Introductory material (continued 54)

Mauritania bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held April 2006); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Mauritius unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held September 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD 36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Mayotte unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election in June 2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Mexico bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote, also for three-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held 2 July 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222, PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional representation seat

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Moldova unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party - PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

Monaco unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3

Mongolia unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%, independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004 election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Montserrat unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms) note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPLM 7, NPP 2 note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21, USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48, PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Mozambique unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo 29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Namibia bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4 note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party 3, independents 15

Nepal

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA); note - Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Netherlands bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be held May 2007) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44, PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party 8, D66 6, other 5

Netherlands Antilles unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led government on 4 April 2004

New Caledonia unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 2

New Zealand unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year terms) elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later than 15 November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%, NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand 1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7, Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1 note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat than its entitlement under the party vote

Nicaragua unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance (ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%, FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN 38, PCN 1

Niger unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger 1, other 8

Nigeria bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - 3 from each state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346 seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%, ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP 27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD 34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant

Niue unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common roll and 14 are village representatives) elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Norfolk Island unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties)

Northern Mariana Islands bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Norway modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%, Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party 8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23, Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party 11, Liberal Party 10 note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house or Lagting

Oman bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: NA

Pakistan bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100 seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National Assembly (342 seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2006) election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3, PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1, BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63, PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1, PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Palau bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates - percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member elected)

Panama unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative Assembly) or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - in 2009, the number of seats will change to 71) elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, CD 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5 note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based formula

Papua New Guinea unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003; completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not later than June 2007 election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%, URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%; seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political parties is fluid (2003)

Paraguay bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held April 2008) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

Peru unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PP 26.3%, APRA 19.7%, UN 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - PP 47, APRA 28, UN 17, FIM 11, others 17

Philippines bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more than 250 members) elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP 13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas 7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was elected Vice President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in opposition; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20; party-listers 24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting representatives because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)

Pitcairn Islands unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected members serve one-year terms) elections: last held 15 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Poland bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to be held by September 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%, LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO 56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2 note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm only

Portugal unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked confidence in the four-month center-right government election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%, CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14, PP 12, BE 8

Puerto Rico bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD 40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%, PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1 note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis FORTUNO elected resident commissioner

Qatar unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members

Reunion unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to be held NA); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10, UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens 22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7 note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1

Romania bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat (137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%, PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM 48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

Russia bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently 225 seats elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held NA December 2007) election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR 11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53, LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other 7, independents 65, repeat election required 3

Rwanda unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats; members elected by direct vote) elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held Chamber of Deputies - NA 2008; Senate - NA 2011) election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF 40, PSD 7, PL 6

Saint Helena unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Saint Kitts and Nevis unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Saint Lucia bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be held in December 2006) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP 55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

Saint Pierre and Miquelon unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms) elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

San Marino unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%, PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS 15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Sao Tome and Principe unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Saudi Arabia Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Senegal unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms) note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001, had 140 seats elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia and Montenegro unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls for direct elections elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS 8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Seychelles unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%, DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11 note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the percentage that each party won of the total vote

Sierra Leone unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than 25 June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Slovakia unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU 15.1%, Smer 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12), opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union 5, and independents 10)

Slovenia bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers; it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions, and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to five-year terms by an electoral college) elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be held October 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%, ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS 4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Solomon Islands unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18

Somalia unicameral National Assembly note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye) with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

South Africa bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%; seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other 21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Spain bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE 38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC 1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress 12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%, CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU 2, CC 3, other 8

Sri Lanka unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by district to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010) election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%, UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1, EPDP 1

Sudan unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National Congress; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA) election results: NCP 355, others 5

Suriname unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%, VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23, NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3

Swaziland bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008) election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local council of each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Switzerland bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14

Syria unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Taiwan unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders) note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005 election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP 42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP 127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)

Tajikistan bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2000 for the Assembly of Representatives (next to be held NA 2010) and 23 March 2000 for the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005) election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 74%, CPT 13%, Islamic Revival Party 8%, other 5%; seats by party - PDPT 49, CPT 4, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5, vacant 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Tanzania unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal suffrage to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held 30 October 2005) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2, Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Thailand bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Togo unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held NA 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1 note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)

Tonga unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12 reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular vote; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008) election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT 70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Trinidad and Tobago bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next to be held by October 2007) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM 55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16 note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members serving four-year terms

Tunisia unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Turkey unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on 14 March 2003 election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%, DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the 10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5, vacant 1

Turkmenistan under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note - all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government

Turks and Caicos Islands unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5

Tuvalu unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Uganda unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex officio members; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006); election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Ukraine unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or more of the national electoral vote; members serve five-year terms beginning with the next election in 2006) elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%, CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%, United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14, United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15, Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004) note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since undergone a number of changes

United Arab Emirates unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms) elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is dissolved earlier) elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by May 2010) election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party - Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%; seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62, other 31; note - as of 30 September 2005 the seats by party - Labor 354, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 62, other 34 note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of 1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Uruguay bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Uzbekistan bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats; elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be held December 2009) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9, unaffiliated 10 note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language

Venezuela unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela) elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7), opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Vietnam unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the 10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3 note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M. CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%, UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%; seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP 1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Zimbabwe unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president) elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC 39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents 1

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan total population: 42.9 years male: 42.71 years female: 43.1 years (2005 est.)

Albania total population: 77.24 years male: 74.6 years female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)

Algeria total population: 73 years male: 71.45 years female: 74.63 years (2005 est.)

American Samoa total population: 75.84 years male: 72.27 years female: 79.62 years (2005 est.)

Andorra total population: 83.51 years male: 80.6 years female: 86.6 years (2005 est.)

Angola total population: 38.43 years male: 37.28 years female: 39.64 years (2005 est.)

Anguilla total population: 77.11 years male: 74.18 years female: 80.12 years (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda total population: 71.9 years male: 69.53 years female: 74.38 years (2005 est.)

Argentina total population: 75.91 years male: 72.17 years female: 79.85 years (2005 est.)

Armenia total population: 71.55 years male: 67.97 years female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)

Aruba total population: 79.14 years male: 75.8 years female: 82.65 years (2005 est.)

Australia total population: 80.39 years male: 77.52 years female: 83.4 years (2005 est.)

Austria total population: 78.92 years male: 76.03 years female: 81.96 years (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan total population: 63.35 years male: 59.24 years female: 67.66 years (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The total population: 65.54 years male: 62.11 years female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)

Bahrain total population: 74.23 years male: 71.76 years female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)

Bangladesh total population: 62.08 years male: 62.13 years female: 62.02 years (2005 est.)

Barbados total population: 72.59 years male: 70.6 years female: 74.6 years (2005 est.)

Belarus total population: 68.72 years male: 63.03 years female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)

Belgium total population: 78.62 years male: 75.44 years female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)

Belize total population: 68.44 years male: 66.54 years female: 70.44 years (2005 est.)

Benin total population: 52.66 years male: 51.53 years female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)

Bermuda total population: 77.79 years male: 75.7 years female: 79.91 years (2005 est.)

Bhutan total population: 54.39 years male: 54.65 years female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)

Bolivia total population: 65.5 years male: 62.89 years female: 68.25 years (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina total population: 77.83 years male: 74.21 years female: 81.72 years (2005 est.)

Botswana total population: 33.87 years male: 33.89 years female: 33.84 years (2005 est.)

Brazil total population: 71.69 years male: 67.74 years female: 75.85 years (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands total population: 76.49 years male: 75.41 years female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)

Brunei total population: 74.8 years male: 72.36 years female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Bulgaria total population: 72.03 years male: 68.41 years female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso total population: 48.45 years male: 46.96 years female: 49.99 years (2005 est.)

Burma total population: 60.7 years male: 57.8 years female: 63.78 years (2005 est.)

Burundi total population: 50.29 years male: 49.61 years female: 50.99 years (2005 est.)

Cambodia total population: 58.92 years male: 56.98 years female: 60.95 years (2005 est.)

Cameroon total population: 50.89 years male: 50.71 years female: 51.08 years (2005 est.)

Canada total population: 80.1 years male: 76.73 years female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Cape Verde total population: 70.45 years male: 67.13 years female: 73.86 years (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands total population: 79.95 years male: 77.33 years female: 82.6 years (2005 est.)

Central African Republic total population: 43.39 years male: 43.27 years female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Chad total population: 47.18 years male: 45.55 years female: 48.87 years (2005 est.)

Chile total population: 76.58 years male: 73.3 years female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

China total population: 72.27 years male: 70.65 years female: 74.09 years (2005 est.)

Christmas Island total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Colombia total population: 71.72 years male: 67.88 years female: 75.7 years (2005 est.)

Comoros total population: 61.96 years male: 59.65 years female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total population: 51.1 years male: 49.68 years female: 52.56 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the total population: 52.26 years male: 51.17 years female: 53.39 years (2005 est.)

Cook Islands total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Costa Rica total population: 76.84 years male: 74.26 years female: 79.55 years (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire total population: 48.62 years male: 46.05 years female: 51.27 years (2005 est.)

Croatia total population: 74.45 years male: 70.79 years female: 78.31 years (2005 est.)

Cuba total population: 77.23 years male: 74.94 years female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)

Cyprus total population: 77.65 years male: 75.29 years female: 80.13 years (2005 est.)

Czech Republic total population: 76.02 years male: 72.74 years female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)

Denmark total population: 77.62 years male: 75.34 years female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

Djibouti total population: 43.1 years male: 41.84 years female: 44.39 years (2005 est.)

Dominica total population: 74.65 years male: 71.73 years female: 77.71 years (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic total population: 71.44 years male: 69.94 years female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

East Timor total population: 65.9 years male: 63.63 years female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Ecuador total population: 76.21 years male: 73.35 years female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Egypt total population: 71 years male: 68.5 years female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

El Salvador total population: 71.22 years male: 67.61 years female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea total population: 49.7 years male: 48.01 years female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)

Eritrea total population: 58.47 years male: 56.96 years female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

Estonia total population: 71.77 years male: 66.28 years female: 77.6 years (2005 est.)

Ethiopia total population: 48.83 years male: 47.67 years female: 50.03 years (2005 est.)

European Union total population: 78.3 years male: 75.1 years female: 81.6 years (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands total population: 79.21 years male: 75.77 years female: 82.67 years (2005 est.)

Fiji total population: 69.53 years male: 67.05 years female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Finland total population: 78.35 years male: 74.82 years female: 82.02 years (2005 est.)

France total population: 79.6 years male: 75.96 years female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)

French Guiana total population: 77.09 years male: 73.77 years female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)

French Polynesia total population: 75.9 years male: 73.5 years female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)

Gabon total population: 55.02 years male: 53.63 years female: 56.45 years (2005 est.)

Gambia, The total population: 53.75 years male: 51.91 years female: 55.64 years (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip total population: 71.79 years male: 70.5 years female: 73.15 years (2005 est.)

Georgia total population: 75.88 years male: 72.59 years female: 79.67 years (2005 est.)

Germany total population: 78.65 years male: 75.66 years female: 81.81 years (2005 est.)

Ghana total population: 58.47 years male: 57.7 years female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)

Gibraltar total population: 79.67 years male: 76.8 years female: 82.7 years (2005 est.)

Greece total population: 79.09 years male: 76.59 years female: 81.76 years (2005 est.)

Greenland total population: 69.65 years male: 66.07 years female: 73.31 years (2005 est.)

Grenada total population: 64.53 years male: 62.74 years female: 66.31 years (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe total population: 77.9 years male: 74.74 years female: 81.21 years (2005 est.)

Guam total population: 78.4 years male: 75.34 years female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)

Guatemala total population: 69.06 years male: 67.37 years female: 70.84 years (2005 est.)

Guernsey total population: 80.3 years male: 77.3 years female: 83.41 years (2005 est.)

Guinea total population: 49.36 years male: 48.19 years female: 50.57 years (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau total population: 46.61 years male: 44.77 years female: 48.52 years (2005 est.)

Guyana total population: 65.5 years male: 62.86 years female: 68.28 years (2005 est.)

Haiti total population: 52.92 years male: 51.58 years female: 54.31 years (2005 est.)

Honduras total population: 69.3 years male: 67.71 years female: 70.97 years (2005 est.)

Hong Kong total population: 81.5 years male: 78.81 years female: 84.41 years (2005 est.)

Hungary total population: 72.4 years male: 68.18 years female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

Iceland total population: 80.19 years male: 78.13 years female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)

India total population: 64.35 years male: 63.57 years female: 65.16 years (2005 est.)

Indonesia total population: 69.57 years male: 67.13 years female: 72.13 years (2005 est.)

Iran total population: 69.96 years male: 68.58 years female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)

Iraq total population: 68.7 years male: 67.49 years female: 69.97 years (2005 est.)

Ireland total population: 77.56 years male: 74.95 years female: 80.34 years (2005 est.)

Israel total population: 79.32 years male: 77.21 years female: 81.55 years (2005 est.)

Italy total population: 79.68 years male: 76.75 years female: 82.81 years (2005 est.)

Jamaica total population: 73.33 years male: 71.63 years female: 75.12 years (2005 est.)

Japan total population: 81.15 years male: 77.86 years female: 84.61 years (2005 est.)

Jersey total population: 79.24 years male: 76.77 years female: 81.91 years (2005 est.)

Jordan total population: 78.24 years male: 75.75 years female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan total population: 66.55 years male: 61.21 years female: 72.2 years (2005 est.)

Kenya total population: 47.99 years male: 48.87 years female: 47.09 years (2005 est.)

Kiribati total population: 61.71 years male: 58.71 years female: 64.86 years (2005 est.)

Korea, North total population: 71.37 years male: 68.65 years female: 74.22 years (2005 est.)

Korea, South total population: 76.85 years male: 73.42 years female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)

Kuwait total population: 77.03 years male: 76.01 years female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan total population: 68.16 years male: 64.16 years female: 72.38 years (2005 est.)

Laos total population: 55.08 years male: 53.07 years female: 57.17 years (2005 est.)

Latvia total population: 71.05 years male: 65.78 years female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)

Lebanon total population: 72.63 years male: 70.17 years female: 75.21 years (2005 est.)

Lesotho total population: 34.47 years male: 35.49 years female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)

Liberia total population: 38.89 years male: 37.03 years female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Libya total population: 76.5 years male: 74.29 years female: 78.82 years (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein total population: 79.55 years male: 75.96 years female: 83.16 years (2005 est.)

Lithuania total population: 73.97 years male: 68.94 years female: 79.28 years (2005 est.)

Luxembourg total population: 78.74 years male: 75.45 years female: 82.24 years (2005 est.)

Macau total population: 82.12 years male: 79.29 years female: 85.09 years (2005 est.)

Macedonia total population: 73.73 years male: 71.28 years female: 76.37 years (2005 est.)

Madagascar total population: 56.95 years male: 54.57 years female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)

Malawi total population: 41.43 years male: 41.66 years female: 41.2 years (2005 est.)

Malaysia total population: 72.24 years male: 69.56 years female: 75.11 years (2005 est.)

Maldives total population: 64.06 years male: 62.76 years female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)

Mali total population: 48.64 years male: 46.68 years female: 50.66 years (2005 est.)

Malta total population: 78.86 years male: 76.7 years female: 81.15 years (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of total population: 78.34 years male: 74.98 years female: 81.87 years (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands total population: 70.01 years male: 68.05 years female: 72.06 years (2005 est.)

Martinique total population: 79.04 years male: 79.43 years female: 78.64 years (2005 est.)

Mauritania total population: 52.73 years male: 50.52 years female: 55 years (2005 est.)

Mauritius total population: 72.38 years male: 68.4 years female: 76.41 years (2005 est.)

Mayotte total population: 61.39 years male: 59.22 years female: 63.62 years (2005 est.)

Mexico total population: 75.19 years male: 72.42 years female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of total population: 69.75 years male: 67.96 years female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

Moldova total population: 65.18 years male: 61.12 years female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)

Monaco total population: 79.57 years male: 75.7 years female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Mongolia total population: 64.52 years male: 62.3 years female: 66.86 years (2005 est.)

Montserrat total population: 78.71 years male: 76.54 years female: 80.98 years (2005 est.)

Morocco total population: 70.66 years male: 68.35 years female: 73.07 years (2005 est.)

Mozambique total population: 40.32 years male: 39.9 years female: 40.75 years (2005 est.)

Namibia total population: 43.93 years male: 44.71 years female: 43.13 years (2005 est.)

Nauru total population: 62.73 years male: 59.16 years female: 66.48 years (2005 est.)

Nepal total population: 59.8 years male: 60.09 years female: 59.5 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands total population: 78.81 years male: 76.25 years female: 81.51 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles total population: 75.83 years male: 73.58 years female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)

New Caledonia total population: 74.04 years male: 71.07 years female: 77.16 years (2005 est.)

New Zealand total population: 78.66 years male: 75.67 years female: 81.78 years (2005 est.)

Nicaragua total population: 70.33 years male: 68.27 years female: 72.49 years (2005 est.)

Niger total population: 43.5 years male: 43.54 years female: 43.45 years (2005 est.)

Nigeria total population: 46.74 years male: 46.21 years female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)

Niue total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Norfolk Island total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands total population: 75.88 years male: 73.31 years female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)

Norway total population: 79.4 years male: 76.78 years female: 82.17 years (2005 est.)

Oman total population: 73.13 years male: 70.92 years female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)

Pakistan total population: 63 years male: 62.04 years female: 64.01 years (2005 est.)

Palau total population: 70.14 years male: 66.98 years female: 73.48 years (2005 est.)

Panama total population: 75.25 years male: 72.68 years female: 77.93 years (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea total population: 64.93 years male: 62.76 years female: 67.21 years (2005 est.)

Paraguay total population: 74.89 years male: 72.35 years female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Peru total population: 69.53 years male: 67.77 years female: 71.37 years (2005 est.)

Philippines total population: 69.91 years male: 67.03 years female: 72.92 years (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Poland total population: 74.74 years male: 70.71 years female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)

Portugal total population: 77.53 years male: 74.25 years female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico total population: 78.29 years male: 74.35 years female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

Qatar total population: 73.67 years male: 71.15 years female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)

Reunion total population: 73.95 years male: 70.55 years female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)

Romania total population: 71.35 years male: 67.86 years female: 75.06 years (2005 est.)

Russia total population: 67.1 years male: 60.55 years female: 74.04 years (2005 est.)

Rwanda total population: 46.96 years male: 45.92 years female: 48.03 years (2005 est.)

Saint Helena total population: 77.76 years male: 74.86 years female: 80.81 years (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis total population: 72.15 years male: 69.31 years female: 75.16 years (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia total population: 73.61 years male: 70.05 years female: 77.42 years (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total population: 78.46 years male: 76.13 years female: 80.9 years (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines total population: 73.62 years male: 71.78 years female: 75.51 years (2005 est.)

Samoa total population: 70.72 years male: 67.93 years female: 73.65 years (2005 est.)

San Marino total population: 81.62 years male: 78.13 years female: 85.43 years (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe total population: 66.99 years male: 65.43 years female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia total population: 75.46 years male: 73.46 years female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Senegal total population: 58.9 years male: 57.37 years female: 60.47 years (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro total population: 74.73 years male: 72.15 years female: 77.51 years (2005 est.)

Seychelles total population: 71.82 years male: 66.41 years female: 77.4 years (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone total population: 39.87 years male: 37.74 years female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)

Singapore total population: 81.62 years male: 79.05 years female: 84.39 years (2005 est.)

Slovakia total population: 74.5 years male: 70.52 years female: 78.68 years (2005 est.)

Slovenia total population: 76.14 years male: 72.42 years female: 80.1 years (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands total population: 72.66 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)

Somalia total population: 48.09 years male: 46.36 years female: 49.87 years (2005 est.)

South Africa total population: 43.27 years male: 43.47 years female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)

Spain total population: 79.52 years male: 76.18 years female: 83.08 years (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka total population: 73.17 years male: 70.6 years female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)

Sudan total population: 58.54 years male: 57.33 years female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)

Suriname total population: 68.96 years male: 66.75 years female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

Svalbard total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Swaziland total population: 33.22 years male: 32.49 years female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)

Sweden total population: 80.4 years male: 78.19 years female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

Switzerland total population: 80.39 years male: 77.58 years female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)

Syria total population: 70.03 years male: 68.75 years female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)

Taiwan total population: 77.26 years male: 74.49 years female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)

Tajikistan total population: 64.56 years male: 61.68 years female: 67.59 years (2005 est.)

Tanzania total population: 45.24 years male: 44.56 years female: 45.94 years (2005 est.)

Thailand total population: 71.95 years male: 69.65 years female: 74.37 years (2005 est.)

Togo total population: 57.01 years male: 55.02 years female: 59.06 years (2005 est.)

Tokelau total population: NA male: -9 years female: -9 years (2005 est.)

Tonga total population: 69.53 years male: 67.05 years female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago total population: 66.73 years male: 65.6 years female: 67.91 years (2005 est.)

Tunisia total population: 74.89 years male: 73.2 years female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)

Turkey total population: 72.36 years male: 69.94 years female: 74.91 years (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan total population: 61.39 years male: 58.02 years female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands total population: 74.51 years male: 72.28 years female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)

Tuvalu total population: 68.01 years male: 65.79 years female: 70.33 years (2005 est.)

Uganda total population: 51.59 years male: 50.74 years female: 52.46 years (2005 est.)

Ukraine total population: 69.68 years male: 64.39 years female: 75.31 years (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates total population: 75.24 years male: 72.73 years female: 77.87 years (2005 est.)

United Kingdom total population: 78.38 years male: 75.94 years female: 80.96 years (2005 est.)

United States total population: 77.71 years male: 74.89 years female: 80.67 years (2005 est.)

Uruguay total population: 76.13 years male: 72.92 years female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan total population: 64.19 years male: 60.82 years female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)

Vanuatu total population: 62.49 years male: 61 years female: 64.05 years (2005 est.)

Venezuela total population: 74.31 years male: 71.27 years female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)

Vietnam total population: 70.61 years male: 67.82 years female: 73.6 years (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands total population: 78.91 years male: 75.08 years female: 82.96 years (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

West Bank total population: 73.08 years male: 71.33 years female: 74.95 years (2005 est.)

Western Sahara total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

World total population: 64.33 years male: 62.73 years female: 66.04 years (2005 est.)

Yemen total population: 61.75 years male: 59.89 years female: 63.71 years (2005 est.)

Zambia total population: 39.7 years male: 39.43 years female: 39.98 years (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe total population: 39.13 years male: 40.2 years female: 38.03 years (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 36% male: 51% female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 93.3% female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70% male: 78.8% female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA% female: NA%

Angola definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.8% male: 82.1% female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Anguilla definition: age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of schooling total population: 89% male: 90% female: 88% (1960 est.)

Argentina definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 97.1% female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.4% female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba definition: total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%

Australia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.)

Austria definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%

Azerbaijan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.8% male: 99.5% female: 98.2% (1999 est.)

Bahamas, The definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.6% male: 94.7% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89.1% male: 91.9% female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 43.1% male: 53.9% female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Belarus definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.8% female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA%

Belize definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.1% male: 94.1% female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 33.6% male: 46.4% female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Bermuda definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1970 est.)

Bhutan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Bolivia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.2% male: 93.1% female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.6% male: 98.4% female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Botswana definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.8% male: 76.9% female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 86.4% male: 86.1% female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Brunei definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.4% (2002)

Bulgaria definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99.1% female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 26.6% male: 36.9% female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.3% male: 89.2% female: 81.4% (2002)

Burundi definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.6% male: 58.5% female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 73.6% male: 84.7% female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79% male: 84.7% female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% (1986 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Cape Verde definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.6% male: 85.8% female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic total population: 47.5% male: 56% female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.4% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.9% male: 95.1% female: 86.5% (2002)

Christmas Island NA

Colombia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 92.4% female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 56.5% male: 63.6% female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba total population: 65.5% male: 76.2% female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Costa Rica definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96% male: 95.9% female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50.9% male: 57.9% female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.5% male: 99.4% female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97.2% female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

Cyprus definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.6% male: 98.9% female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic definition: NA total population: 99.9% (1999 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Denmark definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Djibouti definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 67.9% male: 78% female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 94% male: 94% female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.7% male: 84.6% female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

East Timor definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% (2002)

Ecuador definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 94% female: 91% (2003 est.)

Egypt definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.7% male: 68.3% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 80.2% male: 82.8% female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.7% male: 93.3% female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.7% male: 50.3% female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably the same as Denmark proper

Fiji definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 95.5% female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% (2000 est.) male: 100% female: 100%

France definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)

French Guiana definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83% male: 84% female: 82% (1982 est.)

French Polynesia definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 63.2% male: 73.7% female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.1% male: 47.8% female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.9% male: 96.3% female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Georgia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 100% female: 98% (1999 est.)

Germany definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Ghana definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 74.8% male: 82.7% female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA%

Greece definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.5% male: 98.6% female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Greenland definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Grenada definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Guadeloupe definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.)

Guam definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.6% male: 78% female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Guernsey definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Guinea definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 35.9% male: 49.9% female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Guinea-Bissau definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.4% male: 58.1% female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98.8% male: 99.1% female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.9% male: 54.8% female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City) definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Honduras definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 76.2% male: 76.1% female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 93.5% male: 96.9% female: 89.6% (2002)

Hungary definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.4% male: 99.5% female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.9% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

India definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 59.5% male: 70.2% female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.9% male: 92.5% female: 83.4% (2002 est.)

Iran definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 79.4% male: 85.6% female: 73% (2003 est.)

Iraq definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 40.4% male: 55.9% female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Ireland definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% (1981 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Israel definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 95.4% male: 97.3% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Italy definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.6% male: 99% female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Jamaica definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 87.9% male: 84.1% female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2002)

Jersey definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Jordan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.3% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 99.1% female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Kenya definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.1% male: 90.6% female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Korea, North definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%

Korea, South definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.9% male: 99.2% female: 96.6% (2002)

Kuwait definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 85.1% female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.3% female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Laos definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.4% male: 77.4% female: 55.5% (2002)

Latvia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 93.1% female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 84.8% male: 74.5% female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.5% male: 73.3% female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Libya definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 82.6% male: 92.4% female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Lithuania definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.6% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 94.5% male: 97.2% female: 92% (2003 est.)

Macedonia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Madagascar definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 68.9% male: 75.5% female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.7% male: 76.1% female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 92% female: 85.4% (2002)

Maldives definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.2% male: 97.1% female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Mali definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 46.4% male: 53.5% female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Marshall Islands definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)