Russia

Red tape > Time required to register property > Days per million 0.307
Ranked 164th.
0.449
Ranked 158th. 47% more than Russia

Red tape > Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.279
Ranked 159th.
0.313
Ranked 155th. 12% more than Russia

Red tape > Time required to build a warehouse > Days per million 2.18
Ranked 165th. 43% more than South Africa
1.52
Ranked 168th.

Total businesses registered > Number > Per capita 61.87 per 1,000 people
Ranked 23th. 59% more than South Africa
38.91 per 1,000 people
Ranked 31st.

Spending > Interest payments > Current LCU 155.5 billion
Ranked 13th. 3 times more than South Africa
54.62 billion
Ranked 21st.

Democracy > Bertelsmann Transformation Index>Political Transformation 5.7
Ranked 66th.
8.7
Ranked 14th. 53% more than Russia
Foreign relations > Diplomatic representation in the US > Ambassador Kislyak, Sergey Ivanovich Sergey Ivanovich Kislyak Rasool, Ebrahim Ebrahim Rasool
Country name > Former Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Union of South Africa
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ > Per capita 296.1 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 52nd.
666.86 constant 2000 US$ per c
Ranked 36th. 2 times more than Russia

Time required to build a warehouse > Days 531 days
Ranked 3rd. 3 times more than South Africa
174 days
Ranked 93th.

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population 109.21 million
Ranked 4th. 4 times more than South Africa
25.41 million
Ranked 25th.
Democracy > Female candidacy 1,918
Ranked 148th.
1,930
Ranked 121st. 1% more than Russia
Trademarks > Nonresidents > Per capita 0.049 per 1,000 people
Ranked 43th.
0.202 per 1,000 people
Ranked 52nd. 4 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Nonresidents per 1000 0.0493
Ranked 43th.
0.202
Ranked 53th. 4 times more than Russia

Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment May 25, 1992 November 19, 1992
National anthem > Name "Gimn Rossiyskoy Federatsii" (National Anthem of the Russian Federation) "National Anthem of South Africa"
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Total vote 65.37 million
Ranked 4th. 4 times more than South Africa
16.23 million
Ranked 22nd.
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Turnout 59.9
Ranked 67th.
63.9
Ranked 58th. 7% more than Russia
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> ANC-IFP is the governing coalition
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voter registration 108.07 million
Ranked 5th. 6 times more than South Africa
18.18 million
Ranked 28th.
Start-up procedures to register a business > Number > Per capita 0.049 per 1 million people
Ranked 167th.
0.19 per 1 million people
Ranked 145th. 4 times more than Russia

Time required to enforce a contract > Days 178 days
Ranked 166th.
600 days
Ranked 54th. 3 times more than Russia

Procedures to register property > Number 6
Ranked 75th. The same as South Africa
6
Ranked 73th.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number 22
Ranked 30th. 29% more than South Africa
17
Ranked 78th.

Key ministers > Defence Sergei Ivanov Mosiuoa Lekota (<a href=/encyclopedia/African-National-Congress>ANC</a>)
Trademarks > Residents 23,571
Ranked 9th. 2 times more than South Africa
10,334
Ranked 20th.

Procedures to register property > Number > Per capita 0.042 per 1 million people
Ranked 159th.
0.127 per 1 million people
Ranked 144th. 3 times more than Russia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number > Per capita 0.218 per 1 million people
Ranked 163th.
0.549 per 1 million people
Ranked 146th. 3 times more than Russia

Foreign relations > Date of recognition of State of Palestine 18 November 1988 15 February 1995
Key ministers > Transport <a href=/encyclopedia/Igor-of-Kiev>Igor</a> Levitin Jeff Radebe (<a href=/encyclopedia/African-National-Congress>ANC</a>)
Legislature (parliament) > Term of office for lower house members 5
Ranked 32nd. The same as South Africa
5
Ranked 31st.
Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 6.34%
Ranked 7th.
9.19%
Ranked 9th. 45% more than Russia
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Current LCU 3558800000000 307395000000
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX [7] (495) 728-5090 [27] (12) 342-2299
Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Invalid votes 2%
Ranked 64th. 33% more than South Africa
1.5%
Ranked 75th.
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 [1] (202) 232-4400
Democracy and rights > Last election March 2012 April 2009
Capital city > Time difference UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Parliament > Seats held by men per million people 2.73
Ranked 176th.
4.75
Ranked 161st. 74% more than Russia

Democracy > Parliamentary elections > Voting age population per 1000 755.27
Ranked 31st. 37% more than South Africa
551.03
Ranked 80th.
Spending > Goods and services expense > % of expense 13.84%
Ranked 37th. 11% more than South Africa
12.42%
Ranked 45th.

Policy uncertainty > % of managers surveyed ranking this as a major business constraint 25.84%
Ranked 14th. 44% more than South Africa
17.91%
Ranked 17th.
Spending > Compensation of employees > % of expense 18.15%
Ranked 55th. 40% more than South Africa
13.01%
Ranked 72nd.

Informal payments to public officials > % of firms 29.44%
Ranked 14th. 95% more than South Africa
15.09%
Ranked 12th.

Spending > Interest payments > % of expense 1.75%
Ranked 74th.
7.73%
Ranked 30th. 4 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Residents per million 163.86
Ranked 40th.
258.35
Ranked 46th. 58% more than Russia

Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.0421
Ranked 158th.
0.126
Ranked 143th. 3 times more than Russia

Spending > Expense > % of GDP 21.44%
Ranked 62nd.
30.94%
Ranked 36th. 44% more than Russia

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments > % 13.6%
Ranked 124th.
42.3%
Ranked 8th. 3 times more than Russia

Spending > Other expense > % of expense 7.17%
Ranked 32nd. 15% more than South Africa
6.21%
Ranked 43th.

Red tape > Time required to enforce a contract > Days per million 1.88
Ranked 184th.
11.72
Ranked 160th. 6 times more than Russia

Democracy and rights > Next election March 2018 April 2014
Spending > Subsidies and other transfers > % of expense 63.97%
Ranked 22nd. 4% more than South Africa
61.45%
Ranked 25th.

Start-up procedures to register a business > Number per million 0.0491
Ranked 166th.
0.189
Ranked 144th. 4 times more than Russia

Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 31
Ranked 91st. 19% more than South Africa
26
Ranked 122nd.

Legislature (parliament) > Total members of parliament 618
Ranked 15th. 26% more than South Africa
490
Ranked 29th.
Capital city > Note Russia is divided into 11 time zones Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Foreign relations > Diplomatic relations with Palestine Yes Yes
Time to prepare and pay taxes > Hours 256 hours
Ranked 82nd.
350 hours
Ranked 49th. 37% more than Russia

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ 42.38 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 15th. 36% more than South Africa
31.27 billion constant 2000 US$
Ranked 21st.

Procedures to build a warehouse > Number > Per capita 0.155 per 1 million people
Ranked 155th.
0.359 per 1 million people
Ranked 142nd. 2 times more than Russia

Spending > Goods and services expense > Current LCU 1.23 trillion
Ranked 3rd. 14 times more than South Africa
87.8 billion
Ranked 28th.

Trademarks > Nonresidents 7,088
Ranked 10th.
8,074
Ranked 17th. 14% more than Russia

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 1994; the anthem is a combination of "N'kosi Sikelel' iAfrica" (God Bless Africa) and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid; the official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English; the music incorporates the melody used in the Tanzanian and Zambian anthems
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 South African flag is the only national flag to display six colors as part of its primary design
Red tape > Procedures to enforce a contract > Number 36
Ranked 117th. 24% more than South Africa
29
Ranked 172nd.

Red tape > Procedures to register property > Number per million 0.0348
Ranked 177th.
0.137
Ranked 154th. 4 times more than Russia

Red tape > Management time dealing with officials > % of management time 14.7%
Ranked 1st. 2 times more than South Africa
6%
Ranked 8th.

Diplomatic representation from the US > Consulate(s) general Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX [1] (202) 298-5735 [1] (202) 265-1607
Procedures to enforce a contract > Number per million 0.218
Ranked 162nd.
0.545
Ranked 145th. 3 times more than Russia

Key ministers > Finance Aleksei Kudrin Trevor Manuel (<a href=/encyclopedia/African-National-Congress>ANC</a>)
Key ministers > Foreign affairs Sergei Lavrov Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (<a href=/encyclopedia/African-National-Congress>ANC</a>)
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant LCU 1192051000000 216992000000
General government final > Consumption expenditure > Constant 2000 US$ per capita 296.03 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 52nd.
662.47 constant 2000 US$
Ranked 36th. 2 times more than Russia

Trademarks > Residents > Per capita 0.164 per 1,000 people
Ranked 40th.
0.258 per 1,000 people
Ranked 43th. 57% more than Russia

Spending > Other expense > Current LCU 637.5 billion
Ranked 6th. 15 times more than South Africa
43.91 billion
Ranked 25th.

Time to resolve insolvency > Years 3.8 years
Ranked 51st. 90% more than South Africa
2 years
Ranked 106th.

Ruling party United Russia ANC
Procedures to build a warehouse > Number per million 0.154
Ranked 153th.
0.356
Ranked 141st. 2 times more than Russia

General government final > Consumption expenditure > Annual % growth 1.8%
Ranked 74th.
5.57%
Ranked 33th. 3 times more than Russia

Time required to register property > Days 52 days
Ranked 77th. 2 times more than South Africa
23 days
Ranked 126th.

Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general Houston, New York, San Francisco, Seattle Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Spending > Interest payments > % of revenue 1.1%
Ranked 82nd.
7.76%
Ranked 31st. 7 times more than Russia

FAX > Consulate(s) general Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

SOURCES: CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; CIA World Factbooks 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013; World Bank, Doing Business project (http://www.doingbusiness.org/).; Wikipedia: List of countries by system of government (Alphabetical list of countries); All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; 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: Bribe Payers Index; 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; IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2001. Correspondence on women in government at the ministerial level. March. Geneva; Wikipedia: Term of office (Terms of office by country); calculated on the basis of data on parliamentary seats from IPU (Inter-Parliamentary Union). 2002. Parline Database. March 2002; World 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; http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/fileadmin/pdf/BTI_2006_Ranking_GB.pdf; Wikipedia: List of ambassadors to the United States; Wikipedia: Foreign relations of Croatia; CIA World Factbook, December 2003; Economist Intelligence Unit; Wikipedia: International recognition of the State of Palestine (Diplomatic recognition); Wikipedia: List of next general elections (Africa); United Nations Statistics Division. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; 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 Bank, Enterprise Surveys (http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/).; International Monetary Fund, Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) (www.ipu.org); 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.); World Bank, Enterprise Surveys

Citation

Adblocker detected! Please consider reading this notice.

We've detected that you are using AdBlock Plus or some other adblocking software which is preventing the page from fully loading.

We don't have any banner, Flash, animation, obnoxious sound, or popup ad. We do not implement these annoying types of ads!

We need money to operate the site, and almost all of it comes from our online advertising.

Please add www.nationmaster.com to your ad blocking whitelist or disable your adblocking software.

×