diff --git a/africa/ao.json b/africa/ao.json index 1985cc4b..1a839551 100644 --- a/africa/ao.json +++ b/africa/ao.json @@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Joaquim do Espirito SANTO (since 16 September 2019)" + "text": "Appointed Ambassador Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos VAN-DÚNEM (since 2 June 2023)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2100-2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009" diff --git a/africa/bc.json b/africa/bc.json index 7450c2a6..11fce378 100644 --- a/africa/bc.json +++ b/africa/bc.json @@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ "text": "President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018); " + "text": "President Mokgweetse Eric MASISI (since 1 April 2018); Vice President Slumber TSOGWANE (since 4 April 2018);" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president" @@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ "text": "president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 October 2019 (next to be held in 2024 October); vice president appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA (since 1 April 2008) stepped down on 1 April 2018 having completed the constitutionally mandated 10-year term limit; upon his retirement, then Vice President MASISI became president; national elections held on 23 October 2019 gave MASISI'S BPD 38 seats in the National Assembly which then selected MASISI as President (2019)" + "text": "
2019: President Seretse Khama Ian KHAMA, who had served as president since 1 April 2008, stepped down on 1 April 2018 having completed the constitutionally mandated 10-year term limit; upon his retirement, then Vice President MASISI became president; national elections held on 23 October 2019 gave MASISI'S BPD 38 seats in the National Assembly which then selected MASISI as President" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/bn.json b/africa/bn.json index 4916dc0b..60a757b1 100644 --- a/africa/bn.json +++ b/africa/bn.json @@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Patrice TALON elected to a second term; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.4%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.3%, other 2.3% (2021)" + "text": "

2021: Patrice TALON elected to a second term; percent of vote - Patrice TALON (independent) 86.4%, Alassane SOUMANOU (FCBE) 11.3%, other 2.3%

2016: Patrice TALON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Lionel ZINSOU (FCBE) 28.4%, Patrice TALON (independent) 24.8%, Sebastien AJAVON (independent) 23.%, Abdoulaye Bio TCHANE (ABT) 8.8%, Pascal KOUPAKI (NC) 5.9%, other 9.1%; percent of vote in second round - Patrice TALON 65.4%, Lionel ZINSOU 34.6% 

(2021)" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Jean Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador Jean-Claude Felix DO REGO (since 17 July 2020)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008" diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index 1a9bf395..41b047d9 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ "text": "President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)
" + "text": "President Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (since 18 June 2020); Vice President Prosper BAZOMBANZA (since 24 June 2020); Prime Minister Gervais NDIRAKOBUCA (since 7 September 2022)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by president" @@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2027); vice presidents nominated by the president, endorsed by Parliament; note - a 2018 constitutional referendum effective for the 2020 election, increased the presidential term from 5 to 7 years with a 2-consecutive-term limit, reinstated the position of the prime minister position, and reduced the number of vice presidents from 2 to 1" }, "election results": { - "text": "2020: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, OTHER 1.6%" + "text": "

2020: Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE elected president; percent of vote - Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE (CNDD-FDD) 71.5%, Agathon RWASA (CNL) 25.2%, Gaston SINDIMWO (UPRONA) 1.7%, other 1.6%

2015: Pierre NKURUNZIZA reelected president; percent of vote - Pierre NKURUNZIZA (CNDD-FDD) 69.4%, Agathon RWASA (Hope of Burundians - Amizerio y'ABARUNDI) 19%, other 11.6%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ "text": "
Senate - last held on 20 July 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
National Assembly - last held on 20 May 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 87.2%, Twa 7.7%, CNL 2.6%, UPRONA 2.6%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 34, CNL 1, UPRONA 1, Twa 3; composition - men 23, women 16, percent of women 37.2%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CNDD-FDD 70.9%, CNL 23.4%, UPRONA 2.5%, other (co-opted Twa) 3.2%; seats by party - CNDD-FDD 86, CNL 32, UPRONA 2, Twa 3; composition - men 76, women 47, percent of women 38.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 38%

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ "text": "approximately 25-30,000 active-duty troops, the majority of which are ground forces (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FDN has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern secondhand equipment from such countries as China, South Africa, and the US (2022)" + "text": "the FDN has a mix of mostly older weapons and equipment typically of French, Russian, and Soviet origin, and a smaller selection of more modern secondhand equipment from such countries as China, South Africa, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service (2022)" diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index e0baab07..3c372695 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ "text": "limited and varied information; estimated to have up to 35,000 active ANT personnel (25-30,000 Ground Forces; 300 Air Force; approximately 5,000 GDSSIE); approximately 5,000 National Gendarmerie; approximately 3,000 Nomadic Guard (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the ANT is mostly armed with older or secondhand equipment from Belgium, France, Russia, and the former Soviet Union; in recent years it has received equipment, including donations, from other countries, including China, Italy, Ukraine, and the US    (2022)" + "text": "the ANT is mostly armed with older or secondhand equipment from Belgium, France, Russia, and the former Soviet Union; in recent years it has received equipment, including donations, from other countries, including China, Turkey, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "20 is the legal minimum age for compulsory military service for men with an 18-36 month service obligation (information varies); women are subject to 12 months of compulsory military or civic service at age 21; 18-35 for voluntary service; soldiers released from active duty are in the reserves until the age of 50 (2023)" @@ -1198,7 +1198,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "490,986 (Sudan) (includes refugees since 15 April 2023), 125,423 (Central African Republic), 28,256 (Cameroon), 20,951 (Nigeria) (2023)" + "text": "490,986 (Sudan) (includes refugees since 15 April 2023), 126,252 (Central African Republic), 28,256 (Cameroon), 20,951 (Nigeria) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "381,289 (majority are in the east) (2023)" diff --git a/africa/cf.json b/africa/cf.json index 71382a58..e1b54423 100644 --- a/africa/cf.json +++ b/africa/cf.json @@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ "text": "President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (since 25 October 1997)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 24 April 2016); note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister (2019)" + "text": "Prime Minister Clement MOUAMBA (since 24 April 2016); note - a constitutional referendum held in 2015 approved the change of the head of government from the president to the prime minister" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president" @@ -602,18 +602,18 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for 2 additional terms); election last held on 21 March 2021 (next to be held on 21 March 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, other 3.6%  (2021)" + "text": "

2021: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 88.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 8.0%, other 3.6%

2016: Denis SASSOU-Nguesso reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Denis SASSOU-Nguesso (PCT) 60.4%, Guy Price Parfait KOLELAS (MCDDI) 15.1%, Jean-Marie MOKOKO (independent) 13.9%, Pascal Tsaty MABIALA (UPADS) 4.4%, other 6.2% 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parliament consists of:
Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by local, district, and regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms) note- the Senate is renewed in its entirety following a constitutional reform implemented in 2015 ending the renewal by half
National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms) (2022)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parliament consists of:
Senate (72 seats; members indirectly elected by local, district, and regional councils by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms) note- the Senate is renewed in its entirety following a constitutional reform implemented in 2015 ending the renewal by half
National Assembly (151 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": " 
Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 (next to be held in 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 10 and 31 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027) (2022)" + "text": " 
Senate - last held on 31 August 2017 (next to be held in 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 10 and 31 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 112, UPADS 7, UDH-YUKI 7, MAR 4, RLP 2, CLUB 2002 2, DRR 2, RDPS 2, PAC 1, MSD 1, MDP 1, CPR 1, PPRD 1, CR 1, MCDDI 1, independent 6; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 96, UPADS 8, MCDDI 4, other 23 (less than 4 seats) independent 20; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9% (2022)" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 46, independent 12, MAR 2, RDPS 2, UPADS 2, DRD 1, FP 1, MCDDI 1, PRL 1, Pulp 1, PUR 1, RC 1; composition - men 58, women 14, percent of women 19.4%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PCT 112, UPADS 7, UDH-YUKI 7, MAR 4, RLP 2, CLUB 2002 2, DRR 2, RDPS 2, PAC 1, MSD 1, MDP 1, CPR 1, PPRD 1, CR 1, MCDDI 1, independent 6; composition - men 134, women 17, percent of women 11.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 13.9%


 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ "text": "approximately 12,000 active duty troops (8,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 Gendarmerie) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAC has mostly Soviet-era armaments, with a smaller mix of French and South African equipment  (2022)" + "text": "the FAC has mostly Soviet-era armaments, with a small mix of French and South African equipment (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription ended in 1969 (2021)" diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index 31f8a996..65a35694 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -616,18 +616,18 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 30 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2023); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "2018: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities (2018)" + "text": "

2018: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities

2011: Joseph KABILA reelected president; percent of vote - Joseph KABILA (PPRD) 49%, Etienne TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 32.3%, other 18.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate (109 seats; 109 members to include 108 indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and a former president, appointed for life)

National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate (109 seats; 109 members to include 108 indirectly elected by provincial assemblies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and a former president, appointed for life)

National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

 

" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 14 March 2019
National Assembly - last held on 30 December 2018 (first round), with a second round on 31 March 2019" + "text": "

Senate - last held on 14 March 2019
National Assembly - last held on 30 December 2018 (first round), with a second round on 31 March 2019

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, other 18, independent 26; composition as of 2022 - men 83, women 26, percent of women 23.9%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition as of 2022 - men 436, women 64, percent of women 12.8%; total Parliament percent of women 14.8%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 22, MLC 14, FR 7, RCD 7, PDC 6, CDC 3, MSR 3, PALU 2, other 18, independent 26; composition as of 2022 - men 83, women 26, percent of women 23.9%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPRD 62, UDPS 41, PPPD 29, MSR 27, MLC 22, PALU 19, UNC 17, ARC 16, AFDC 15, ECT 11, RRC 11, other 214 (includes numerous political parties that won 10 or fewer seats and 2 constituencies where voting was halted), independent 16; composition as of 2022 - men 436, women 64, percent of women 12.8%; total Parliament percent of women 14.8%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1267,7 +1267,7 @@ "text": "limited and widely varied information; approximately 100,000 active troops (mostly Army, but includes several thousand Navy and Air Force personnel, as well as about 10,000 Republican Guard; note -  Navy personnel includes naval infantry) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era weapons systems and equipment (2022)" + "text": "the FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era weapons systems and equipment (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men; it is unclear how much conscription is used (2023)", diff --git a/africa/cm.json b/africa/cm.json index 53bf0f99..7c08d4b4 100644 --- a/africa/cm.json +++ b/africa/cm.json @@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 7 October 2018 (next to be held in October 2025); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% (2018)" + "text": "2018: Paul BIYA reelected president; percent of vote - Paul BIYA (CPDM) 71.3%, Maurice KAMTO (MRC) 14.2%, Cabral LIBII (Univers) 6.3%, other 8.2% (2018)" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ "note": "note: Cameroon has committed approximately 2,000-2,500 troops to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram and other terrorist groups operating in the general area of the Lake Chad Basin and along Nigeria's northeast border; national MNJTF troop contingents are deployed within their own country territories, although cross‐border operations occur occasionally" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the FAC is a professional and politically independent military; the Army and the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) are well-organized and mobile; the Army has 4 motorized infantry brigades spread amongst 5 military regions; the US-trained, 5,000-man BIR has up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of airborne, air mobile, amphibious, light, and motorized infantry, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and support units, such as artillery and intelligence; the BIR reportedly receives better training, equipment, and pay than regular Army units

the ground forces are largely focused on internal security, particularly the threat from the terrorist group Boko Haram along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions (as of 2023, this conflict had left more than 3,500 civilians dead and over 500,000 people displaced since fighting started in 2016); in addition, the FAC often deploys ground units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits; the Navy’s missions include protecting Cameroon’s oil installations, combatting crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and patrolling the country’s lakes and rivers; the Air Force supports both the ground and naval forces and has small numbers of light ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as attack, multipurpose, and transport helicopters (2023)" + "text": "the FAC is a professional and politically independent military; the Army and the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) are organized and equipped for mobile operations; the Army has 4 motorized infantry brigades spread amongst 5 military regions; the US-trained, 5,000-man BIR has up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups consisting of airborne, air mobile, amphibious, light, and motorized infantry, armored reconnaissance, counterterrorism, and support units, such as artillery and intelligence; the BIR reportedly receives better training, equipment, and pay than regular Army units

the ground forces are largely focused on internal security, particularly the threat from the terrorist group Boko Haram along its frontiers with Nigeria and Chad (Far North region) and an insurgency from armed Anglophone separatist groups in the North-West and South-West regions (as of 2023, this conflict had left more than 3,500 civilians dead and over 500,000 people displaced since fighting started in 2016); in addition, the FAC often deploys ground units to the border region with the Central African Republic to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits; the Navy’s missions include protecting Cameroon’s oil installations, combatting crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and patrolling the country’s lakes and rivers; the Air Force supports both the ground and naval forces and has small numbers of light ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as attack, multipurpose, and transport helicopters (2023)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reports incidents appear to have stopped in the territorial and offshore waters of Cameroon; the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; past incidents have been reported where vessels were attacked and crews kidnapped; these incidents showed that the pirates / robbers in the area are well armed and violent; pirates have robbed vessels and kidnapped crews for ransom; in the past, product tankers were hijacked and cargo stolen; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2023-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 3 January 2023, which states in part, \"Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea\"" diff --git a/africa/cn.json b/africa/cn.json index a7e474f4..e0566355 100644 --- a/africa/cn.json +++ b/africa/cn.json @@ -1095,7 +1095,7 @@ "text": "estimated 600 Defense Force personnel; estimated 500 Federal Police (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the defense forces are lightly armed with a mix of mostly older equipment from a variety of countries, including France, Italy, Russia, and the US (2022)" + "text": "the defense forces are lightly armed with a mix of mostly older equipment originating from several countries, including France, Italy, Russia, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for 2-year voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2021)" diff --git a/africa/ct.json b/africa/ct.json index 96708bee..75ebcff9 100644 --- a/africa/ct.json +++ b/africa/ct.json @@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ "text": "information varies; approximately 8,000 FACA troops; up to 2,000 Gendarmerie; approximately 2,000 Mixed Special Security Units (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FACA is lightly armed; most of the military's heavy weapons and equipment were destroyed or captured during the 2012–2014 civil war; prior to the war, most of its equipment was of French, Russian, or Soviet origin; in recent years, it has received small amounts of secondhand equipment from China, Russia, and Ukraine (2022)", + "text": "the FACA is lightly armed; most of the military's heavy weapons and equipment were destroyed or captured during the 2012–2014 civil war; prior to the war, most of its equipment was of French, Russian, or Soviet origin; in recent years, it has received small amounts of secondhand equipment from China and Russia (2023)", "note": "note: since 2013, CAR has been under a UNSC arms embargo; the embargo bans all supplies of arms and related materiel to the country except to the CAR security forces if approved in advance by the relevant UN Sanctions Committee" }, "Military service age and obligation": { diff --git a/africa/cv.json b/africa/cv.json index 28d0b707..8160acce 100644 --- a/africa/cv.json +++ b/africa/cv.json @@ -527,22 +527,21 @@ "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 October 2021 (next to be held in October 2026); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president (2021)" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 October 2021 (next to be held in October 2026); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "election results: 2020: Jose Maria NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (Independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (Independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4%

election results: 2015: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3% (2021)" - }, - "note": "African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (APICV)
Movement for Democracy (MFD)" + "text": "

2020: Jose Maria NEVES elected president; percent of vote - Jose Maria NEVES (PAICV) 51.7%, Carlos VEIGA (MPD) 42.4%, Casimiro DE PINA (Independent) 1.8%, Fernando Rocha DELGADO (Independent) 1.4%, Helio SANCHES (independent) 1.14%, Gilson ALVES (independent) 0.8%, Joaquim MONTEIRO (independent) 3.4%

2015: Jorge Carlos FONSECA reelected president; percent of vote - Jorge Carlos FONSECA (MPD) 74.1%, Albertino GRACA (independent) 22.5%, other 3%

" + } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 18 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026) (2021)" + "text": "last held on 18 April 2021 (next to be held in April 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party MPD 50.2%, PAICV 39.6%, UCID 9.0%; seats by party - MPD 38, PAICV 30, UCID 4; composition - men 44, women 28, percent of women 37.5% (2021)" + "text": "percent of vote by party MPD 50.2%, PAICV 39.6%, UCID 9.0%; seats by party - MPD 38, PAICV 30, UCID 4; composition - men 44, women 28, percent of women 37.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -1141,7 +1140,7 @@ "text": "approximately 1,200 personnel including about 100 in the Coast Guard (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2022)" + "text": "the FACV has a limited amount of mostly dated and second-hand equipment, largely from China, some European countries, and the former Soviet Union (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-35 years of age for male and female selective compulsory military service; 24-month conscript service obligation; 17 years of age for voluntary service (with parental consent) (2023)" diff --git a/africa/dj.json b/africa/dj.json index 7d18be2b..9a2e3bb8 100644 --- a/africa/dj.json +++ b/africa/dj.json @@ -1152,7 +1152,7 @@ "text": "approximately 10,000 active troops (8,000 Army; 250 Naval; 250 Air; 1,500 Gendarmerie) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAD's inventory includes mostly older French and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years it has received limited amounts of mostly secondhand equipment from a variety of other countries, including China and the US  (2022)" + "text": "the FAD's inventory includes mostly older French and Soviet-era weapons systems, although in recent years it has received limited amounts of more modern, but largely secondhand equipment from a variety of other countries, including China, the Netherlands, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 16-25 years of age for voluntary military training; no conscription (2021)" diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index 4b2606c5..7cdee71b 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ "text": "information varies; approximately 450,000 active duty personnel (325,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 30,000 Air Force; 75,000 Air Defense Command); approximately 300,000 Central Security Forces personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the EAF's inventory is comprised of a mix of domestically produced, imported Soviet-era, and more modern, particularly Western, weapons systems; in recent years, the EAF has embarked on an extensive equipment modernization program with significant purchases from foreign suppliers; in recent years, major suppliers have included France, Russia, and the US; Egypt has an established defense industry that produces a range of products from small arms to armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also has licensed and co-production agreements with several countries, including the US (2022)" + "text": "the EAF's inventory is comprised of a mix of domestically produced, Soviet-era, and more modern, particularly Western, weapons systems; in recent years, the EAF has embarked on an extensive equipment modernization program with significant purchases from foreign suppliers; major suppliers have included France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the US; Egypt has an established defense industry that produces a range of products from small arms to armored vehicles and naval vessels; it also has licensed and co-production agreements with several countries, including the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "voluntary enlistment possible from age 16 for men and women; 18-30 years of age for conscript service for men; service obligation 14-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; active service length depends on education; high school drop-outs serve for the full 36 months, while college graduates serve for lesser periods of time, depending on their education (2023)", @@ -1283,7 +1283,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "70,021 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (mid-year 2022); 145,157 (Syria), 52,446 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,970 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 21,105 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,585 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 10,025 (Yemen) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,815 (Iraq) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,802 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022); 164,000 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023) (2023)" + "text": "70,021 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (mid-year 2022); 52,446 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,970 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 21,105 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 15,585 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 10,025 (Yemen) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,815 (Iraq) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,802 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022); 164,000 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 147,401 (Syria), (2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "10 (2022)" diff --git a/africa/ek.json b/africa/ek.json index 39299e95..7a26e021 100644 --- a/africa/ek.json +++ b/africa/ek.json @@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ "animal contact diseases": { "text": "rabies" }, - "note": "note: on 27 March 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for Equatorial Guinea for an outbreak of Marburg virus disease; Marburg is a viral hemorrhagic fever spread by contact with blood or body fluids of a person infected with or who has died from Marburg; it is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as clothing, bedding, needles, and medical equipment) or by contact with animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates, who are infected with Marburg virus; infection with Marburg virus is often fatal and there are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg; avoid non-essential travel to the provinces where the outbreak is occurring; watch your health for symptoms of Marburg while in the outbreak area and for 21 days after leaving the outbreak area; consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices for additional guidance (see attached map)" + "note": "note: on 27 March 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for Equatorial Guinea for an outbreak of Marburg virus disease; Marburg is a viral hemorrhagic fever spread by contact with blood or body fluids of a person infected with or who has died from Marburg; it is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as clothing, bedding, needles, and medical equipment) or by contact with animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates, who are infected with Marburg virus; infection with Marburg virus is often fatal and there are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg; avoid non-essential travel to mainland Equatorial Guinea; watch your health for symptoms of Marburg while in the outbreak area and for 21 days after leaving the outbreak area; consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices for additional guidance (see attached map)" }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "8% (2016)" @@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); Vice President Teodoro Nguema OBIANG Mangue (since 2012)" + "text": "President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup); First Vice President Teodoro Nguema OBIANG Mangue (since 20 November 2022)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Manuela ROKA Botey (since 1 February 2023); First Deputy Prime Minister Clemente Engonga NGUEMA Onguene (since 23 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Angel MESIE Mibuy (since 5 February 2018); Third Deputy Prime Minister Alfonso Nsue MOKUY (since 23 June 2016)" @@ -530,12 +530,12 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 November 2022 (next to be held in 2029); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5% (2016)" + "text": "Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo reelected president; percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG Nguema Mbasogo (PDGE) 93.5%, other 6.5%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of:
Senate or Senado (70 seats statutory, 72 seats for current term; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, 15 appointed by the president, and 2 ex-officio)
Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral National Assembly or Asemblea Nacional consists of:
Senate or Senado (70 seats statutory, 72 seats for current term; 55 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, 15 appointed by the president, and 2 ex-officio)

Chamber of Deputies or Camara de los Diputados (100 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held on 19 January 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 19 January 2023 (next to be held in 2028)" @@ -1116,7 +1116,7 @@ "text": "approximately 1,500 active duty troops; approximately 500 Gendarmerie (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAGE is armed with mostly older (typically Soviet-era) and second-hand weapons systems; in recent years, it has sought to modernize its naval inventory with purchases of vessels from several countries, including Bulgaria and Israel (2022)" + "text": "the FAGE is armed with mostly older (typically Soviet-era) and second-hand weapons systems; in recent years, it has sought to modernize its naval inventory with purchases of vessels from several countries, including Bulgaria and Israel; China and Russia have also supplied small amounts of equipment to the FAGE (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for selective compulsory military service, although conscription is rare in practice; 24-month service obligation (2023)" diff --git a/africa/ga.json b/africa/ga.json index 098a611a..65d01756 100644 --- a/africa/ga.json +++ b/africa/ga.json @@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 4 December 2021 (next to be held in 2026); vice president appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (National People's Party) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (United Democratic Party) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC)12.3%, Halifa SALLAH (PDOIS) 3.8%, Essa M. FAAL (Independent) 2%, Abdoulie Ebrima JAMMEH (NUP) 1% (2021)" + "text": "

2021: Adama BARROW reelected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (National People's Party) 53.2%, Ousainou DARBOE (United Democratic Party) 27.7%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC)12.3%, Halifa SALLAH (PDOIS) 3.8%, Essa M. FAAL (Independent) 2%, Abdoulie Ebrima JAMMEH (NUP) 1%

2016: Adama BARROW elected president; percent of vote - Adama BARROW (Coalition 2016) 43.3%, Yahya JAMMEH (APRC) 39.6%, Mamma KANDEH (GDC) 17.1% 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index 5b9d8009..737aa4f2 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009)

Vice President Rose Christiane Ossouka RAPONDA (since 9 January 2023)" + "text": "President Ali BONGO Ondimba (since 16 October 2009); Vice President Rose Christiane Ossouka RAPONDA (since 9 January 2023)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Alain Claude BILIE-BY-NZE (since 9 January 2023)" @@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 7-year term (no term limits); election last held on 27 August 2016 (next to be held in August 2023); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0% (2016)" + "text": "

2016: Ali BONGO Ondimba reelected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 49.8%, Jean PING (UFC) 48.2%, other 2.0%

2009: Ali BONGO Ondimba elected president; percent of vote - Ali BONGO Ondimba (PDG) 41.7%, Andre MBA OBAME (independent) 25.9%, Pierre MAMBOUNDOU (UPG) 25.2%, Zacharie MYBOTO (UGDD) 3.9%, other 3.3%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -554,10 +554,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate or Senat (102 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal councils and departmental assemblies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 6-year terms)
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (143 seats; members elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "
Senate - last held on 30 January and 6 February 2021 (next to be held in December 2026)
National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "

Senate - last held on 30 January and 6 February 2021 (next to be held in December 2026)
National Assembly - held in 2 rounds on 6 and 27 October 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7; composition - NA
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8; composition - men 121, women 22, percent of women 15.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women NA" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 81, CLR 7, PSD 2, ADERE-UPG 1, UPG 1, PGCI 1, independent 7; composition - NA

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PDG 98, The Democrats or LD 11, RV 8, Social Democrats of Gabon 5, RH&M 4, other 9, independent 8; composition - men 121, women 22, percent of women 15.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women NA

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index 751bea69..1ee8f3ae 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ "text": "formerly, the president was directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) and the prime minister appointed by the president; election last held on 18 October 2020; note - a new election time table has not been announced by the transitional government" }, "election results": { - "text": "in the election of 18 October 2020, Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7%; note - following the military coup of 5 September 2021, coup leader Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transitional president on 1 October 2021" + "text": "

2020: Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 59.5%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 33.5%, other 7%; note - following the military coup of 5 September 2021, coup leader Col. Mamady DOUMBOUYA was sworn in as transitional president on 1 October 2021

2015: Alpha CONDE reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Alpha CONDE (RPG) 57.8%, Cellou Dalein DIALLO (UFDG) 31.4%, other 10.8%

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index 0f73de98..51ef7464 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term ; election last held on 31 October 2020 (next to be held in October 2025); vice president elected on same ballot as president; prime minister appointed by the president; note – because President OUATTARA promulgated the new constitution during his second term, he has claimed that the clock is reset on term limits, allowing him to run for up to two additional terms" }, "election results": { - "text": "Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7% (2020)" + "text": "

2020: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 94.3%, Kouadio Konan BERTIN (PDCI-RDA) 2.0%, other 3.7%

2015: Alassane OUATTARA reelected president; percent of vote - Alassane OUATTARA (RDR) 83.7%, Pascal Affi N'GUESSAN (FPI) 9.3%, Konan Bertin KOUADIO (independent) 3.9%, other 3.1% 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -608,10 +608,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senat (99 seats; 66 members indirectly elected by the National Assembly and members of municipal, autonomous districts, and regional councils, and 33 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
National Assembly (255 seats - 254 for 2021-2026 term; members directly elected in single- and multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "
Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held on 31 March 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 6 March 2021 (next to be held on 31 March 2026)" + "text": "

Senate - first ever held on 25 March 2018 (next to be held on 31 March 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 6 March 2021 (next to be held on 31 March 2026)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 49.2%, PDCI-RRA-EDS 16.5%, DPIC 6%, TTB 2.1%,
 IPF 2%, other seats 24.2%; seats by party - RHDP, 137, PDCI-RRA-EDS 50, DPIC 23, EDS 8, TTB 8, IPF 2, independent 26; composition - men 218, women 36, percent of women 14.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.6%" + "text": "

Senate - percent by party NA; seats by party - RHDP 50, independent 16; composition - men 80, women 19, percent of women 19.2%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - RHDP 49.2%, PDCI-RRA-EDS 16.5%, DPIC 6%, TTB 2.1%, IPF 2%, other seats 24.2%; seats by party - RHDP, 137, PDCI-RRA-EDS 50, DPIC 23, EDS 8, TTB 8, IPF 2, independent 26; composition - men 218, women 36, percent of women 14.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 15.6%

" }, "note": "

" }, @@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ "text": "approximately 25,000 active troops (23,000 Army, including about 2,000 Special Forces; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); 5-10,000 Gendarmerie (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; in recent years it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from several countries, including France (2022)" + "text": "the inventory of the FACI consists mostly of older or second-hand equipment, typically of French or Soviet-era origin; Cote d'Ivoire was under a partial UN arms embargo from 2004 to 2016; in recent years it has received limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Bulgaria, China, and France (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary male and female military service; conscription is not enforced (2023)" diff --git a/africa/li.json b/africa/li.json index d0df9dc0..ba099476 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president, confirmed by the Senate" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017 (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed (2017)" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 October 2017 with a run-off on 26 December 2017 (next to be held on 10 October 2023); the runoff originally scheduled for 7 November 2017 was delayed due to allegations of fraud in the first round, which the Supreme Court dismissed" }, "election results": { "text": "George WEAH elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - George WEAH (Coalition for Democratic Change) 38.4%, Joseph BOAKAI (UP) 28.8%, Charles BRUMSKINE (LP) 9.6%, Prince JOHNSON (MDR) 8.2%, Alexander B. CUMMINGS (ANC) 7.2%, other 7.8%; percentage of vote in second round - George WEAH 61.5%, Joseph BOAKAI 38.5%" @@ -567,10 +567,10 @@ "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:
The Liberian Senate (30 seats; members directly elected in 15 2-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 9-year staggered terms; each district elects 1 senator and elects the second senator 3 years later, followed by a 6-year hiatus, after which the first Senate seat is up for election)
House of Representatives (73 seats; members directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote to serve 6-year terms; eligible for a second term)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next to be held on 10 October 2023)
House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held 10 October 2023)" + "text": "

Senate - general election held on 8 December 2020 with half the seats up for election (next to be held on 10 October 2023)
House of Representatives - last held on 10 October 2017 (next to be held 10 October 2023)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.3%, Congress for Democratic Change 28%, People's Unification Party 6.4%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.3%, All Liberia Coalition 1.0%, Rainbow Alliance 1.1%, Liberia Restoration Party 0.82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1; composition - men 28, women 2, percent of women 6.7%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 65, women 8, percent of women 11%; total Parliament percent of women 9.7%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - Collaborating Political Parties 40.3%, Congress for Democratic Change 28%, People's Unification Party 6.4%, Movement for Democracy and Reconstructions 4.3%, All Liberia Coalition 1.0%, Rainbow Alliance 1.1%, Liberia Restoration Party 0.82%, Liberia National Union 0.77%, Movement for Progressive Change 0.74%, United People's Party 0.66%, Liberia Transformation Party 0.16%, National Democratic Coalition 0.07%, Movement for One Liberia 0.01; seats by coalition/party- CPP 13, CDC 5, PUP 2, MDR 1, NDC 1; composition - men 28, women 2, percent of women 6.7%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for Democratic Change 15.6%, UP 14%, LP 8.7%, ANC 6.1%, PUP 5.9%, ALP 5.1%, MDR 3.4%, other 41.2%; seats by coalition/party - Coalition for Democratic Change 21, UP 20, PUP 5, LP 3, ALP 3, MDR 2, independent 13, other 6; composition - men 65, women 8, percent of women 11%; total Parliament percent of women 9.7%

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/lt.json b/africa/lt.json index d3e1e5d8..117faded 100644 --- a/africa/lt.json +++ b/africa/lt.json @@ -572,10 +572,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (33 seats; 22 principal chiefs and 11 other senators nominated by the king with the advice of the Council of State, a 13-member body of key government and non-government officials; members serve 5-year terms)
National Assembly (120 seats; 80 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 40 elected through proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last nominated by the king on July 2022 (next in late July 2027)
National Assembly - last held on 7 October 2022 (next to be held on October 2027)" + "text": "

Senate - last nominated by the king on July 2022 (next in late July 2027)
National Assembly - last held on 7 October 2022 (next to be held on October 2027)

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of votes by party - NA, seats by party - NA; composition - men 26, women 7, percent of women 21.2%
National Assembly - percent of votes by party - RFP 38.9%, DC 24.7%, ABC 7.1%, BAP 5.4%, AD 4.0%, MEC 3.2%, LCD 2.3%, SR 2.1%, BNP 1.4%, PFD 0.9%, BCM 0.8%, MPS 0.8%, MIP 0.7%; seats by party - RFP 56, DC 29, ABC 8, BAP 6, AD 5, MEC 4, LCD 3, SR 2, BNP 1, PFD 1,BCM 1, MPS 1, NIP 1, HOPE 1, TBD 1; composition - men 87, women 28, percent of women 23.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.9%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of votes by party - NA, seats by party - NA; composition - men 26, women 7, percent of women 21.2%

National Assembly - percent of votes by party - RFP 38.9%, DC 24.7%, ABC 7.1%, BAP 5.4%, AD 4.0%, MEC 3.2%, LCD 2.3%, SR 2.1%, BNP 1.4%, PFD 0.9%, BCM 0.8%, MPS 0.8%, MIP 0.7%; seats by party - RFP 56, DC 29, ABC 8, BAP 6, AD 5, MEC 4, LCD 3, SR 2, BNP 1, PFD 1,BCM 1, MPS 1, NIP 1, HOPE 1, TBD 1; composition - men 87, women 28, percent of women 23.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 22.9%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/mi.json b/africa/mi.json index 3e40bce0..7ad03329 100644 --- a/africa/mi.json +++ b/africa/mi.json @@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 23 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8% (2020)" + "text": "

2020: Lazarus CHAKWERA elected president; Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 59.3%, Peter Mutharika (DPP) 39.9%, other 0.8%

2014: Peter MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of vote - Peter MUTHARIKA (DPP) 36.4%, Lazarus CHAKWERA (MCP) 27.8%, Joyce BANDA (PP) 20.2%, Atupele MULUZI (UDF) 13.7%, other 1.9% 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index 20d40475..440dbaeb 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ "aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases": { "text": "Lassa fever" }, - "note": "note 1: on 4 May 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for a Yellow Fever outbreak in Nigeria; a large, ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Nigeria began in September 2017; the outbreak is now spread throughout the country with the Nigerian Ministry of Health reporting cases of the disease in multiple states (Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, and Enugu); the CDC recommends travelers going to Nigeria should receive vaccination against yellow fever at least 10 days before travel and should take steps to prevent mosquito bites while there; those never vaccinated against yellow fever should avoid travel to Nigeria during the outbreak (see attached map)

note 2: on 22 March 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Nigeria is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
note 3: on 24 February 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Alert for a diphtheria outbreak in several states in Nigeria; vaccination against diphtheria is essential to protect against disease; if you are traveling to an affected area, you should be up to date with your diphtheria vaccines; before travel, discuss the need for a booster dose with your healthcare professional; diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria that make a toxin from which people get very sick; diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person through respiratory droplets like from coughing or sneezing; people can also get sick from touching open sores or ulcers of people sick with diphtheria (see attached map)" + "note": "note 1: on 4 May 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for a Yellow Fever outbreak in Nigeria; a large, ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Nigeria began in September 2017; the outbreak is now spread throughout the country with the Nigerian Ministry of Health reporting cases of the disease in multiple states (Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, and Enugu); the CDC recommends travelers going to Nigeria should receive vaccination against yellow fever at least 10 days before travel and should take steps to prevent mosquito bites while there; those never vaccinated against yellow fever should avoid travel to Nigeria during the outbreak (see attached map)

note 2: on 22 March 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Nigeria is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine

note 3: on 24 February 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Alert for a diphtheria outbreak in several states in Nigeria; vaccination against diphtheria is essential to protect against disease; if you are traveling to an affected area, you should be up to date with your diphtheria vaccines; before travel, discuss the need for a booster dose with your healthcare professional; diphtheria is a serious infection caused by strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria that make a toxin from which people get very sick; diphtheria bacteria spread from person to person through respiratory droplets like from coughing or sneezing; people can also get sick from touching open sores or ulcers of people sick with diphtheria (see attached map)" }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "8.9% (2016)" @@ -576,19 +576,19 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Maj. Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi \"Yemi\" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces" + "text": "President Bola TINBU (since 29 May 2023); Vice President Kashim SHETTIMA (since 29 May 2023); note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President Maj. Gen. (ret.) Muhammadu BUHARI (since 29 May 2015); Vice President Oluyemi \"Yemi\" OSINBAJO (since 29 May 2015)" + "text": "President Bola TINBU (since 29 May 2023); Vice President Kashim SHETTIMA (since 29 May 2023)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Federal Executive Council appointed by the president but constrained constitutionally to include at least one member from each of the 36 states" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)" + "text": "president directly elected by qualified majority popular vote and at least 25% of the votes cast in 24 of Nigeria's 36 states; president elected for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 27 February 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "2023: Bola TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola TINUBU (APC) 36%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29%, Peter OBI (LP) 25%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6% (2019)" + "text": "

2023: Bola TINUBU elected president; percent of vote - Bola TINUBU (APC) 36%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 29%, Peter OBI (LP) 25%, Rabiu KWANKWASO (NNPP) 6%

2019: Muhammadu BUHARI elected president; percent of vote - Muhammadu BUHARI (APC) 53%, Atiku ABUBAKAR (PDP) 39%, other 8%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -596,10 +596,10 @@ "text": "bicameral National Assembly consists of:
Senate (109 seats - 3 each for the 36 states and 1 for Abuja-Federal Capital Territory; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
House of Representatives (360 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)
House of Representatives - last held on 25 February 20239 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)" + "text": "

Senate - last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)
House of Representatives - last held on 25 February 2023 (next to be held on 25 February 2027)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 64, PDP 39, YPP 1, APGA 1, NNPP 1; composition - men 101, women 8, percent of women 7.3%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 209, PDP 126, NNPP 8, APGA 5, SDP 5, LP 3, ADC 1, PRP 1, Accord 1; composition - men 347, women 13, percent of women 3.6%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 4.5%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 64, PDP 39, YPP 1, APGA 1, NNPP 1; composition - men 101, women 3, percent of women 2.7%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 209, PDP 126, NNPP 8, APGA 5, SDP 5, LP 3, ADC 1, PRP 1, Accord 1; composition - men 348, women 11, percent of women 3.0%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 3.0%

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/pu.json b/africa/pu.json index 6a16da8d..ae0b8f2b 100644 --- a/africa/pu.json +++ b/africa/pu.json @@ -560,13 +560,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; 100 members directly elected in 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 2 elected in single-seat constituencies for citizens living abroad (Africa 1, Europe 1 ); all members serve 4-year terms)" + "text": "unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (102 seats; 100 members directly elected in 27 multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote and 2 elected in single-seat constituencies for citizens living abroad (Africa 1, Europe 1); all members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "note: President dissolved parliament on 16 May 2022 and decreed new elections for 18 December 2022
  
last held on 10 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023)" + "text": "note: president dissolved the parliament on 16 May 2022; election held 4 June 2023" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - PAIGC 35.2%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 21.1%, other 22.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 47, Madem G-15 27, PRS 21, other 7; composition - men 88, women 14, percent of women 13.7%" + "text": "percent of vote by party - PAIGC 35.2%, Madem G-15 21.1%, PRS 21.1%, other 22.6%; seats by party - PAIGC 47, Madem G-15 27, PRS- 21, other 7; composition - men 88, women 14, percent of women 13.7%" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index 91e76770..f9a5258a 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -572,18 +572,18 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); note - a constitutional amendment approved in December 2016 reduced the presidential term from 7 to 5 years but included an exception that allowed President KAGAME to serve another 7-year term in 2017, potentially followed by two additional 5-year terms; election last held on 4 August 2017 (next to be held in August 2024); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent) 0.7%, Frank HABINEZA (DGPR)0.5%" + "text": "

2017: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 98.8%, Philippe MPAYIMANA (independent) 0.7%, Frank HABINEZA (DGPR)0.5%

2010: Paul KAGAME reelected president; Paul KAGAME (RPF) 93.1%, Jean NTAWUKURIRYAYO (PSD) 5.1%, other 1.8% 

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senat (26 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum - a body of registered political parties, and 2 selected by institutions of higher learning; members serve 8-year terms)
Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (80 seats; 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 24 women selected by special interest groups, and 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:

Senate or Senat (26 seats; 12 members indirectly elected by local councils, 8 appointed by the president, 4 appointed by the Political Organizations Forum - a body of registered political parties, and 2 selected by institutions of higher learning; members serve 8-year terms)

Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (80 seats; 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote, 24 women selected by special interest groups, and 3 selected by youth and disability organizations; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "
Senate - last held on 16-18 September 2019 (next to be held in 2027)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 September 2018 (next to be held in September 2023)" + "text": "
Senate - last held on 16-18 September 2019 (next to be held in 2027)
Chamber of Deputies - last held on 3 September 2018 (next to be held in September 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 17, women 9, percent of women 34.6%

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition 40, PSD 5, PL 4, other 4 indirectly elected 27; composition - men 31, women 49, percent of women 54.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 54.7%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 17, women 9, percent of women 34.6%

Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Rwandan Patriotic Front Coalition 40, PSD 5, PL 4, other 4 indirectly elected 27; composition - men 31, women 49, percent of women 54.7%; note - total Parliament percent of women 54.7%

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/se.json b/africa/se.json index afc76448..3f61be84 100644 --- a/africa/se.json +++ b/africa/se.json @@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Ian MADELEINE (since 1 December 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Ian Dereck Joseph MADELEINE (since 1 December 2021)
note - also Permanent Representative to the UN" }, "chancery": { "text": "685 Third Avenue, Suite 1107, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10017" diff --git a/africa/sf.json b/africa/sf.json index 8d70172e..f9c90a4f 100644 --- a/africa/sf.json +++ b/africa/sf.json @@ -586,18 +586,18 @@ "text": "president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) (2019)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed" + "text": "

2019: Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed

2014: Jacob ZUMA (ANC) reelected president by the National Assembly unopposed 

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
National Council of Provinces (90 seats; nine 10-member delegations, each with 6 permanent delegates and 4 special delegates, appointed by each of the 9 provincial legislatures to serve 5-year terms; note - the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities)
National Assembly (400 seats; half the members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and half in a single nationwide constituency, both by proportional representation popular vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:

National Council of Provinces (90 seats; nine 10-member delegations, each with 6 permanent delegates and 4 special delegates, appointed by each of the 9 provincial legislatures to serve 5-year terms; note - the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities)

National Assembly (400 seats; half the members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies and half in a single nationwide constituency, both by proportional representation popular vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "National Council of Provinces and National Assembly - last held on 8 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 29, DA 13, EFF 9, FF+ 2, IFP 1; composition of permanent members - men 34, women 20, percent of women 37%; note - 36 appointed members not filled
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 57.5%, DA 20.8%, EFF 10.8%, IFP 3.8%, FF+ 2.4%, other 4.7%; seats by party - ANC 230, DA 84, EFF 44, IFP 14, FF+ 10, other 18; composition as of mid-2022 (396 current seats) - men 212, women 184, percent of women 46.5%; note overall Parliament percent of women 45.3%" + "text": "

National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ANC 29, DA 13, EFF 9, FF+ 2, IFP 1; composition of permanent members - men 34, women 20, percent of women 37%; note - 36 appointed members not filled

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 57.5%, DA 20.8%, EFF 10.8%, IFP 3.8%, FF+ 2.4%, other 4.7%; seats by party - ANC 230, DA 84, EFF 44, IFP 14, FF+ 10, other 18; composition as of mid-2022 (396 current seats) - men 212, women 184, percent of women 46.5%; note overall Parliament percent of women 45.3%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/sg.json b/africa/sg.json index d6bc5a62..f68d3f27 100644 --- a/africa/sg.json +++ b/africa/sg.json @@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ "text": "President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Amadou BA (since 17 September 2022)
" + "text": "Prime Minister Amadou BA (since 17 September 2022)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president" @@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term; election last held on 24 February 2019 (next to be held in February 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Macky SALL elected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5% (2019)" + "text": "

2019: Macky SALL elected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7%, other 5.5%

2012: Macky SALL elected president in second round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 65.8%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 34.2% 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -605,10 +605,10 @@ "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale (165 seats; 112 members including 15 representing Senegalese diaspora directly elected by plurality vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 53 members directly elected by proportional representation vote in a single nationwide constituency; member term is 5-years)" }, "elections": { - "text": "National Assembly - last held on 31 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027) (2022)" + "text": "National Assembly - last held on 31 July 2022 (next to be held in July 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Assembly results - percent of vote by party/coalition - BBY 46.6%, YAW 32.9%, WS 14.5%, other 6%;  seats by party/coalition - BBY 82, YAW 56, WS 24, other 3; composition - men 95, women 70, percent of women 42.4% (2022)" + "text": "National Assembly results - percent of vote by party/coalition - BBY 46.6%, YAW 32.9%, WS 14.5%, other 6%;  seats by party/coalition - BBY 82, YAW 56, WS 24, other 3; composition - men 95, women 70, percent of women 42.4%" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/sl.json b/africa/sl.json index e57de7c4..f7dbe0aa 100644 --- a/africa/sl.json +++ b/africa/sl.json @@ -568,10 +568,10 @@ "text": "Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 4 April 2018 (next to be in 2023) (2018)" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 4 April 2018 (next to be in 2023)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%" + "text": "

2018: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%

2012: Ernest Bai KOROMA reelected president; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA (APC) 58.7%, Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 37.4%, other 3.9%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index d03a63eb..81a4ae1e 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Ministry of Defense: Somali National Army (SNA); Ministry of Internal Security: Somali National Police (SNP, includes a maritime unit and a Turkish-trained commando unit known as Harmacad, or Cheetah); National Security and Intelligence Agency (includes a commando/counterterrorism unit) (2023)", - "note": "note 1: Somalia has numerous militia and regional forces operating throughout the country; these forces include ones that are clan- and warlord-based, semi-official paramilitary and special police forces (aka darwish), and externally-sponsored militias; the SNA is attempting to incorporate some of these militia units

note 2: Somaliland has army and naval forces under the Somaliland Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces" + "note": "note 1: Somalia has numerous militia (aka \"macawisley\") and regional forces operating throughout the country; these forces include ones that are clan- and warlord-based, semi-official paramilitary and special police forces (aka \"darwish\"), and externally-sponsored militias; the SNA is attempting to incorporate some of these militia units

note 2: Somaliland has army and naval forces under the Somaliland Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 2b5b02ca..6bea6a98 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -1180,8 +1180,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force, Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Border Guards

Ministry of Interior: security police, special forces police, traffic police, Central Reserve Police (2023)", - "note": "note 1: the RSF is a semi-autonomous paramilitary force formed in 2013 to fight armed rebel groups in Sudan, with Mohammed Hamdan DAGALO (aka Hemeti) as its commander (he is also a member of the Sovereign Council); it was initially placed under the National Intelligence and Security Service, then came under the direct command of former president Omar al-BASHIR, who boosted the RSF as his own personal security force; as a result, the RSF was better funded and equipped than the regular armed forces; the RSF has since recruited from all parts of Sudan beyond its original Darfuri Arab groups but remains under the personal patronage and control of DAGALO; the RSF has participated in combat operations in Yemen and in counterinsurgency operations in Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile State; it has also been active along the borders with Libya and the Central African Republic and has been used to respond to anti-regime demonstrations; the RSF has been accused of committing human rights abuses against civilians and is reportedly involved in business enterprises, such as gold mining

note 2: the Central Reserve Police is a combat-trained paramilitary force that has been used against demonstrators and sanctioned by the US for human rights abuses" + "text": "Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force, Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Border Guards; Ministry of Interior: security police, special forces police, traffic police, Central Reserve Police (2023)", + "note": "note 1: the RSF is a semi-autonomous paramilitary force formed in 2013 to fight armed rebel groups in Sudan, with Mohammed Hamdan DAGALO (aka Hemeti) as its commander (he is also a member of the Sovereign Council); it was initially placed under the National Intelligence and Security Service, then came under the direct command of former president Omar al-BASHIR, who boosted the RSF as his own personal security force; as a result, the RSF was better funded and equipped than the regular armed forces; the RSF has since recruited from all parts of Sudan beyond its original Darfuri Arab groups but remains under the personal patronage and control of DAGALO; the RSF has participated in combat operations in Yemen and in counterinsurgency operations in Darfur, South Kordofan, and the Blue Nile State; it has also been active along the borders with Libya and the Central African Republic and has been used to respond to anti-regime demonstrations; the RSF has been accused of committing human rights abuses against civilians and is reportedly involved in business enterprises, such as gold mining

note 2: the Central Reserve Police (aka Abu Tira) is a combat-trained paramilitary force that has been used against demonstrators and sanctioned by the US for human rights abuses" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { @@ -1202,7 +1202,7 @@ "note": "note: many defense expenditures are probably off-budget" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "estimates vary widely; up to 200,000 SAF personnel; the strength of the RSF ranges from a low of about 30,000 members to as many as 100,000 (2023)" + "text": "estimates vary widely; up to 200,000 SAF personnel; the strength of the RSF ranges from a low of about 30,000 members to as many as 100,000; estimated 80,000 Central Reserve Police (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the SAF's inventory includes a mix of Chinese, Russian, Soviet-era, and domestically produced weapons systems; in recent years, Russia has been the leading arms provider; Sudan has one of the largest defense industries in Africa, which includes state-owned companies with military involvement; it mostly manufactures weapons systems under license from China, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine (2022)" @@ -1215,7 +1215,7 @@ "text": "approximately 750 Democratic Republic of the Congo (East African Community stabilization force)

Sudan joined the Saudi-led coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015, reportedly providing as many as 40,000 troops during the peak of the war in 2016-17, mostly from the Rapid Support Forces; by 2021, Sudan had reduced the size of the force to about a brigade (approximately 2-3,000 troops) (2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

the SAF is large, relatively well-equipped, and supported by militia and paramilitary forces, particularly the RSF; its primary focuses are internal security, border issues, and potential external threats from its neighbors; both the SAF and the RSF have some operational experience from internal security operations and Sudan’s years-long intervention in Yemen with the Saudi-led coalition; information on the organization of the SAF and the RSF varies; the Army is estimated to have more than 10 infantry divisions, as well as divisions of mechanized, armored, and airborne/special forces, and several independent infantry brigades; the RSF is reportedly organized into paramilitary brigades of varying size and makeup; the Air Force has several squadrons of Chinese- and Russian-origin combat  aircraft, as well as multiple squadrons of combat helicopters, also largely of Russian origin; the Navy has a small force of coastal patrol boats   

the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the Sudanese military and security forces have a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports

the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 2,800 personnel deployed as of early 2023

in addition, the UN African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) operated in the war-torn Darfur region between 2007 and the end of its mandate in July 2021; UNAMID was a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force with the mission of bringing stability to Darfur, including protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting mediation efforts, while peace talks on a final settlement continued; UNAMID withdrew the last of its personnel in December 2021; note - the October 2020 peace agreement provided for the establishment of a Joint Security Keeping Forces (JSKF) comprised of 12,000 personnel tasked with securing the Darfur region in the place of UNAMID; in June 2021, Sudan's transitional government announced it would increase the size of this force to 20,000 and expand its mission scope to include the capital and other parts of the country suffering from violence; the force would include the SAF, RSF, police, intelligence, and representatives from armed groups involved in peace negotiations; in Sep 2022, the first 2,000 members of the JSKF completed training (2023)" + "text": "

the SAF is large, relatively well-equipped, and supported by militia and paramilitary forces, particularly the RSF; its primary focuses are internal security, border issues, and potential external threats from its neighbors; both the SAF and the RSF have some operational experience from internal security operations and Sudan’s years-long intervention in Yemen with the Saudi-led coalition; information on the organization of the SAF and the RSF varies; the Army is estimated to have more than 10 infantry divisions, as well as divisions of mechanized, armored, and airborne/special forces, and several independent infantry brigades; the RSF is a lightly-armed force reportedly organized into paramilitary brigades of varying size and makeup; the Air Force has several squadrons of Chinese- and Russian-origin combat  aircraft, as well as multiple squadrons of combat helicopters, also largely of Russian origin; the Navy has a small force of coastal patrol boats   

the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the Sudanese military and security forces have a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports

the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA had about 2,800 personnel deployed as of early 2023

in addition, the UN African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) operated in the war-torn Darfur region between 2007 and the end of its mandate in July 2021; UNAMID was a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force with the mission of bringing stability to Darfur, including protecting civilians, facilitating humanitarian assistance, and promoting mediation efforts, while peace talks on a final settlement continued; UNAMID withdrew the last of its personnel in December 2021; note - the October 2020 peace agreement provided for the establishment of a Joint Security Keeping Forces (JSKF) comprised of 12,000 personnel tasked with securing the Darfur region in the place of UNAMID; in June 2021, Sudan's transitional government announced it would increase the size of this force to 20,000 and expand its mission scope to include the capital and other parts of the country suffering from violence; the force would include the SAF, RSF, police, intelligence, and representatives from armed groups involved in peace negotiations; in Sep 2022, the first 2,000 members of the JSKF completed training (2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/africa/to.json b/africa/to.json index ca12d27a..a3918b9c 100644 --- a/africa/to.json +++ b/africa/to.json @@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 February 2020 (next to be held  February 2025); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 70.8%, Agbeyome KODJO (MPDD) 19.5%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 4.7%, other 5% (2020)" + "text": "

2020: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 70.8%, Agbeyome KODJO (MPDD) 19.5%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 4.7%, other 5%

2015: Faure GNASSINGBE reelected president; percent of vote - Faure GNASSINGBE (UNIR) 58.8%, Jean-Pierre FABRE (ANC) 35.2%, Tchaboure GOGUE (ADDI) 4%, other 2%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/tp.json b/africa/tp.json index 2d3ecbb4..291a76c1 100644 --- a/africa/tp.json +++ b/africa/tp.json @@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 18 July 2021 and runoff on 5 September 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in the second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 42.5%; note - VILA NOVA is scheduled to take office 29 September 2021 

2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner" + "text": "

2021: Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote in the first round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 39.5%; Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 20.8%; Delfim NEVES (PCD-GR) 16.9%; Abel BOM JESUS (independent) 3.6%; Maria DAS NEVES (independent) 3.3%; other 15.9%; percent of the vote in the second round - Carlos Manuel VILA NOVA (IDA) 57.5%, Guilherme POSSER DA COSTA (MLSTP-PSD) 42.5%

2016: Evaristo CARVALHO elected president; percent of vote - Evaristo CARVALHO (ADI) 49.8%, Manuel Pinto DA COSTA (independent) 24.8%, Maria DAS NEVES (MLSTP-PSD) 24.1%; note - first round results for CARVALHO were revised downward from just over 50%, prompting the 7 August runoff; however, on 1 August 2016 DA COSTA withdrew from the runoff, citing voting irregularities, and CARVALHO was declared the winner

" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Carlos Filomeno Azevedo Agostinho das NEVES (since 3 December 2013)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant)" }, "chancery": { "text": "675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10017" diff --git a/africa/wa.json b/africa/wa.json index 67fc9b95..5e0cebcd 100644 --- a/africa/wa.json +++ b/africa/wa.json @@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ "text": "president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2% (2019)" + "text": "

2019: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2%

2014: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 86.7%, McHenry VENAANI (DTA) 5.0%, Hidipo HAMUTENYA (RDP) 3.4%, Asser MBAI (NUDO)1.9%, Henk MUDGE (RP) 1.0%, other 2.0%

(2019)" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ "text": "National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 25 November 2020 (next to be held on 25 November 2025)
National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1,  independent 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 36, women 6, percent of women 14.3%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 58, women 46, percent of women 44.2%; note - overall percent of women in Parliament 35.6%" + "text": "

National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1,  independent 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 36, women 6, percent of women 14.3%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 58, women 46, percent of women 44.2%; note - overall percent of women in Parliament 35.6%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/wz.json b/africa/wz.json index 395c5fbc..1e6f6b47 100644 --- a/africa/wz.json +++ b/africa/wz.json @@ -555,10 +555,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament (Libandla) consists of:
Senate (30 seats; 20 members appointed by the monarch and 10 indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the House of Assembly; members serve 5-year terms)
House of Assembly (70 seats statutory, current 74; 59 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies or tinkhundla by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, 10 members appointed by the monarch, 4 women elected by the members if representation of elected women is less than 30%, and 1 ex-officio member - the attorney general; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023)
House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "

Senate - last held on 23 October 2018 (next to be held - 31 October 2023)
House of Assembly - last held on 21 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 18, women 12, percent of women 40%
House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 65, women 9, percent of women 12.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.2%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of seats by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 18, women 12, percent of women 40%

House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 59; composition - men 65, women 9, percent of women 12.2%; note - total Parliament percent of women 20.2%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/africa/za.json b/africa/za.json index cbf3586d..1234438c 100644 --- a/africa/za.json +++ b/africa/za.json @@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote -   Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%

2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%" + "text": "

2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote -   Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%, Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8%

2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote - Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2%

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index 19056fb4..98e02c6f 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); First Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017); note - Robert Gabriel MUGABE resigned on 21 November 2017, after ruling for 37 years" }, "head of government": { - "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017); " + "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 24 November 2017); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 28 December 2017);" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to National Assembly" @@ -585,18 +585,18 @@ "text": "each presidential candidate nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least 1 candidate from each province) and directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 3 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023); co-vice presidents drawn from party leadership" }, "election results": { - "text": "Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in 1st round of voting; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.8%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.3%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 3%" + "text": "

2018: Emmerson MNANGAGWA reelected president in 1st round of voting; percent of vote - Emmerson MNANGAGWA (ZANU-PF) 50.8%, Nelson CHAMISA (MDC-T) 44.3%, Thokozani KHUPE (MDC-N) 0.9%, other 3%

2013: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE (ZANU-PF) 61.1%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI (MDC-T) 34.4%, Welshman NCUBE (MDC-N) 2.7%, other 1.8%; note - the election process was considered flawed and roundly criticized by election monitors and international bodies; both the African Union and the South African Development Community endorsed the results of the election with some concerns

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms)
National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate (80 seats; 60 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 6 seats in each of the 10 provinces - by proportional representation vote, 16 indirectly elected by the regional governing councils, 2 reserved for the National Council Chiefs, and 2 reserved for members with disabilities; members serve 5-year terms)

National Assembly (270 seats; 210 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 60 seats reserved for women directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held for elected member on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "

Senate - last held for elected member on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
National Assembly - last held on 30 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

 

" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 34, MDC Alliance 25, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2, MDC-T 1; composition - men 45, women 35, percent of women 43.8%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 179, MDC Alliance 88, MDC-T 1, NPF 1, independent 1; composition - men 184, women 81, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%" + "text": "

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 34, MDC Alliance 25, Chiefs 18, people with disabilities 2, MDC-T 1; composition - men 45, women 35, percent of women 43.8%

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ZANU-PF 179, MDC Alliance 88, MDC-T 1, NPF 1, independent 1; composition - men 184, women 81, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Parliament percent of women 34.3%

" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/fj.json b/australia-oceania/fj.json index 1319996d..ef1c811a 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fj.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fj.json @@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Akuila VUIRA" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Aporosa BABAKOBUA" }, "chancery": { "text": "1707 L Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fp.json b/australia-oceania/fp.json index 93217a27..ed79342d 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fp.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fp.json @@ -446,10 +446,10 @@ "text": "unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblée de la Polynésie française (57 seats; elections held in 2 rounds; in the second round, 38 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by a closed-list proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes gets an additional 19 seats; members serve 5-year terms; French Polynesia indirectly elects 2 senators to the French Senate via an electoral college by absolute majority vote for 6-year terms with one-half the membership renewed every 3 years and directly elects 3 deputies to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for 5-year terms" }, "elections": { - "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 16 and 30 April 2023 (next to be held in 2027)
French Senate - last held on 28 September 2020 (next to be held on 30 September 2023)
French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held in 2027)" + "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - last held on 16 and 30 April 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
French Senate - last held on 28 September 2020 (next to be held on 30 September 2023)
French National Assembly - last held in 2 rounds on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held in 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - Tavini Huiraatira 25.6%; Tapura Huiraatira 45.1%, Popular Rally 29.3%,  seats by party - Tavini Huiraatira 38; Tapura Huiraatira 15, Popular Rally 11,  composition - men 27, women 30, percent of women 52.6%
French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - NA
French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Tavini Huiraatura 3; composition - NA" + "text": "Assembly of French Polynesia - percent of vote by party - People's Servant Party 66.7%; List of the People 26.3%, I Love Polynesia 5.3%, Rally of Mahoi People 1.8%; seats by party - People's Servant People 38; List of the People 15, I Love Polynesia 3, Rally of the Mahoi People 1, composition - men 27, women 30, percent of women 52.6%
French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; composition - NA
French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Servant Party 3; composition - NA" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "A Tia Porinetia [Teva ROHFRITSCH]
Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes The New Star [Philip SCHYLE], This Country is Yours [Nicole BOUTEAU])
List of the People (Tapura Huiraatira) [Edouard FRITCH]
New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]
Our Home alliance
People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]
Rally of the Maohi People (Amuitahiraʻa o te Nunaʻa Maohi)  [Gaston FLOSSE] (formerly known as Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira))
Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]" + "text": "I Love Polynesia (A here la Porinetia) [Nicole SANQUER]
List of the People (Tapura Huiraatira) [Edouard FRITCH]
People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]
Rally of the Maohi People (Amuitahiraʻa o te Nunaʻa Maohi)  [Gaston FLOSSE] (formerly known as Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira))" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO" diff --git a/australia-oceania/tv.json b/australia-oceania/tv.json index 5b441ccd..4d827ceb 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/tv.json +++ b/australia-oceania/tv.json @@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Samuelu LALONIU (since 21 July 2017)
note - also Permanent Representative to UN" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant)
note - also Permanent Representative to UN; Tapugao FALEFOU presented his credentials to the Secretary General of the UN on 30 December 2022, but has not presented his credentials for Ambassador to the US as of 1 June 2023" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (212) 490-0534" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json index 3f73811c..2b99b480 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json @@ -1047,7 +1047,7 @@ "text": "approximately 200 active military personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles; the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2022)" + "text": "the ABDF's equipment inventory is limited to small arms, light weapons, and soft-skin vehicles; the Coast Guard maintains ex-US patrol vessels and some smaller boats (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-23 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women; no conscription (2022)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json index dcdd68cf..cad2396f 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cs.json @@ -1216,7 +1216,7 @@ "text": "12,500 Public Force personnel; approximately 500-600 Air, 500-600 Coast Guard, and 300-400 Border Police personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly secondhand US equipment (2023)" + "text": "the Public Force is lightly armed with an inventory that includes mostly older, secondhand US equipment (2023)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "Costa Rica relies on specialized paramilitary units within the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) for internal security missions and countering transnational threats such as narcotics smuggling and organized crime, as well as for participating in regional security operations and exercises; MPS forces have received advisory and training support from both Colombia and the US; since 2012, the US has also provided some military equipment, including aircraft and patrol boats (2022)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json index 3e1badd6..c1bef1e3 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/cu.json @@ -1191,7 +1191,7 @@ "text": "limited available information; estimated 50,000 active personnel (approximately 40,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory is comprised of aging Russian and Soviet-era equipment (2022)" + "text": "the military's inventory is comprised of aging Russian and Soviet-era equipment (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17-28 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscripts serve for 24 months (2023)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json index e436be47..0d816b6b 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/dr.json @@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ "text": "information varies; approximately 60,000 active personnel (30,000 Army; 13,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force); approximately 30,000 National Police (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment with limited quantities of material from other countries (2022)" + "text": "the military is lightly armed with an inventory consisting mostly of older US equipment  (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "16-23 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (ages vary slightly according to military service; under 18 admitted with permission of parents); recruits must have completed primary school and be Dominican Republic citizens (2023)", diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json index 81d863e3..92e95249 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/es.json @@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ "text": "approximately 25,000 active military personnel (21,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the FAES is dependent on a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US; in recent years, the FAES has received small amounts of equipment from several countries, including Chile, Israel, Spain, and the US (2022)" + "text": "the FAES has a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-30 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and non-commissioned officers (2023)", diff --git a/central-asia/kg.json b/central-asia/kg.json index 6e5aaa74..57082805 100644 --- a/central-asia/kg.json +++ b/central-asia/kg.json @@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Baktybek AMANBAYEV (since 7 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Baktybek AMANBAEV (since 7 July 2021)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2360 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008" diff --git a/central-asia/kz.json b/central-asia/kz.json index 46c52871..589c7c43 100644 --- a/central-asia/kz.json +++ b/central-asia/kz.json @@ -583,13 +583,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan consists of:
Senate (49 seats statutory, 48 as of October 2021); 34 members indirectly elected by 2-round majority vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 15 members appointed by decree of the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
Mazhilis (98 seats; 69 members directly elected in a single national constituency by party list proportional representation vote (5% minimum threshold to gain seats) and 29 directly elected in single-seat constituencies to serve 5-year terms" + "text": "bicameral Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan consists of:
Senate (50 seats); 40 members indirectly elected by 2-round majority vote by the oblast-level assemblies and 10 members appointed by decree of the president; members serve 6-year terms, with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
Mazhilis (98 seats; 69 members directly elected in a single national constituency by party list proportional representation vote (5% minimum threshold to gain seats) and 29 directly elected in single-seat constituencies to serve 5-year terms" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held on 14 January 2023 (next to be held in August 2023)
Mazhilis - last held on 19 March 2023 (next to be held in 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition (as of April 2023) - men 39, women 11, percent of women 22%
Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Amanat (formerly Nur Otan) 53.9%, Auvl 10.9%, Respublica 8.6%, Ak Zhol 8.4%, QHP 6.8%, NSDP 5.2%, Baytak 2.3%, Against all 3.9%; percent of vote by party (single-mandate districts) Amanat (formerly Nur Otan) 75.9%, Independent 24%; seats by party Amanat (formerly Nur Qtan) 62, Auvl 8, Respublica 6, Ak Zhol 6, QHP 5, NSDP 4, Independents 7; composition (as of March 2023) - men 80, women 18, percent of women 18.4%" + "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition (as of April 2023) - men 39, women 11, percent of women 22%
Mazhilis - percent of vote by party - Amanat (formerly Nur Otan) 53.9%, Auvl 10.9%, Respublica 8.6%, Ak Zhol 8.4%, QHP 6.8%, NSDP 5.2%, Baytak 2.3%, Against all 3.9%; percent of vote by party (single-mandate districts) Amanat (formerly Nur Otan) 75.9%, Independent 24%; seats by party Amanat (formerly Nur Qtan) 62, Auvl 8, Respublica 6, Ak Zhol 6, QHP 5, NSDP 4, Independents 7; composition (as of March 2023) - men 80, women 18, percent of women 18.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 19.6%" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index 9663c882..d5c6ff90 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Anatoliy Ivanovich ANTONOV (since 8 September 2017)" + "text": "Ambassador Anatoly Ivanovich ANTONOV (since 8 September 2017)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007" diff --git a/central-asia/tx.json b/central-asia/tx.json index b664029b..c4e0f1de 100644 --- a/central-asia/tx.json +++ b/central-asia/tx.json @@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ "text": "Mejlis (Assembly) - last held on 26 March 2023 for the Mejlis and local councils" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition as of early as of April 2023 men 93, women 32, percent of women 25.6% " + "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DPT 55, APT 11, PIE 11, independent 48 (individuals nominated by citizen groups); composition as of early as of April 2023 men 93, women 32, percent of women 25.6%" }, "note": "note: on 22 January 2023, a joint session of the then bicameral National Council or Milli Genes voted unanimously to abolish itself, re-establishing a unicameral legislature and a separate People's Council or Halk Maslahaty" }, diff --git a/central-asia/uz.json b/central-asia/uz.json index 0f2a4a21..826ede0c 100644 --- a/central-asia/uz.json +++ b/central-asia/uz.json @@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with most requiring approval of the Senate chamber of the Supreme Assembly (Oliy Majlis)" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended by a 2002 constitutional amendment to 7 years, and reverted to 5 years in 2011); election last held on 24 October 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 7-year term (eligible for a second term; previously a 5-year term, extended to 7 years by a 2023 constitutional amendment); election last held on 24 October 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister nominated by majority party in legislature since 2011, but appointed along with the ministers and deputy ministers by the president" }, "election results": { "text": "2021: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 80.3%, Maqsuda VORISOVA (PDP) 6.7%, Alisher QODIROV (National Revival Democratic Party) 5.5%, Narzullo OBLOMURODOV (Ecological Party) 4.1%, Bahrom ABDUHALIMOV (Adolat) 3.4%

2016: Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV elected president in first round; percent of vote - Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV (LDPU) 88.6%, Hotamjon KETMONOV (PDP) 3.7%, Narimon UMAROV (Adolat) 3.5%, Sarvar OTAMURODOV (National Revival Democratic Party) 2.4%, other 1.8%" @@ -562,13 +562,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:
Senate or Senat (100 seats statutory, 90 current as of 2023; 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats statutory, 144 seats current; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of:
Senate or Senat (100 seats); 84 members indirectly elected by regional governing councils and 16 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); note - amendments to the constitution approved in April 2023 call for the reduction of Senate seats to 65 from 100
Legislative Chamber or Qonunchilik Palatasi (150 seats statutory, 140 seats current; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held 16-17 January 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Legislative Chamber - last held on 22 December 2019 and 5 January 2020 (next to be held in December 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of April 2023 (90 members) - men 68, women 22, percent of women 24.4%
Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition - men 96, women, 48, percent of women 33.3%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 29.1%" + "text": "Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition as of May 2023 (90 members) - men 68, women 22, percent of women 24.4%
Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDPU 53, National Revival Democratic Party 36, Adolat 24, PDP 22, Ecological Movement 15; composition as of May 2023 (140 members) - men 93, women, 47, percent of women 33.6%; note - total Supreme Assembly percent of women 30%" }, "note": "note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President Shavkat MIRZIYOYEV" }, @@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ "text": "Supreme Court (consists of 67 judges organized into administrative, civil, criminal, and economic sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 7 judges)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { - "text": "judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to re-election. (Article 132 of the constitution)" + "text": "judges of the highest courts nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate of the Oliy Majlis; judges appointed for a single 10-year term; the court chairman and deputies appointed for 10-year terms without the right to reelection. (Article 132 of the constitution)" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "regional, district, city, and town courts" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json index 7e72e198..e04e908e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json @@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires HTWE Hteik Tin Lwin (since 5 February 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires WIN Thet (since 22 June 2022)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008" @@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ "text": "estimates vary widely, from approximately 250,000 to as many as 400,000 personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Burmese military inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese and Russian/Soviet-era equipment with a smaller mix of more modern acquisitions; in recent years, China and Russia have been the leading suppliers of military hardware; Burma has a limited defense industry, including a growing shipbuilding capability and some production of ground force equipment that is largely based on Chinese and Russian designs (2022)" + "text": "the Burmese military inventory is comprised mostly of older Chinese and Russian/Soviet-era equipment with a smaller mix of more modern acquisitions from a variety of countries; in recent years, China and Russia have been the leading suppliers of military hardware; Burma has a limited defense industry, including a growing shipbuilding capability and some production of ground force equipment that is largely based on Chinese and Russian designs (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-35 years of age (men) and 18-27 years of age (women) for voluntary military service; no conscription (a 2010 law reintroducing conscription has not yet entered into force); 2-year service obligation; male (ages 18-45) and female (ages 18-35) professionals (including doctors, engineers, mechanics) serve up to 3 years; service terms may be stretched to 5 years in an officially declared emergency (2022)" @@ -1265,7 +1265,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "1.8 million (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand, natural disasters, forced land evictions) (2023)" + "text": "1.84 million (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand, natural disasters, forced land evictions) (2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "600,000 (2022); note - Rohingya Muslims, living predominantly in Rakhine State, are Burma's main group of stateless people; the Burmese Government does not recognize the Rohingya as a \"national race\" and stripped them of their citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship Law, categorizing them as \"non-nationals\" or \"foreign residents;\" under the Rakhine State Action Plan drafted in October 2014, the Rohingya must demonstrate their family has lived in Burma for at least 60 years to qualify for a lesser naturalized citizenship and the classification of Bengali or be put in detention camps and face deportation; native-born but non-indigenous people, such as Indians, are also stateless; the Burmese Government does not grant citizenship to children born outside of the country to Burmese parents who left the country illegally or fled persecution, such as those born in Thailand; the number of stateless persons has decreased dramatically because hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since 25 August 2017 to escape violence" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json index 2e118c92..bfcdb6fa 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json @@ -1144,7 +1144,7 @@ "text": "approximately 6,000 total active troops (4,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a wide variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2022)" + "text": "the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a wide variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "17 years of age for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2022)", diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json index 52f619ce..6c281dc5 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json @@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ "text": "information varies; approximately 100,000 total active troops including less than 5,000 Navy and Air Force personnel; approximately 10,000 Gendarmerie (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the RCAF is armed largely with older Chinese and Russian-origin equipment; in recent years it has received limited amounts of more modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, particularly China (2022)", + "text": "the RCAF is armed largely with older Chinese and Russian-origin equipment; in recent years it has received limited amounts of more modern equipment from a variety of suppliers, particularly China (2023)", "note": "note: in December 2021, the US Government halted arms-related trade with Cambodia, citing deepening Chinese military influence, corruption, and human rights abuses by the government and armed forces; the policy of denial applied to licenses or other approvals for exports and imports of defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in Cambodia, with exceptions (on a case-by-case basis) related to conventional weapons destruction and humanitarian demining activities" }, "Military service age and obligation": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json index fd3e7aa3..dccd7b03 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ "text": "approximately 2 million active-duty troops (approximately 1 million Ground; 250,000 Navy/Marines; 350-400,000 Air Force; 120,000 Rocket Forces; 150-175,000 Strategic Support Forces); estimated 600-650,000 People’s Armed Police (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the PLA is outfitted primarily with a wide mix of older and modern domestically produced systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries; Russia has been the top supplier of foreign military equipment in recent years; China has a large defense-industrial sector capable of producing advanced weapons systems across all military domains (2022)", + "text": "the PLA has a wide mix of older and modern domestically produced systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries; Russia has been the top supplier of foreign military equipment in recent years; China has one of the world's largest defense-industrial sectors and is capable of producing advanced weapons systems across all military domains (2023)", "note": "note: the PLA is in the midst of a decades-long modernization effort; in 2017, President XI set three developmental goals for the force - becoming a mechanized force with increased information and strategic capabilities by 2020, a fully modernized force by 2035, and a world-class military by mid-century" }, "Military service age and obligation": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json index 25a244a7..6bfb5980 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json @@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities; Eddie MAK, JP (since 3 July 2018) is the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947; FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk" + "text": "none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities; Eddie MAK Tak-wai (since 3 July 2018) is the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947; FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk" }, "HKETO offices": { "text": "New York, San Francisco" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json index 1d65901b..423afb02 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ "text": "

many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic occurrences (mostly tremors but occasional severe earthquakes) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

volcanism: both Unzen (1,500 m) and Sakura-jima (1,117 m), which lies near the densely populated city of Kagoshima, have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; other notable historically active volcanoes include Asama, Honshu Island's most active volcano, Aso, Bandai, Fuji, Iwo-Jima, Kikai, Kirishima, Komaga-take, Oshima, Suwanosejima, Tokachi, Yake-dake, and Usu; see note 2 under \"Geography - note\"

" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "

note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands - from north: Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu (the \"Home Islands\") - and 14,121 smaller islands and islets; only a few hundred of the islands are inhabited

note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Authority of Japan survey technically detected 100,000 islands, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted

note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire

" + "text": "

note 1: strategic location in northeast Asia; composed of four main islands (the \"Home Islands\") - from north: Hokkaido, Honshu (the largest, most populous, and site of Tokyo, the capital), Shikoku, and Kyushu  

note 2: a 2023 Geospatial Information Authority of Japan survey technically detected 100,000 islands and islets, but only the 14,125 islands with a circumference of at least 100 m (330 ft) were officially counted; only about 260 of the islands are inhabited

note 3: Japan annually records the most earthquakes in the world; it is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; up to 90% of the world's earthquakes and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire

" } }, "People and Society": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json index 8f4c3f21..9855200e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json @@ -1063,7 +1063,7 @@ "note": "note: since 2006, the UN Security Council has passed nearly a dozen resolutions sanctioning North Korea for developing nuclear weapons and related activities, starting with Resolution 1718, which condemned the North's first nuclear test and placed sanctions on the supply of heavy weaponry (including tanks, armored combat vehicles, large calibre artillery, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, and missiles and missile launchers), missile technology and material, and select luxury goods; additional resolutions have expanded to include all arms, including small arms and light weapons; the US and other countries have also imposed unilateral sanctions" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "17 years of age for compulsory military service for men and women; service obligation up to 10 years for men and 5-8 years for women  (2023)", + "text": "17 years of age for compulsory military service for men and women; service obligation varies from 5-13 years; reportedly up to 10 years (7 for women) for those serving in combat units and 13 years (7 for women) for specialized combat units, such as missile forces (2023)", "note": "note: the bulk of the KPA is made up of conscripts; as many as 20% of North Korean males between the ages of 16 and 54 are in the military at a given time and possibly up to 30 percent of males between the ages of 18 and 27, not counting the reserves or paramilitary units; women comprise about 20% of the military by some estimates" }, "Military - note": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index 8afb1dff..cbd99aa7 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -1237,7 +1237,7 @@ "text": "830 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (May 2022)" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the MAF is a professional force primarily focused on internal and maritime security and responding to natural disasters; maritime security has received increased emphasis in recent years, particularly anti-piracy operations in the Strait of Malacca and countering Chinese incursions in Malaysia’s Economic Exclusion Zone, as well as addressing identified shortfalls in maritime capabilities; as such, Malaysia has undertaken efforts to procure more modern ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, restructure naval command and control, and increase naval cooperation with regional and international partners; as of 2023, for example, the Navy had 5 frigates on order, which would increase the number of operational frigates from 2 to 7, and complement its small inventory of littoral combat ships (comparable to light frigates in capabilities) and offshore patrol vessels, as well as its 2 attack-type submarines; in addition, the Navy conducts air and naval patrols with Indonesia and the Philippines; it also cooperates with the US military, including on maritime surveillance and training; the Army’s force structure reflects its traditional focus on counterinsurgency operations and terrorist threats; its 4 divisional commands are comprised largely of infantry brigades; it also has 2 security brigades, an airborne brigade that serves as a rapid-reaction force, and a special operations brigade; Malaysia does not have a marine corps, but places considerable emphasis on amphibious capabilities for some of its Army ground units; the Air Force has a mix of about 50 combat aircraft and helicopters 

Malaysia is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily (2023)" + "text": "the MAF is a professional force primarily focused on internal and maritime security and responding to natural disasters; maritime security has received increased emphasis in recent years, particularly anti-piracy operations in the Strait of Malacca and countering Chinese incursions in Malaysia’s Economic Exclusion Zone, as well as addressing identified shortfalls in maritime capabilities; as such, Malaysia has undertaken efforts to procure more modern ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, restructure naval command and control, and increase naval cooperation with regional and international partners; as of 2023, for example, the Navy had 5 frigates on order (due in 2026), which would increase the number of operational frigates from 2 to 7, and complement its small inventory of littoral combat ships (comparable to light frigates in capabilities) and offshore patrol vessels, as well as its 2 attack-type submarines; in addition, the Navy conducts air and naval patrols with Indonesia and the Philippines; it also cooperates with the US military, including on maritime surveillance and training; the Army’s force structure reflects its traditional focus on counterinsurgency operations and terrorist threats; its 4 divisional commands are comprised largely of infantry brigades; it also has 2 security brigades, an airborne brigade that serves as a rapid-reaction force, and a special operations brigade; Malaysia does not have a marine corps, but places considerable emphasis on amphibious capabilities for some of its Army ground units; the Air Force has a mix of about 50 combat aircraft and helicopters 

Malaysia is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily (2023)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "

the International Maritime Bureau reported four attacks in the territorial and offshore waters of Malaysia in 2022; the South China Sea remains a high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; the Singapore Straits saw 38 attacks against commercial vessels in 2022, a slight increase over 2021 and the highest number of incidents reported since 1992; vessels were boarded in all of the 38 attacks while underway, four crew were taken hostage during these incidents

" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json index 1ad80f7d..888c987a 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/rp.json @@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { - "text": "23.5 years (2017 est.)", + "text": "23.6 years (2022 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json index 23378d9e..9c09f248 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/th.json @@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ "text": "Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.3%, Christian 1%, other <0.1%, none <0.1% (2015 est.)" }, "Demographic profile": { - "text": "

Thailand has experienced a substantial fertility decline since the 1960s largely due to the nationwide success of its voluntary family planning program.  In just one generation, the total fertility rate (TFR) shrank from 6.5 children per woman in 1960s to below the replacement level of 2.1 in the late 1980s.  Reduced fertility occurred among all segments of the Thai population, despite disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of income, education, and access to public services.  The country’s “reproductive revolution” gained momentum in the 1970s as a result of the government’s launch of an official population policy to reduce population growth, the introduction of new forms of birth control, and the assistance of foreign non-government organizations.  Contraceptive use rapidly increased as new ways were developed to deliver family planning services to Thailand’s then overwhelmingly rural population.  The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from just 14% in 1970 to 58% in 1981 and has remained about 80% since 2000. 

Thailand’s receptiveness to family planning reflects the predominant faith, Theravada Buddhism, which emphasizes individualism, personal responsibility, and independent decision-making.  Thai women have more independence and a higher status than women in many other developing countries and are not usually pressured by their husbands or other family members about family planning decisions.  Thailand’s relatively egalitarian society also does not have the son preference found in a number of other Asian countries; most Thai ideally want one child of each sex.

Because of its low fertility rate, increasing life expectancy, and growing elderly population, Thailand has become an aging society that will face growing labor shortages.  The proportion of the population under 15 years of age has shrunk dramatically, the proportion of working-age individuals has peaked and is starting to decrease, and the proportion of elderly is growing rapidly.  In the short-term, Thailand will have to improve educational quality to increase the productivity of its workforce and to compete globally in skills-based industries.  An increasing reliance on migrant workers will be necessary to mitigate labor shortfalls.

Thailand is a destination, transit, and source country for migrants. It has 3-4 million migrant workers as of 2017, mainly providing low-skilled labor in the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and fishing and seafood processing sectors.  Migrant workers from other Southeast Asian countries with lower wages – primarily Burma and, to a lesser extent, Laos and Cambodia – have been coming to Thailand for decades to work in labor-intensive industries.  Many are undocumented and are vulnerable to human trafficking for forced labor, especially in the fisheries industry, or sexual exploitation.  A July 2017 migrant worker law stiffening fines on undocumented workers and their employers, prompted tens of thousands of migrants to go home.  Fearing a labor shortage, the Thai Government has postponed implementation of the law until January 2018 and is rapidly registering workers.  Thailand has also hosted ethnic minority refugees from Burma for more than 30 years; as of 2016, approximately 105,000 mainly Karen refugees from Burma were living in nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border.

Thailand has a significant amount of internal migration, most often from rural areas to urban centers, where there are more job opportunities.  Low- and semi-skilled Thais also go abroad to work, mainly in Asia and a smaller number in the Middle East and Africa, primarily to more economically developed countries where they can earn higher wages.

" + "text": "

Thailand has experienced a substantial fertility decline since the 1960s largely due to the nationwide success of its voluntary family planning program.  In just one generation, the total fertility rate (TFR) shrank from 6.5 children per woman in the 1960s to below the replacement level of 2.1 in the late 1980s.  Reduced fertility occurred among all segments of the Thai population, despite disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of income, education, and access to public services.  The country’s “reproductive revolution” gained momentum in the 1970s as a result of the government’s launch of an official population policy to reduce population growth, the introduction of new forms of birth control, and the assistance of foreign non-government organizations.  Contraceptive use rapidly increased as new ways were developed to deliver family planning services to Thailand’s then overwhelmingly rural population.  The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from just 14% in 1970 to 58% in 1981 and has remained about 80% since 2000. 

Thailand’s receptiveness to family planning reflects the predominant faith, Theravada Buddhism, which emphasizes individualism, personal responsibility, and independent decision-making.  Thai women have more independence and a higher status than women in many other developing countries and are not usually pressured by their husbands or other family members about family planning decisions.  Thailand’s relatively egalitarian society also does not have the son preference found in a number of other Asian countries; most Thai ideally want one child of each sex.

Because of its low fertility rate, increasing life expectancy, and growing elderly population, Thailand has become an aging society that will face growing labor shortages.  The proportion of the population under 15 years of age has shrunk dramatically, the proportion of working-age individuals has peaked and is starting to decrease, and the proportion of elderly is growing rapidly.  In the short-term, Thailand will have to improve educational quality to increase the productivity of its workforce and to compete globally in skills-based industries.  An increasing reliance on migrant workers will be necessary to mitigate labor shortfalls.

Thailand is a destination, transit, and source country for migrants. It has 3-4 million migrant workers as of 2017, mainly providing low-skilled labor in the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and fishing and seafood processing sectors.  Migrant workers from other Southeast Asian countries with lower wages – primarily Burma and, to a lesser extent, Laos and Cambodia – have been coming to Thailand for decades to work in labor-intensive industries.  Many are undocumented and are vulnerable to human trafficking for forced labor, especially in the fisheries industry, or sexual exploitation.  A July 2017 migrant worker law stiffening fines on undocumented workers and their employers, prompted tens of thousands of migrants to go home.  Fearing a labor shortage, the Thai Government has postponed implementation of the law until January 2018 and is rapidly registering workers.  Thailand has also hosted ethnic minority refugees from Burma for more than 30 years; as of 2016, approximately 105,000 mainly Karen refugees from Burma were living in nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border.

Thailand has a significant amount of internal migration, most often from rural areas to urban centers, where there are more job opportunities.  Low- and semi-skilled Thais also go abroad to work, mainly in Asia and a smaller number in the Middle East and Africa, primarily to more economically developed countries where they can earn higher wages.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { diff --git a/europe/al.json b/europe/al.json index a1ae235f..f59501ee 100644 --- a/europe/al.json +++ b/europe/al.json @@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Floreta LULI-FABER (since 18 May 2015)" + "text": "Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008" diff --git a/europe/be.json b/europe/be.json index b33b6d20..6ceeb6d0 100644 --- a/europe/be.json +++ b/europe/be.json @@ -1187,7 +1187,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Service (2023)" + "text": "Belgian Armed Forces: Land Component, Marine (Naval) Component, Air Component, Medical Component (2023)", + "note": "note: the Belgian Federal Police is the national police force and responsible for internal security and nationwide law and order, including migration and border enforcement; the force reports to the ministers of interior and justice " }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { @@ -1207,7 +1208,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 25,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Service; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2022)" + "text": "approximately 25,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Land Component; 1,500 Marine Component; 5,000 Air Force Component; 1,500 Medical Component; 7,000 other, including joint staff, support, and training schools) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the armed forces have a mix of weapons systems from European countries, Israel, and the US; Belgium has an export-focused defense industry that focuses on components and subcontracting (2023)" @@ -1217,11 +1218,11 @@ "note": "note 1: in 2020, women comprised about 9% of the military's full-time personnel

note 2: foreign nationals 18-34 years of age who speak Dutch or French and are citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland may apply to join the military" }, "Military deployments": { - "text": "125 France (contributing member of EuroCorps); 250 Romania (NATO) (2022)", + "text": "125 France (EuroCorps); 325 Eastern Europe (NATO); 100 Middle East; 325 Niger  (2023)", "note": "note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including Belgium, have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Belgium hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels

in 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January of 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries

in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020

(2023)" + "text": "Belgium is a member of NATO and was one of the original 12 countries to sign the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) in 1949; Belgium hosts the NATO headquarters in Brussels

in 2015, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg signed an agreement to conduct joint air policing of their territories; under the agreement, which went into effect in January of 2017, the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces trade responsibility for patrolling the skies over the three countries; in 2018, the Defense Ministers of Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the creation of a Composite Special Operations Component Command (C-SOCC); the C-SOCC was declared operational in December 2020 (2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/bk.json b/europe/bk.json index d8176e82..69dfdbaa 100644 --- a/europe/bk.json +++ b/europe/bk.json @@ -1176,7 +1176,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH or Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Operations Command (includes Army, Air, and Air Defense units), Support Command (2022)" + "text": "Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH or Oruzanih Snaga Bosne i Hercegovine, OSBiH): Army, Air, Air Defense forces organized into an Operations Command and a Support Command (2023)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { @@ -1196,17 +1196,17 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 9,000 active duty personnel (2022)" + "text": "approximately 10,000 active-duty personnel (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory is a wide mix of secondhand equipment mostly of French, Soviet, or US origin (2023)" + "text": "the military's inventory is largely Soviet-era material with a smaller mix of mostly secondhand from other countries, particularly the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 35 or after 15 years of service for junior enlisted personnel, mandatory retirement at age 50 and 30 years of service for non-commissioned officers, mandatory retirement at age 55 and 30 years of service for all commissioned officers; conscription abolished in 2005 (2021)", "note": "note: as of 2021, women made up about 7% of the military's full-time personnel" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are comprised of the former Bosnian-Croat Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vojska Federacije Bosne i Hercegovin, VF) and the Bosnian-Serb Republic of Serbia Army (Vojska Republike Srpske, VRS); the two forces were unified under the 2006 Law on Defense, which also established the country’s Ministry of Defense

the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004; it has about about 1,100 troops from 22 countries

Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2007 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; NATO maintains a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to EUFOR

 

(2023)" + "text": "the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (AFBiH) are comprised of the former Bosnian-Croat Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Vojska Federacije Bosne i Hercegovin, VF) and the Bosnian-Serb Republic of Serbia Army (Vojska Republike Srpske, VRS); the two forces were unified under the 2006 Law on Defense, which also established the country’s Ministry of Defense

the European Union Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR) has operated in the country to oversee implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement since taking over from NATO's Stabilization Force (SFOR) in 2004; it has about about 1,100 troops from 22 countries

Bosnia and Herzegovina joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) program in 2007 and was invited to join NATO’s Membership Action Plan in 2010; NATO maintains a military headquarters in Sarajevo with the mission of assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina with the PfP program and promoting closer integration with NATO, as well as providing logistics and other support to EUFOR (2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { diff --git a/europe/bo.json b/europe/bo.json index f3b25d73..782543bb 100644 --- a/europe/bo.json +++ b/europe/bo.json @@ -1188,7 +1188,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops (electronic warfare, signals, engineers, biological/chemical/nuclear protection troops, etc); Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2023)" + "text": "Belarus Armed Forces: Army, Air and Air Defense Force, Special Operations Force, Special Troops (electronic warfare, signals, engineers, biological/chemical/nuclear protection troops, etc); Ministry of Interior: State Border Troops, Militia, Internal Troops (2023)", + "note": "note: in early 2023, President LUKASHENKO ordered the formation of a new volunteer paramilitary territorial defense force to supplement the Army" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { diff --git a/europe/bu.json b/europe/bu.json index bee64a24..8796445b 100644 --- a/europe/bu.json +++ b/europe/bu.json @@ -553,10 +553,10 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017); Vice President Iliana IOTOVA (since 22 January 2017)" + "text": "President President Rumen RADEV (since 22 January 2017); Vice President Iliana IOTOVA (since 22 January 2017)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Interim Prime Minister Galab DONEV (since 2 August 2022)" + "text": "Prime Minister Nikolay DENKOV (since 6 June 2023)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, elected by the National Assembly" @@ -1194,7 +1194,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Bulgarian Armed Forces: Land Forces (Army), Naval Forces, Bulgarian Air Forces (Voennovazdushni Sili, VVS), Joint Special Forces; Ministry of Interior: Border Guards (2022)" + "text": "Bulgarian Armed Forces (aka Bulgarian Army): Land Forces, Air Force, Navy; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate National Police (GDNP), General Directorate Border Police (GDBP), General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC), Fire Safety and Civil Protection General Directorate, Special Unit for Combating Terrorism (SOBT) (2023)", + "note": "note: the GDMP includes the Gendarmerie, a special police force with military status deployed to secure important facilities, buildings and infrastructure, to respond to riots, and to counter militant threats" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { @@ -1214,10 +1215,11 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 28,000 active duty personnel (17,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force) (2022)" + "text": "approximately 28,000 active-duty personnel (17,000 Army; 4,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force) (2022)", + "note": "note: in 2021, Bulgaria released a 10-year defense plan which called for an active military strength of 43,000" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from some Western countries (2022)" + "text": "the military's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Bulgaria has procured limited amounts of more modern weapons systems from some Western countries (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription ended in 2007; service obligation 6-9 months (2022)", diff --git a/europe/cy.json b/europe/cy.json index b2be3e62..fbce6fa6 100644 --- a/europe/cy.json +++ b/europe/cy.json @@ -1200,7 +1200,7 @@ "text": "approximately 13,000 total active duty personnel (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era and some more modern weapons systems from several countries, including France, Israel, Russia, and Serbia  (2022)" + "text": "the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era and some more modern weapons systems from several countries, including France, Israel, Russia, and Serbia (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "Cypriot National Guard (CNG): 18-50 years of age for compulsory military service for all Greek Cypriot males; 17 years of age for voluntary service; 14-month service obligation (2023)", @@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "74 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 51,202 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-March 2023)" + "note": "note: 51,987 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-April 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

vulnerable to money laundering from illegal drugs

 

" diff --git a/europe/gi.json b/europe/gi.json index a8cddd71..6ac5aa86 100644 --- a/europe/gi.json +++ b/europe/gi.json @@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Parliament (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by majority vote and 1 appointed by Parliament as speaker; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 17 October 2019 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "last held on 17 October 2019 (next to be held by February 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 58.8% (GSLP 41.2%, LPG 17.6%), GSD 35.3%, TG 5.8%, independent 1.4%; seats by party - GSLP-Liberal Alliance 10 (GSLP 7, LPG 3), GSD 6, TG 1; composition including Parliament speaker - men 16, women 2, percent of women 11.1%" @@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA]
Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI]
Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO]
GSLP-Liberal Alliance (includes GSLP and LPG)
Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]" + "text": "Gibraltar Liberal Party or Liberal Party of Gibraltar or LPG [Joseph GARCIA]
Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Keith AZOPARDI]
Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Fabian PICARDO]
Together Gibraltar or TG [Marlene HASSAN-NAHON]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU" diff --git a/europe/gk.json b/europe/gk.json index d70bc856..fbf52856 100644 --- a/europe/gk.json +++ b/europe/gk.json @@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Vice Admiral Ian CORDER (since 14 March 2016)" + "text": "King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Lieutenant-Governor Richard CRIPWELL (since 15 February 2022)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Chief Minister Peter FERBRACHE (since 16 October 2020); Bailiff Richard McMAHON (since 11 May 2020); note - the chief minister is the president of the Policy and Resources Committee and is the de facto head of government; the Policy and Resources Committee, elected by the States of Deliberation, functions as the executive; the 5 members all have equal voting rights" diff --git a/europe/gr.json b/europe/gr.json index ea5a87dd..bf6d5936 100644 --- a/europe/gr.json +++ b/europe/gr.json @@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "4,488 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 1,238,493 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" + "note": "note: 1,238,740 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis products and heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and organized crime" diff --git a/europe/hr.json b/europe/hr.json index 38271f31..fecebe3a 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -1203,7 +1203,8 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Forces; Military Police Force (2022)" + "text": "Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (Oruzane Snage Republike Hrvatske, OSRH): Ground Forces (Hrvatska Kopnena Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM; includes Coast Guard), Air Force and Air Defense Forces; Military Police Force (2023)", + "note": "note: the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for internal security, including law enforcement (Croatia Police) and border security" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2022": { @@ -1223,10 +1224,10 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 15,000 active duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 joint/other) (2022)" + "text": "approximately 15,000 active-duty personnel (10,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 1,500 Air force; 2,000 joint/other) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Croatia has acquired some limited numbers of more modern weapon systems from Western suppliers, including Finland, Germany, and the US  (2022)" + "text": "the majority of the military's inventory consists of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years Croatia has acquired some limited numbers of more modern weapon systems from Western suppliers, including France, Germany, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-27 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2022)", diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index 3d9e17ae..3991a98c 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -1248,7 +1248,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "3,000 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 742,864 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" + "note": "note: 731,709 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "important gateway for drug trafficking; organized crime groups allied with Colombian and Spanish groups trafficking cocaine to Europe" diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index 6aee3041..760d552e 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "468 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 30,433 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" + "note": "note: 30,527 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of large quantities of cocaine  destined for  European markets

" diff --git a/europe/no.json b/europe/no.json index 30b7ee7d..0a45757f 100644 --- a/europe/no.json +++ b/europe/no.json @@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ "text": "Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard" }, "Independence": { - "text": "7 June 1905 (declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of petty Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)" + "text": "7 June 1905 (union with Sweden declared dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union); notable earlier dates: ca. 872 (traditional unification of petty Norwegian kingdoms by HARALD Fairhair); 1397 (Kalmar Union of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden); 1524 (Denmark-Norway); 17 May 1814 (Norwegian constitution adopted); 4 November 1814 (Sweden-Norway union confirmed)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)" diff --git a/europe/ri.json b/europe/ri.json index fbda54cc..200a8210 100644 --- a/europe/ri.json +++ b/europe/ri.json @@ -1244,7 +1244,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "2,594 (includes stateless persons in Kosovo) (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 960,017 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" + "note": "note: 961,647 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-May 2023)" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index 6f7f382f..b695e6d7 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1255,7 +1255,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "6,489 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 286,267 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals, including Canary Islands (January 2015-May 2023)" + "note": "note: 287,115 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals, including Canary Islands (January 2015-May 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "primary transit point in Europe for cocaine from South America and for hashish from Morocco; cocaine is shipped in raw or liquid form with mixed cargo to avoid detection; traffickers ship methamphetamine via express mail; increasing indoor cannabis production; illegal labs cutting, mixing, and reconstituting cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine labs; synthetic drugs, including ketamine and MDMA (ecstasy) transit from Spain to the US" diff --git a/middle-east/aj.json b/middle-east/aj.json index ff6af59c..70591d2f 100644 --- a/middle-east/aj.json +++ b/middle-east/aj.json @@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { - "text": "Azerbaijan Armed Forces: Land Forces (Combined Arms Army), Air Forces, Navy Forces; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, local police forces; State Border Service; Special State Protection Service (SSPS): National Guard (2023)", + "text": "Azerbaijan Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces, Navy Forces, State Border Service, Coast Guard; Ministry of Internal Affairs: Internal Troops, local police forces; Special State Protection Service (SSPS): National Guard (2023)", "note": "note: the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Security Service (intelligence, counterterrorism) are responsible for internal security; the SSPS is under the president and provides protective services to senior officials, foreign missions, significant state assets, government buildings, etc; the National Guard also serves as a reserve for the Army" }, "Military expenditures": { @@ -1196,14 +1196,14 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "information varies; approximately 65,000 active armed forces (55,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); approximately 15,000 Ministry of Internal Affairs troops (2022)" + "text": "estimates vary; up to 95,000 active armed forces (85,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); approximately 15,000 Ministry of Internal Affairs troops (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems with a small mix of equipment from other countries, including Israel and Turkey (2023)" + "text": "Baku has been actively upgrading its equipment for over a decade with purchases from Belarus, Israel, Russia, and Turkey; while most of the military's equipment was once Soviet-era material, it now fields quantities of advanced equipment, including armored vehicles, artillery systems, air defense systems, tanks, and UAVs (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 17-35 years of age for voluntary service for men and women (2023)", - "note": "note: as of 2018, women made up an estimated 3% of the active duty military" + "text": "18-25 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 17-35 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; 18 months service for conscripts (2023)", + "note": "note: most of the military is made up of professional contract soldiers; as of 2018, women made up an estimated 3% of the active duty military" }, "Military - note": { "text": "since November 2020, Russia has deployed about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a cease-fire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan; fighting erupted between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September of 2020; Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces (the \"Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army\") backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994; six weeks of fighting resulted in about 6,500 deaths and ended after Armenia ceded swaths of Nagorno-Karabakh territory; tensions remained high in 2022, and both sides have accused the other of provocations since the fighting ended; Armenia has accused Azerbaijani forces of a series of border intrusions and of seizing pockets of territory (2023)" diff --git a/middle-east/ku.json b/middle-east/ku.json index bb77e375..36143878 100644 --- a/middle-east/ku.json +++ b/middle-east/ku.json @@ -550,10 +550,10 @@ "text": "unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (65 seats; 50 members directly elected from 5 multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 15 ex-officio members (cabinet ministers) appointed by the amir; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 29 September 2022 (next to be held on 6 June 2023, due to dissolution by royal decree on 1 May)" + "text": "snap election held on 6 June 2023 (next to be held in 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "50 nonpartisans elected, of which 28 were opposition candidates: composition - men 48, women 2, percent of women 4%" + "text": "NA" }, "note": "Note: on 17 April 2023, Crown Prince Mishal al-AHMAD al-Sabah dissolved the National Assembly, which had been reinstated in March at the direction of the Constitutional Court, following its annulment of the September 2022 election; the Assembly was formally dissolved by royal decree on 1 May 2023, and a new election scheduled for 6 June" }, @@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador AZZAIN al-Sabah (since 30 April 2023)" + "text": "Ambassador AL-ZAIN Al-Sabah (since 19 April 2023)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 (po)" diff --git a/middle-east/qa.json b/middle-east/qa.json index 9ea1731a..79785270 100644 --- a/middle-east/qa.json +++ b/middle-east/qa.json @@ -580,7 +580,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador MISHAL bin Hamad bin Muhammad Al Thani (since 24 April 2017)" + "text": "Ambassador Meshal Bin Hamad Al Thani (since 24 April 2017)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037" diff --git a/middle-east/tu.json b/middle-east/tu.json index 475c82f5..8c9de600 100644 --- a/middle-east/tu.json +++ b/middle-east/tu.json @@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (chief of state since 28 August 2014; head of government since 9 July 2018); Vice President Fuat OKTAY (since 9 July 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" + "text": "President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (chief of state since 28 August 2014; head of government since 9 July 2018); Vice President Cevdet YILMAZ (since 3 June 2023); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (head of government since 9 July 2018; chief of state since 28 August 2014); note - a 2017 constitutional referendum eliminated the post of prime minister after the 2018 general election" @@ -572,21 +572,21 @@ "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 14 May 2023 (runoff to be held on 28 May 2023)" + "text": "president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 14 May 2023 with a runoff on 28 May 2023 (next to be held in 2028)" }, "election results": { - "text": "2018: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%

2013: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN elected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 51.8%, Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU (independent) 38.4%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 9.8%" + "text": "2023: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected in the second round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.2%, Kemal KILICDAROGLU (CHP) 47.8%

2018: Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN reelected president in the first round; Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (AKP) 52.6%, Muharrem INCE (CHP) 30.6%, Selahattin DEMIRTAS (HDP) 8.4%, Meral AKSENER (IYI) 7.3%, other 1.1%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkey Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats - increased from 550 seats beginning with June 2018 election; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms - increased from 4 to 5 years beginning with June 2018 election)" + "text": "unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkey Buyuk Millet Meclisi (600 seats); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed party-list proportional representation vote, with a 10% threshold required to win a seat; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 24 June 2018 (next to be held on 14 May 2023)" + "text": "last held on 14 May 2023 (next to be held in 2028)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - People's Alliance 53.7% (AKP 42.6%, MHP 11.1%), Nation Alliance 33.9% (CHP 22.6%, IYI 10%, SP 1.3%), HDP 11.7%, other 0.7%; seats by party - People's Alliance 344 (AKP 295, MHP 49), National Alliance 189 (CHP 146, IYI 43), HDP 67; note - only parties surpassing a 10% threshold can win parliamentary seats; composition as of mid-2022 (582 members) - men 481, women 101, percent of women 17.4%" + "text": "percent of vote by party/coalition - People's Alliance 49.9% (AKP 35.6%, MHP 10.1%, YRP 2.8%, BBP 1%), Nation Alliance 35.4% (CHP 25.3%, IYI 9.7%), Labor and Freedom Alliance 10.7% (YSGP 8.9%, TIP 1.8%); seats by party/coalition - People's Alliance 323 (AKP 268, MHP 50, YRP 5), Nation Alliance 212 (CHP 169, IYI 43), Labor and Freedom Alliance 65 (YSGP 61, TIP 4); composition - men 479, women 121, percent of women 20.2%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democracy and Progress Party or DEVA [Ali BABACAN]
Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Saliha AYDENIZ, Keskin BAYINDIR]
Felicity Party (Saadet Party) or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
Free Cause Party or HUDA PAR [Zekeriya YAPICIOGLU]
Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) or GP [Ahmet DAVUTOGLU]
Good Party (IYI Party) [Meral AKSENER]
Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
Nation Alliance (electoral alliance includes CHP, DEVA, DP, GP, IYI, SP)
Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
New Welfare Party or YRP [Fatih ERBAKAN]
Patriotic Party (Vatan Partisi) or VP [Dogu PERINCEK]
People's Alliance (electoral alliance includes AKP, BBP, MHP, YRP)
Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Mithat SANCAR]
Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]", + "text": "Democracy and Progress Party or DEVA [Ali BABACAN]
Democrat Party or DP [Gultekin UYSAL]
Democratic Regions Party or DBP [Saliha AYDENIZ, Keskin BAYINDIR]
Felicity Party (Saadet Party) or SP [Temel KARAMOLLAOGLU]
Free Cause Party or HUDA PAR [Zekeriya YAPICIOGLU]
Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) or GP [Ahmet DAVUTOGLU]
Good Party or IYI [Meral AKSENER]
Grand Unity Party or BBP [Mustafa DESTICI]
Justice and Development Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]
Labor and Freedom Alliance (electoral alliance includes YSGP, HDP, TIP)
Nation Alliance [collective leadership] (electoral alliance includes CHP, DEVA, DP, GP, IYI, SP) (dissolved 1 June 2023)
Nationalist Movement Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]
New Welfare Party or YRP [Fatih ERBAKAN]
Party of Greens and the Left Future or YSGP [Cigfrm  Kilicgun UCAR and Ibrahim AKIN]
People's Alliance (electoral alliance includes AKP, BBP, MHP, YRP)
Peoples' Democratic Party or HDP [Pervin BULDAN, Mithat SANCAR]
Republican People's Party or CHP [Kemal KILICDAROGLU]
Workers' Party of Turkey or TIP [Erkan BAS]", "note": "note:  as of September 2021, 116 political parties were legally registered" }, "International organization participation": { @@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "10,244 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 3,388,698 (Syria) (2023); 95,874 (Ukraine) (as of 26 January 2023)" + "text": "10,244 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 3,366,185 (Syria) (2023); 95,874 (Ukraine) (as of 26 January 2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "1.099 million (displaced from 1984-2005 because of fighting between the Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs are Kurds from eastern and southeastern provinces; no information available on persons displaced by development projects) (2021)" diff --git a/south-america/ci.json b/south-america/ci.json index 9e9cede6..979ca73f 100644 --- a/south-america/ci.json +++ b/south-america/ci.json @@ -1219,7 +1219,7 @@ "text": "approximately 70,000 active armed forces personnel (40,000 Army; 20,000 Navy; 10,000 Air Force); approximately 50,000 Carabineros (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Chilean military inventory is comprised of a wide mix of mostly Western equipment and some domestically produced systems; in recent years, it has received military hardware from a variety of countries, with Germany and the US as the leading suppliers; Chile's defense industry has capabilities in military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2022)" + "text": "the Chilean military inventory is comprised of a wide mix of mostly Western equipment and some domestically produced systems; in recent years, it has received military hardware from a variety of countries, including Australia, the UK, and the US; Chile's defense industry has capabilities in military aircraft, ships, and vehicles (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-45 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; selective compulsory service (there are usually enough volunteers to make compulsory service unnecessary); service obligation is a minimum of 12 months for Army and 22 months for Navy and Air Force (2023)", diff --git a/south-america/co.json b/south-america/co.json index 7e2c2f89..22317791 100644 --- a/south-america/co.json +++ b/south-america/co.json @@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ "text": "approximately 260,000 total active troops (200,000 Army; 45,000 Navy, including about 20,000 marines; 14,000 Air Force); approximately 180,000 National Police (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2022)" + "text": "the military's inventory includes a wide mix of equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Canada, Europe, Israel, South Korea, and the US; the US has been the top provider in recent years; Colombia's defense industry is active in producing air, land, and naval platforms (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-24 years of age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months; conscripted soldiers reportedly include regular soldiers (conscripts without a high school degree), drafted high school graduates (bachilleres), and rural (campesino) soldiers who serve in their home regions (2023)", diff --git a/south-america/ec.json b/south-america/ec.json index 34fd7c11..806eab05 100644 --- a/south-america/ec.json +++ b/south-america/ec.json @@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ "text": "president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 February 2021 with a runoff on 11 April 2021 (next to be held in February 2025)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; first round election results: percent of vote - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.72%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.74%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.38%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (Independent) 15.68%, other 12.48%; second round election results: percent of vote - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5%

2017: Lenin MORENO Garces elected president in second round; percent of vote - Lenin MORENO Garces (Alianza PAIS Movement) 51.1%, Guillermo LASSO (CREO) 48.9%" + "text": "
2021: Guillermo LASSO Mendoza elected president; first round election results: percent of vote - Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 32.72%, Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 19.74%, Yaku PEREZ Guartambel (MUPP) 19.38%, Xavier HERVAS Mora (ID) 15.68%, other 12.48%; second round election results: percent of vote - Guillermo LASSO Mendoza (CREO) 52.5%, Andres ARAUZ (UNES) 47.5%

2017: Lenin MORENO Garces elected president in second round; percent of vote - Lenin MORENO Garces (Alianza PAIS Movement) 51.1%, Guillermo LASSO (CREO) 48.9%" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Avanza Party or AVANZA [Javier ORTI Torres]
Central Democratic Movement or CD [Jimmy JAIRALA]
Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC or RC5 [Rafael CORREA]
Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guillermo LASSO]
Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos]
Forward Ecuador Movement [Alvaro NOBOA]
Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Guillermo CHURUCHUMBI]
Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio Edwin GUTIERREZ Borbua]
Popular Democracy Movement or MPD [Luis VILLACIS]
Social Christian Party or PSC [Jaime NEBOT Saadi]
Socialist Party [Gustavo VALLEJO]
Society United for More Action or SUMA [Guillermo CELI]" + "text": "Avanza Party or AVANZA [Javier ORTI Torres]
Central Democratic Movement or CD [Jimmy JAIRALA]
Citizen Revolution Movement or MRC or RC5 [Marcela AGUIÑAGA]
Creating Opportunities Movement or CREO [Guido CHIRIBOGA]
Democratic Left or ID [Enrique CHÁVEZ]
Pachakutik Plurinational Unity Movement or MUPP [Guillermo CHURUCHUMBI]
Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio GUTIERREZ Borbua]
Social Christian Party or PSC [Alfredo SERRANO]
Socialist Party [Gustavo VALLEJO]
Society United for More Action or SUMA [Guillermo CELI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "CAN, CD, CELAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, PROSUR, SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -1242,7 +1242,7 @@ "text": "approximately 40,000 active military personnel (25,000 Army; 9,000 Navy; 6,000 Air Force) (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the military's equipment inventory is mostly older and derived from a wide variety of sources; in recent years, Ecuador has received limited amounts of military equipment from more than 15 countries, including Brazil, China, Russia, and the US (2023)" + "text": "the military's inventory includes a wide mix of mostly older equipment derived from a variety of sources such as Brazil, China, Russia, and the US; in recent years, Ecuador has received limited amounts of more modern material from several countries, including Germany and Spain (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18 years of age for selective conscript military service, although conscription was suspended in 2008; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Ecuadorian birth requirement; 1-year service obligation; females have been allowed to serve in all branches since 2012 (2022)", diff --git a/south-america/ve.json b/south-america/ve.json index acaaebe0..e9b84ef2 100644 --- a/south-america/ve.json +++ b/south-america/ve.json @@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "

A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT [Omar Enrique BARBOZA Gutierrez]
Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Antonio LEDEZMA]
Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC [Timoteo ZAMBRANO]
Christian Democrats or COPEI [Juan Carlos ALVARADO Prato, Roberto ENRIQUEZ]
Citizens Encounter or EC [Delsa SOLORZANO]
Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARANO]
Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO]
Coalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)
Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV [Maria Corina MACHADO]
Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]
Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo [Enzo SCARANO and Leon JURADO]
Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]
Democratic Action or AD [Jose Bernabe GUTIERREZ Parra]
Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT [Ilenia MEDINA]
Fuerza Vecinal or FV [leaders include mayors Gustavo DUQUE, Darwin GONZALEZ, Elias SAYEGH, Manuel FERREIRA, Josy FERNANDEZ, and Morel David RODRIGUEZ]; note - national spokesman David UZCATEGUI
Hope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO [Javier Alejandro BERTUCCI Carrero]
Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ [Tomas GUANIPA]
LAPIZ [Antonio Domingo ECARRI Angola]
Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS [Segundo MELENDEZ]
Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]
Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP [Henri FALCON]
The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ]
United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]
Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV [Luis PARRA]
Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]
Venezuela Project or PV [Carlos BERRIZBEITIA]
We Are Venezuela (Somos Venezuela) or MSV [Delcy RODRIGUEZ and Vanessa MONTERO]

" + "text": "

A New Era (Un Nuevo Tiempo) or UNT [Omar Enrique BARBOZA Gutierrez]
Brave People's Alliance or ABP [Antonio LEDEZMA]
Cambiemos Movimiento Ciudadano or CMC [Timoteo ZAMBRANO]
Christian Democrats or COPEI [Juan Carlos ALVARADO Prato, Roberto ENRIQUEZ]
Citizens Encounter or EC [Delsa SOLORZANO]
Clear Accounts or CC [Enzo SCARANO]
Coalition of parties loyal to Nicolas MADURO - Great Patriotic Pole or GPP [Nicolas MADURO]
Coalition of opposition parties - Democratic Alliance (Alianza Democratica) (includes AD, EL CAMBIO, COPEI, CMC, and AP)
Come Venezuela (Vente Venezuela) or VV [Maria Corina MACHADO]
Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [Oscar FIGUERA]
Consenso en la Zona or Conenzo [Enzo SCARANO and Leon JURADO]
Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]
Democratic Action or AD [Jose Bernabe GUTIERREZ Parra]
Fatherland for All (Patria para Todos) or PPT [Ilenia MEDINA]
Fuerza Vecinal or FV [leaders include mayors Gustavo DUQUE, Darwin GONZALEZ, Elias SAYEGH, Manuel FERREIRA, Josy FERNANDEZ, and Morel David RODRIGUEZ]; note - national spokesman David UZCATEGUI
Hope for Change (Esperanza por el Cambio) or EL CAMBIO [Javier Alejandro BERTUCCI Carrero]
Justice First (Primero Justicia) or PJ [Tomas GUANIPA]
LAPIZ [Antonio Domingo ECARRI Angola]
Movement to Socialism (Movimiento al Socialismo) or MAS [Segundo MELENDEZ]
Popular Will (Voluntad Popular) or VP [Leopoldo LOPEZ]
Progressive Advance (Avanzada Progresista) or AP [Henri FALCON]
The Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELAZQUEZ]
United Socialist Party of Venezuela or PSUV [Nicolas MADURO]
Venezuela First (Primero Venezuela) or PV [Luis PARRA]
Venezuelan Progressive Movement or MPV [Simon CALZADILLA]
Venezuela Project or PV [Carlos BERRIZBEITIA]

" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "Caricom (observer), CD, CDB, CELAC, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAES, LAIA, LAS (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, Petrocaribe, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/south-asia/af.json b/south-asia/af.json index 4c6d229c..4d90a1f1 100644 --- a/south-asia/af.json +++ b/south-asia/af.json @@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@ "note": "note: as of 2022, there were also up to 10,000 foreign fighters in Afghanistan, most of whom were aligned with the Taliban" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { - "text": "the Taliban military/security forces are armed largely with equipment captured from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces when the central government in Kabul collapsed in 2021 (2022)" + "text": "the Taliban military/security forces are armed largely with US-provided equipment captured from the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces when the central government in Kabul collapsed in 2021 (2022)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "not available", diff --git a/south-asia/bt.json b/south-asia/bt.json index 2db12de5..3aca815e 100644 --- a/south-asia/bt.json +++ b/south-asia/bt.json @@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Doma TSHERING (since 13 September 2017)
note - also the Permanent Representative to the UN" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Phuntsho NORBU (since October 2022)
note - also the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (212) 682-2268" diff --git a/south-asia/mv.json b/south-asia/mv.json index 6afa8644..c8045817 100644 --- a/south-asia/mv.json +++ b/south-asia/mv.json @@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Abdulla JABIR]
Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]
Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]
Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM]
Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]
Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Ahmed Faris MAUMOON]
National Democratic Congress [Yousuf Maaniu]
People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]
Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdullah YAMEEN, Abdul GAYOOM, founder]
Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]

(2020)" + "text": "

Adhaalath (Justice) Party or AP [Sheikh Imran ABDULLA]
Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party or DRP [Abdulla JABIR]
Maldives Development Alliance or MDA [Ahmed Shiyam MOHAMED]
Maldivian Democratic Party or MDP [Mohamed NASHEED]
Maldives Labor and Social Democratic Party or MLSDP [Ahmed SHIHAM]
Maldives Third Way Democrats or MTD [Ahmed ADEEB]
Maumoon/Maldives Reform Movement or MRM [Ahmed Faris MAUMOON]
National Democratic Congress [Yousuf Maaniu]
People's National Congress or PNC [Abdul Raheem ABDULLA]
Progressive Party of Maldives or PPM [Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom, founder]
Republican (Jumhooree) Party or JP [Qasim IBRAHIM]

(2020)" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/world/xx.json b/world/xx.json index 10c397d2..588295da 100644 --- a/world/xx.json +++ b/world/xx.json @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ }, "Geography": { "Geographic overview": { - "text": "

The surface of the Earth is approximately 70.9% water and 29.1% land. The former portion is divided into large bodies termed oceans. The World Factbook recognizes and describes five oceans, which are in decreasing order of size: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. Because of their immense size, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are generally divided at the equator into the North and South Pacific Oceans and the North and South Atlantic Oceans, thus creating seven major water bodies - the so-called \"Seven Seas.\"

Some 97.5% of the Earth's water is saltwater. Of the 2.5% that is fresh, about two-thirds is frozen mostly locked up in the Antarctic ice sheets and mountain glaciers worldwide. If all the surface ice on earth fully melted, the sea level would rise about 70 m (230 ft).

In a 100-year period, a water molecule spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, about two weeks in lakes and rivers, and less than a week in the atmosphere. Groundwater can take 50 years to just traverse 1 km (0.6 mi).

Earth's land portion is generally divided into several, large, discrete landmasses termed continents. Depending on the convention used, the number of continents can vary from five to seven. The most common classification recognizes seven, which are (from largest to smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia and Europe are sometimes lumped together into a Eurasian continent resulting in six continents. Alternatively, North and South America are sometimes grouped as simply the Americas, resulting in a continent total of six (or five, if the Eurasia designation is used).

North America is commonly understood to include the island of Greenland, the isles of the Caribbean, and to extend south all the way to the Isthmus of Panama. The easternmost extent of Europe is generally defined as being the Ural Mountains and the Ural River; on the southeast the Caspian Sea; and on the south the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean. Portions of five countries - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey - fall within both Europe and Asia, but in every instance the larger section is in Asia. These countries are considered part of both continents. Armenia and Cyprus, which lie completely in Western Asia, are geopolitically European countries.

Asia usually incorporates all the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The islands of the Pacific are often lumped with Australia into a \"land mass\" termed Oceania or Australasia. Africa's northeast extremity is frequently delimited at the Isthmus of Suez, but for geopolitical purposes, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is often included as part of Africa.

Although the above groupings are the most common, different continental dispositions are recognized or taught in certain parts of the world, with some arrangements more heavily based on cultural spheres rather than physical geographic considerations.

Based on the seven-continent model, and grouping islands with adjacent continents, Africa has the most countries with 54. Europe contains 49 countries and Asia 48, but these two continents share five countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey. North America consists of 23 sovereign states, Oceania has 14, and South America 12.

countries by continent: Africa (54): Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe;

Europe (49): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan*, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia*, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan*, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia*, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey*, Ukraine, United Kingdom (* indicates part of the country is also in Asia);

Asia (48): Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan*, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Georgia*, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan*, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia*, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey*, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen (* indicates part of the country is also in Europe);

North America (23): Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States;

Oceania (14): Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu;

South America (12): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Three of the states described above – France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom – consist of smaller political entities that are referred to as countries. France considers French Polynesia an overseas country; the Kingdom of the Netherlands refers to all four of its constituent parts (Netherlands [proper], and the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten) as countries; and the United Kingdom comprises the countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While not recognized as sovereign states, The World Factbook does includes descriptive entries for the French and Dutch island \"countries.\"

the world from space: Earth is the only planet in the Solar System to have water in its three states of matter: liquid (oceans, lakes, and rivers), solid (ice), and gas (water vapor in clouds). From a distance, Earth would be the brightest of the eight planets in the Solar System; this luminous effect would be because of the sunlight reflected by the planet's water.

Earth is also the only planet in the Solar System known to be active with earthquakes and volcanoes due to plate tectonics; these events form the landscape, replenish carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and erase impact craters caused by meteors.

Earth has a slight equatorial bulge - a difference between its equatorial and polar diameters - because of the centrifugal force exerted by the rotation of the planet about its axis. The equatorial diameter is 12,756 km, but the polar diameter is 12,714 km; this results in the Earth's circumference at the equator being 40,075 km, while the polar circumference is 40,008 km.

the physical world: The Earth is composed of three layers: the outer lithosphere (with its crust and uppermost solid mantle), the mantle (the thickest layer, with distinct upper and lower layers), and the core (with an outer (liquid) and inner (solid) core). Researchers have discovered that a transition zone (at a depth of 410-660 km (255-410 mi)) between the upper and lower mantle may well be hydrous (water-bearing). But this hydrous rock would neither feel wet nor drip water. At that depth, high temperatures and pressures structurally transform a mineral called olivine into another mineral ringwoodite - and ringwoodite can incorporate water, but not water in a liquid, solid, or gas form. The high temperatures and pressures cause: 1) water molecules to split, creating hydroxide ions (hydrogen and oxygen atoms bound together), and 2) create structural changes in ringwoodite so that it is able to contain hydroxide ions. Ringwoodite can hold 1 to 3% of its weight in hydroxide ions. Considering that the 250 km-transition zone is about 7% of the Earth's mass (the crust, by comparison, is only about 1%), it could include at least as much (if not several times more) water than all of the Earth's oceans.

" + "text": "

The surface of the Earth is approximately 70.9% water and 29.1% land. The former portion is divided into large bodies termed oceans. The World Factbook recognizes and describes five oceans, which are in decreasing order of size: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. Because of their immense size, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are generally divided at the equator into the North and South Pacific Oceans and the North and South Atlantic Oceans, thus creating seven major water bodies - the so-called \"Seven Seas.\"

Some 97.5% of the Earth's water is saltwater. Of the 2.5% that is fresh, about two-thirds is frozen mostly locked up in the Antarctic ice sheets and mountain glaciers worldwide. If all the surface ice on earth fully melted, the sea level would rise about 70 m (230 ft).

In a 100-year period, a water molecule spends 98 years in the ocean, 20 months as ice, about two weeks in lakes and rivers, and less than a week in the atmosphere. Groundwater can take 50 years to just traverse 1 km (0.6 mi).

Earth's land portion is generally divided into several, large, discrete landmasses termed continents. Depending on the convention used, the number of continents can vary from five to seven. The most common classification recognizes seven, which are (from largest to smallest): Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia. Asia and Europe are sometimes lumped together into a Eurasian continent resulting in six continents. Alternatively, North and South America are sometimes grouped as simply the Americas, resulting in a continent total of six (or five, if the Eurasia designation is used).

North America is commonly understood to include the island of Greenland, the isles of the Caribbean, and to extend south all the way to the Isthmus of Panama. The easternmost extent of Europe is generally defined as being the Ural Mountains and the Ural River; on the southeast the Caspian Sea; and on the south the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean. Portions of five countries - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey - fall within both Europe and Asia, but in every instance the larger section is in Asia. These countries are considered part of both continents. Armenia and Cyprus, which lie completely in Western Asia, are geopolitically European countries.

Asia usually incorporates all the islands of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The islands of the Pacific are often lumped with Australia into a \"land mass\" termed Oceania or Australasia. Africa's northeast extremity is frequently delimited at the Isthmus of Suez, but for geopolitical purposes, the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula is often included as part of Africa.

Although the above groupings are the most common, different continental dispositions are recognized or taught in certain parts of the World, with some arrangements more heavily based on cultural spheres rather than physical geographic considerations.

Based on the seven-continent model, and grouping islands with adjacent continents, Africa has the most countries with 54. Europe contains 49 countries and Asia 48, but these two continents share five countries: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey. North America consists of 23 sovereign states, Oceania has 14, and South America 12.

countries by continent: Africa (54): Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe;

Europe (49): Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan*, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia*, Germany, Greece, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan*, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia*, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey*, Ukraine, United Kingdom (* indicates part of the country is also in Asia);

Asia (48): Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan*, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Cyprus, Georgia*, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan*, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Russia*, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey*, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen (* indicates part of the country is also in Europe);

North America (23): Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States;

Oceania (14): Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu;

South America (12): Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Three of the states described above – France, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom – consist of smaller political entities that are referred to as countries. France considers French Polynesia an overseas country; the Kingdom of the Netherlands refers to all four of its constituent parts (Netherlands [proper], and the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten) as countries; and the United Kingdom comprises the countries of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. While not recognized as sovereign states, The World Factbook does includes descriptive entries for the French and Dutch island \"countries.\"

the World from space: Earth is the only planet in the Solar System to have water in its three states of matter: liquid (oceans, lakes, and rivers), solid (ice), and gas (water vapor in clouds). From a distance, Earth would be the brightest of the eight planets in the Solar System; this luminous effect would be because of the sunlight reflected by the planet's water.

Earth is also the only planet in the Solar System known to be active with earthquakes and volcanoes due to plate tectonics; these events form the landscape, replenish carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and erase impact craters caused by meteors.

Earth has a slight equatorial bulge - a difference between its equatorial and polar diameters - because of the centrifugal force exerted by the rotation of the planet about its axis. The equatorial diameter is 12,756 km, but the polar diameter is 12,714 km; this results in the Earth's circumference at the equator being 40,075 km, while the polar circumference is 40,008 km.

the physical world: The Earth is composed of three layers: the outer lithosphere (with its crust and uppermost solid mantle), the mantle (the thickest layer, with distinct upper and lower layers), and the core (with an outer (liquid) and inner (solid) core). Researchers have discovered that a transition zone (at a depth of 410-660 km (255-410 mi)) between the upper and lower mantle may well be hydrous (water-bearing). But this hydrous rock would neither feel wet nor drip water. At that depth, high temperatures and pressures structurally transform a mineral called olivine into another mineral ringwoodite - and ringwoodite can incorporate water, but not water in a liquid, solid, or gas form. The high temperatures and pressures cause: 1) water molecules to split, creating hydroxide ions (hydrogen and oxygen atoms bound together), and 2) create structural changes in ringwoodite so that it is able to contain hydroxide ions. Ringwoodite can hold 1 to 3% of its weight in hydroxide ions. Considering that the 250 km-transition zone is about 7% of the Earth's mass (the crust, by comparison, is only about 1%), it could include at least as much (if not several times more) water than all of the Earth's oceans.

" }, "Map references": { "text": "Physical Map of the World" @@ -43,16 +43,16 @@ "Climate": { "text": "a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates, bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates" }, - "ten driest places on earth (average annual precipitation)": { + "ten driest places on Earth (average annual precipitation)": { "text": "McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in)
Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in)
Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in)
Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in)
Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in)
Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in)
El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in)" }, - "ten wettest places on earth (average annual precipitation)": { + "ten wettest places on Earth (average annual precipitation)": { "text": "Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in)
Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in)
Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in)
Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in)
San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in)
Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in)
Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in)
Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in)
Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in)
Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in)" }, - "ten coldest places on earth (lowest average monthly temperature)": { + "ten coldest places on Earth (lowest average monthly temperature)": { "text": "Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) January
Oymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) January
Eureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) February
Isachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) February
Alert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) February
Kap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) March
Cornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) February
Cambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) February
Ilirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) January
Resolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February" }, - "ten hottest places on earth (highest average monthly temperature)": { + "ten hottest places on Earth (highest average monthly temperature)": { "text": "Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) July
Iranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June
Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) July
Kuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) July
Medina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) July
Buckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) July
Jazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) June
Al Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) July
Alice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) January
Tamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June" } }, @@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ "text": "tremendous variation of terrain may be found on each of the continents; check the World \"Elevation\" entry for a compilation of terrain extremes; the world's ocean floors also display extraordinary variation while the ocean surfaces form a dynamic, continuously changing environment; check the \"Bathymetry\" and \"Major surface currents\" entries under each of the five ocean entries (Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, Pacific, and Southern) for further information on oceanic environs" }, "Ten Cave Superlatives": { - "text": "compiled from \"Geography - note(s)\" under various country entries where more details may be found

largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume

largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria is the world's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi)

longest cave: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the world's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways

longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the world's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase

longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the world and the second longest cave worldwide

longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the world's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep

deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the Caucasus country of Georgia is the world's deepest cave, plunging down 2,212 m (7,257 ft)

deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the world's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep

largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume

largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside of San Antonio, Texas is the world's largest bat cave; it is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the world; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the world's largest known concentration of mammals

bonus \"cave\" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m" + "text": "compiled from \"Geography - note(s)\" under various country entries where more details may be found

largest cave: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam is the World's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume

largest ice cave: the Eisriesenwelt (Ice Giants World) inside the Hochkogel mountain near Werfen, Austria is the World's largest and longest ice cave system at 42 km (26 mi)

longest cave: Mammoth Cave, in west-central Kentucky, is the World's longest known cave system with more than 650 km (405 mi) of surveyed passageways

longest salt cave: the Malham Cave in Mount Sodom in Israel is the World's longest salt cave at 10 km (6 mi); its survey is not complete and its length will undoubtedly increase

longest underwater cave: the Sac Actun cave system in Mexico at 348 km (216 mi) is the longest underwater cave in the World and the second longest cave worldwide

longest lava tube cave: Kazumura Cave on the island of Hawaii is the World's longest and deepest lava tube cave; it has been surveyed at 66 km (41 mi) long and 1,102 m (3,614 ft) deep

deepest cave: Veryovkina Cave in the Caucasus country of Georgia is the World's deepest cave, plunging down 2,212 m (7,257 ft)

deepest underwater cave: the Hranice Abyss in Czechia is the World's deepest surveyed underwater cave at 404 m (1,325 ft); its survey is not complete and it could end up being some 800-1,200 m deep

largest cave chamber: the Miao Room in the Gebihe cave system at China's Ziyun Getu He Chuandong National Park encloses some 10.78 million cu m (380.7 million cu ft) of volume

largest bat cave: Bracken Cave outside of San Antonio, Texas is the World's largest bat cave; it is the summer home to the largest colony of bats in the World; an estimated 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave from March to October making it the World's largest known concentration of mammals

bonus \"cave\" - the world's largest sinkhole: the Xiaoxhai Tiankeng sinkhole in Chongqing Municipality, China is 660 m deep, with a volume of 130 million cu m" } }, "Elevation": { @@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ "text": "3,242,917 sq km (2012 est.)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { - "text": "top ten largest natural lakes: Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 374,000 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,100 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 62,940 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,600 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,750 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,000 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,328 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,500 sq km; Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 22,490 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,568 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world" + "text": "top ten largest natural lakes: Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 374,000 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,100 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 62,940 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,600 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,750 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,000 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,328 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,500 sq km; Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 22,490 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,568 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the World" }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,650 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Yangtze (Asia) 6,300 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,275 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,539 km; Huang He/Yellow (Asia) 5,464 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,410 km; Congo (Africa) 4,700 km; Amur (Asia) 4,444 km; Lena (Asia) 4,400 km

note: there are 20 countries without rivers: 3 in Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Libya), 1 in the Americas (Bahamas), 8 in Asia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen), 3 in Europe (Malta, Monaco, Holy See), 5 in Oceania (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu); these countries also do not have natural lakes" @@ -98,11 +98,11 @@ "text": "six of the world's seven continents are widely and permanently inhabited; Asia is easily the most populous continent with about 60% of the world's population (China and India together account for over 35%); Africa comes in second with over 15% of the earth's populace, Europe has about 10%, North America 8%, South America almost 6%, and Oceania less than 1%; the harsh conditions on Antarctica prevent any permanent habitation" }, "Natural hazards": { - "text": "large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones); natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

volcanism: volcanism is a fundamental driver and consequence of plate tectonics, the physical process reshaping the Earth's lithosphere; the world is home to more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with over 500 of these having erupted in historical times; an estimated 500 million people live near these volcanoes; associated dangers include lava flows, lahars (mudflows), pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, ash fall, ballistic projectiles, gas emissions, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis; in the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, created a list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worthy of special study because of their great potential for destruction: Avachinsky-Koryaksky (Russia), Colima (Mexico), Etna (Italy), Galeras (Colombia), Mauna Loa (United States), Merapi (Indonesia), Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Rainier (United States), Sakurajima (Japan), Santa Maria (Guatemala), Santorini (Greece), Taal (Philippines), Teide (Spain), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea), Unzen (Japan), Vesuvius (Italy); see second note under \"Geography - note\"", - "note": "Volcano statistics and superlatives: 

countries with the most volcanoes (Holocene Epoch, the past 12,000 years): United States (162), Japan (122), Indonesia (120), Russia (117), Chile (91); note - roughly 1,350 volcanoes have erupted over this time period; about 40-50 eruptions are ongoing at any one time; the frequency of volcanoes has not increased

longest erupting volcano: Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala has been constantly erupting since 22 June 1922; note - the Yasur volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu was observed to be erupting by Captain Cook in 1774 and has been in constant activity since then, but it is not cited since it has no clear start date; research (tephra stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating) shows that activity may have begun on Yasur ca. A.D. 1270 and so has persisted for over 750 years

highest volcano (above sea level): Nevado Ojos del Salado (6,893 m; 22,615 ft) on the Chile-Argentina border is the World's highest volcano above sea level and the highest peak in Chile

highest volcano (from base): Mauna Kea (United States) is the world's tallest mountain as measured from base to summit; the peak of this volcanic colossus lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 m" + "text": "large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones); natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

volcanism: volcanism is a fundamental driver and consequence of plate tectonics, the physical process reshaping the Earth's lithosphere; the World is home to more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with over 500 of these having erupted in historical times; an estimated 500 million people live near these volcanoes; associated dangers include lava flows, lahars (mudflows), pyroclastic flows, ash clouds, ash fall, ballistic projectiles, gas emissions, landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis; in the 1990s, the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, created a list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worthy of special study because of their great potential for destruction: Avachinsky-Koryaksky (Russia), Colima (Mexico), Etna (Italy), Galeras (Colombia), Mauna Loa (United States), Merapi (Indonesia), Nyiragongo (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Rainier (United States), Sakurajima (Japan), Santa Maria (Guatemala), Santorini (Greece), Taal (Philippines), Teide (Spain), Ulawun (Papua New Guinea), Unzen (Japan), Vesuvius (Italy); see second note under \"Geography - note\"", + "note": "Volcano statistics and superlatives: 

countries with the most volcanoes (Holocene Epoch, the past 12,000 years): United States (162), Japan (122), Indonesia (120), Russia (117), Chile (91); note - roughly 1,350 volcanoes have erupted over this time period; about 40-50 eruptions are ongoing at any one time; the frequency of volcanoes has not increased

longest erupting volcano: Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala has been constantly erupting since 22 June 1922; note - the Yasur volcano on Tanna Island in Vanuatu was observed to be erupting by Captain Cook in 1774 and has been in constant activity since then, but it is not cited since it has no clear start date; research (tephra stratigraphy and radiocarbon dating) shows that activity may have begun on Yasur ca. A.D. 1270 and so has persisted for over 750 years

highest volcano (above sea level): Nevado Ojos del Salado (6,893 m; 22,615 ft) on the Chile-Argentina border is the World's highest volcano above sea level and the highest peak in Chile

highest volcano (from base): Mauna Kea (United States) is the World's tallest mountain as measured from base to summit; the peak of this volcanic colossus lies on the island of Hawaii, but its base begins more than 70 km offshore and at a depth of about 6,000 m; total height estimates range from 9,966 m to 10,203 m" }, "Geography - note": { - "text": "

note 1: the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.8-billion-year age estimated for the universe; the earliest widely accepted date for life appearing on earth is 3.48 billion years ago, but this date is conservative and may get pushed back further

note 2: although earthquakes can strike anywhere at any time, the vast majority occur in three large zones of the earth; the world's greatest earthquake belt, the Circum-Pacific Belt (popularly referred to as the Ring of Fire), is the zone of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; about 90% of the world's earthquakes (81% of the largest earthquakes) and some 75% of the world's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; the belt extends northward from Chile, along the South American coast, through Central America, Mexico, the western US, southern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, island groups in the southwestern Pacific, and New Zealand

the second prominent belt, the Alpide, extends from Java to Sumatra, northward along the mountains of Burma, then eastward through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic Ocean; it accounts for about 17% of the world's largest earthquakes; the third important belt follows the long Mid-Atlantic Ridge

note 3: information on the origin sites for many of the world's major food crops may be found in the \"Geography - note\" for the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States

" + "text": "

note 1: the World is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just about one-third of the 13.8-billion-year age estimated for the universe; the earliest widely accepted date for life appearing on Earth is 3.48 billion years ago, but this date is conservative and may get pushed back further

note 2: although earthquakes can strike anywhere at any time, the vast majority occur in three large zones of the Earth; the world's greatest earthquake belt, the Circum-Pacific Belt (popularly referred to as the Ring of Fire), is the zone of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean; about 90% of the World's earthquakes (81% of the largest earthquakes) and some 75% of the World's volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire; the belt extends northward from Chile, along the South American coast, through Central America, Mexico, the western US, southern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Japan, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, island groups in the southwestern Pacific, and New Zealand

the second prominent belt, the Alpide, extends from Java to Sumatra, northward along the mountains of Burma, then eastward through the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, and out into the Atlantic Ocean; it accounts for about 17% of the world's largest earthquakes; the third important belt follows the long Mid-Atlantic Ridge

note 3: information on the origin sites for many of the World's major food crops may be found in the \"Geography - note\" for the following countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States

" } }, "People and Society": { @@ -324,12 +324,15 @@ "Environment - current issues": { "text": "large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of biodiversity; soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion; ozone layer depletion; waste disposal; global warming becoming a greater concern" }, - "World Biomes": { + "World biomes": { + "Types of Biomes": { + "text": "

A biome is a biogeographical designation describing a biological community of plants and animals that has formed in response to a physical environment and a shared regional climate. Biomes can extend over more than one continent. Different classification systems define different numbers of biomes. The World Factbook recognizes the following seven biomes used by NASA: Tundra, Coniferous Forest, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Rainforest, Grassland, Shrubland, and Desert.

" + }, "Tundra biome": { "text": "The tundra is the coldest of the biomes. It also receives low amounts of precipitation, making the tundra similar to a desert. Tundra comes from the Finnish word tunturia, meaning \"treeless plain\". Tundra is found in the regions just below the ice caps of the Arctic, extending across North America, to Europe, and Siberia in Asia. Temperatures usually range between -40°C (-40 °F) and 18°C (64°F). The temperatures are so cold that there is a layer of permanently frozen ground below the surface, called permafrost. This permafrost is a defining characteristic of the tundra biome. In the tundra summers, the top layer of soil thaws only a few inches down, providing a growing surface for the roots of vegetation. This biome sees 150 to 250 mm (6 to 10 in) of rain per year. Vegetation in the tundra has adapted to the cold and the short growing season and consists of lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs, but almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost." }, "Coniferous Forest biome": { - "text": "The coniferous forest is sandwiched in between the tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south. Coniferous forest regions have cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons; and at least four to six frost-free months. The average temperature in winter ranges from -40°C (-40°F) to 20°C (68°F). The average summer temperatures are usually around 10°C (50°F). 300 to 900 mm (12 to 35 in) of rain per year can be expected in this biome. Vegetation consists of trees that produce cones and needles called, Coniferous-evergreen trees. Some needles remain on the trees all year long. Some of the more common conifers are spruces, pines, and firs." + "text": "The coniferous forest is sandwiched in between the tundra to the north and the deciduous forest to the south. Coniferous forest regions have cold, long, snowy winters, and warm, humid summers; well-defined seasons; and at least four to six frost-free months. The average temperature in winter ranges from -40°C (-40°F) to 20°C (68°F). The average summer temperatures are usually around 10°C (50°F). 300 to 900 mm (12 to 35 in) of rain per year can be expected in this biome. Vegetation consists of trees that produce cones and needles called, coniferous-evergreen trees. Some needles remain on the trees all year long. Some of the more common conifers are spruces, pines, and firs." }, "Temperate Deciduous Forest biome": { "text": "Temperate deciduous forests are located in the mid-latitude areas which means that they are found between the polar regions and the tropics. The deciduous forest regions are exposed to warm and cold air masses, which cause this area to have four seasons. Hot summers and cold winters are typical in this biome. The average daily temperatures range between -30°C (-22°F) and 30°C (86°F) with a yearly average of 10°C (50°F). On average, this biome receives 750 to 1,500 mm (30 to 59 in) of rain per year. Vegetation includes broadleaf trees (oaks, maples, beeches), shrubs, perennial herbs, and mosses. Temperate deciduous forests are most notable for their transitioning through four seasons. Leaves change color (or senesce) in autumn, fall off in the winter, and grow back in the spring; this adaptation allows plants to survive cold winters." @@ -338,7 +341,7 @@ "text": "The rainforest biome remains warm all year and must stay frost-free. The average daily temperatures range from 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F). Rainforests receive the most rain of all of the biomes in a year! A typical year sees 2,000 to 10,000 mm (79 to 394 in) of rain per year. Vegetation typically includes vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns. There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator and temperate rainforests are found farther north near coastal areas. The majority of common houseplants come from the rainforest." }, "Grassland biome": { - "text": "Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Found on every continent except Antarctica. Depending on latitude, the annual temperature range can be between -20°C (-4°F) to 30°C (86°F). Grasslands receive around 500 to 900 mm (20 to 35 in) of rain per year. Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain. Vegetation is dominated by grasses, but can include sedges and rushes along with some legumes (clover) and herbs. The grasses die back to their roots annually and the soil and the sod protect the roots and the new buds from the cold of winter or dry conditions. A few trees may be found in this biome along the streams, but not many due to the lack of rainfall." + "text": "Grasslands are generally open and continuous, fairly flat areas of grass. They are often located between temperate forests at high latitudes and deserts at subtropical latitudes. Found on every continent except Antarctica. Depending on latitude, the annual temperature range can be between -20°C (-4°F) to 30°C (86°F). Grasslands receive around 500 to 900 mm (20 to 35 in) of rain per year. Tropical grasslands have dry and wet seasons that remain warm all the time. Temperate grasslands have cold winters and warm summers with some rain. Vegetation is dominated by grasses but can include sedges and rushes along with some legumes (clover) and herbs. The grasses die back to their roots annually and the soil and the sod protect the roots and the new buds from the cold of winter or dry conditions. A few trees may be found in this biome along the streams, but not many due to the lack of rainfall." }, "Shrubland biome": { "text": "Shrublands include regions such as chaparral, woodland and savanna, and are composed of shrubs or short trees. Many shrubs thrive on steep, rocky slopes, but there is usually not enough rain to support tall trees. Shrublands are the areas that are located in west coastal regions between 30° and 40° North and South latitude. These regions are usually found surrounding deserts and grasslands. The summers are hot and dry with temperatures reaching up to 38°C (100°F). In the winter, temperatures stay around -1 °C (30°F) and are cool and moist. Annual rainfall in the shrublands varies greatly but generally 200 to 1,000 mm (8 to 40 in) of rain per year can be expected. Vegetation comprises aromatic herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano), shrubs, acacia, chamise, grasses. Plants have adapted to fire caused by the frequent lightning that occurs in the hot, dry summers." @@ -351,16 +354,16 @@ "Climate": { "text": "a wide equatorial band of hot and humid tropical climates, bordered north and south by subtropical temperate zones that separate two large areas of cold and dry polar climates" }, - "ten driest places on earth (average annual precipitation)": { + "ten driest places on Earth (average annual precipitation)": { "text": "McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica 0 mm (0 in)
Arica, Chile 0.76 mm (0.03 in)
Al Kufrah, Libya 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Aswan, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Luxor, Egypt 0.86 mm (0.03 in)
Ica, Peru 2.29 mm (0.09 in)
Wadi Halfa, Sudan 2.45 mm (0.1 in)
Iquique, Chile 5.08 mm (0.2 in)
Pelican Point, Namibia 8.13 mm (0.32 in)
El Arab (Aoulef), Algeria 12.19 mm (0.48 in)" }, - "ten wettest places on earth (average annual precipitation)": { + "ten wettest places on Earth (average annual precipitation)": { "text": "Mawsynram, India 11,871 mm (467.4 in)
Cherrapunji, India 11,777 mm (463.7 in)
Tutunendo, Colombia 11,770 mm (463.4 in)
Cropp River, New Zealand 11,516 mm (453.4 in)
San Antonia de Ureca, Equatorial Guinea 10,450 mm (411.4 in)
Debundsha, Cameroon 10,299 mm (405.5 in)
Big Bog, US (Hawaii) 10,272 mm (404.4 in)
Mt Waialeale, US (Hawaii) 9,763 mm (384.4 in)
Kukui, US (Hawaii) 9,293 mm (365.9 in)
Emeishan, China 8,169 mm (321.6 in)" }, - "ten coldest places on earth (lowest average monthly temperature)": { + "ten coldest places on Earth (lowest average monthly temperature)": { "text": "Verkhoyansk, Russia (Siberia) -47°C (-53°F) January
Oymyakon, Russia (Siberia) -46°C (-52°F) January
Eureka, Canada -38.4°C (-37.1°F) February
Isachsen, Canada -36°C (-32.8°F) February
Alert, Canada -34°C (-28°F) February
Kap Morris Jesup, Greenland -34°C (-29°F) March
Cornwallis Island, Canada -33.5°C (-28.3°F) February
Cambridge Bay, Canada -33.5°C (28.3°F) February
Ilirnej, Russia -33°C (-28°F) January
Resolute, Canada -33°C (-27.4°F) February" }, - "ten hottest places on earth (highest average monthly temperature)": { + "ten hottest places on Earth (highest average monthly temperature)": { "text": "Death Valley, US (California) 39°C (101°F) July
Iranshahr, Iran 38.3°C (100.9°F) June
Ouallene, Algeria 38°C (100.4°F) July
Kuwait City, Kuwait 37.7°C (100°F) July
Medina, Saudi Arabia 36°C (97°F) July
Buckeye, US (Arizona) 34°C (93°F) July
Jazan, Saudi Arabia 33°C (91°F) June
Al Kufrah, Libya 31°C (87°F) July
Alice Springs, Australia 29°C (84°F) January
Tamanrasset, Algeria 29°C (84°F) June" } }, @@ -373,7 +376,7 @@ } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { - "text": "top ten largest natural lakes: Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 374,000 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,100 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 62,940 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,600 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,750 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,000 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,328 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,500 sq km; Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 22,490 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,568 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world" + "text": "top ten largest natural lakes: Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 374,000 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,100 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 62,940 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,600 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,750 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,000 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,328 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,500 sq km; Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 22,490 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,568 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the World" }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,650 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Yangtze (Asia) 6,300 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,275 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,539 km; Huang He/Yellow (Asia) 5,464 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,410 km; Congo (Africa) 4,700 km; Amur (Asia) 4,444 km; Lena (Asia) 4,400 km

note: there are 20 countries without rivers: 3 in Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Libya), 1 in the Americas (Bahamas), 8 in Asia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen), 3 in Europe (Malta, Monaco, Holy See), 5 in Oceania (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu); these countries also do not have natural lakes" @@ -394,10 +397,10 @@ }, "Capital": { "time difference": { - "text": "there are 21 World entities (20 countries and 1 dependency) with multiple time zones: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Greenland (part of the Danish Kingdom), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Spain, United States

note 1: in some instances, the time zones pertain to portions of a country that lie overseas

note 2: in 1851, the British set their prime meridian (0° longitude) through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England; this meridian became the international standard in 1884 and thus the basis for the standard time zones of the world; today, GMT is officially known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is also referred to as \"Zulu time\"; UTC is the basis for all civil time, with the world divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC

note 3: each time zone is based on 15° starting from the prime meridian; in theory, there are 24 time zones based on the solar day, but there are now upward of 40 because of fractional hour offsets that adjust for various political and physical geographic realities; see the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the World and Regional Maps" + "text": "there are 21 World entities (20 countries and 1 dependency) with multiple time zones: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, France, Greenland (part of the Danish Kingdom), Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Mexico, Micronesia, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Spain, United States

note 1: in some instances, the time zones pertain to portions of a country that lie overseas

note 2: in 1851, the British set their prime meridian (0° longitude) through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England; this meridian became the international standard in 1884 and thus the basis for the standard time zones of the World; today, GMT is officially known as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and is also referred to as \"Zulu time\"; UTC is the basis for all civil time, with the World divided into time zones expressed as positive or negative differences from UTC

note 3: each time zone is based on 15° starting from the prime meridian; in theory, there are 24 time zones based on the solar day, but there are now upward of 40 because of fractional hour offsets that adjust for various political and physical geographic realities; see the Standard Time Zones of the World map included with the World and Regional Maps" }, "daylight saving time": { - "text": "some 67 countries - including most of the world's leading industrialized nations - use daylight savings time (DST) in at least a portion of the country; China, Japan, India, and Russia are major industrialized countries that do not use DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe DST and it is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it; some countries observe DST only in certain regions; for example, only southeastern Australia observes it; in fact, only a minority of the world's population - about 20% - uses DST" + "text": "some 67 countries - including most of the World's leading industrialized nations - use daylight savings time (DST) in at least a portion of the country; China, Japan, India, and Russia are major industrialized countries that do not use DST; Asia and Africa generally do not observe DST and it is generally not observed near the equator, where sunrise and sunset times do not vary enough to justify it; some countries observe DST only in certain regions; for example, only southeastern Australia observes it; in fact, only a minority of the World's population - about 20% - uses DST" } }, "Administrative divisions": { @@ -414,22 +417,22 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "there are 27 countries with royal families in the world, most are in Asia (13) and Europe (10), three are in Africa, and one in Oceania; monarchies by continent are as follows: Asia (Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates); Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom); Africa (Eswatini, Lesotho, Morocco); Oceania (Tonga)" + "text": "there are 27 countries with royal families in the World, most are in Asia (13) and Europe (10), three are in Africa, and one in Oceania; monarchies by continent are as follows: Asia (Bahrain, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates); Europe (Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom); Africa (Eswatini, Lesotho, Morocco); Oceania (Tonga)" }, "note": "note 1: Andorra and the Holy See (Vatican) are also monarchies of a sort, but they are not ruled by royal houses; Andorra has two co-princes (the president of France and the bishop of Urgell) and the Holy See is ruled by an elected pope

note 2: the sovereign of Great Britain is also the monarch for 14 of the countries (including Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand) that make up the Commonwealth; that brings to 43 the total number of countries with some type of monarchies" }, "Legislative branch": { - "text": "

there are 230 political entities with legislative bodies; of these 144 are unicameral (a single “house”) and 86 are bicameral (both upper and lower houses); note - while there are 195 countries in the world, 35 territories, possessions, or other special administrative units also have their own governing bodies

" + "text": "

there are 230 political entities with legislative bodies; of these 144 are unicameral (a single “house”) and 86 are bicameral (both upper and lower houses); note - while there are 195 countries in the World, 35 territories, possessions, or other special administrative units also have their own governing bodies

" }, "Flag description": { - "text": "while a \"World\" flag does not exist, the flag of the United Nations (UN) - adopted on 7 December 1946 - has been used on occasion to represent the entire planet; technically, however, it only represents the international organization itself; the flag displays the official emblem of the UN in white on a blue background; the emblem design shows a map of the world in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, the image is flanked by two olive branches crossed below; blue was selected as the color to represent peace, in contrast to red usually associated with war; the map projection chosen includes all of the continents except Antarctica", + "text": "while a \"World\" flag does not exist, the flag of the United Nations (UN) - adopted on 7 December 1946 - has been used on occasion to represent the entire planet; technically, however, it only represents the international organization itself; the flag displays the official emblem of the UN in white on a blue background; the emblem design shows a map of the World in an azimuthal equidistant projection centered on the North Pole, the image is flanked by two olive branches crossed below; blue was selected as the color to represent peace, in contrast to red usually associated with war; the map projection chosen includes all of the continents except Antarctica", "note": "note 1: the flags of 12 nations: Austria, Botswana, Georgia, Jamaica, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Micronesia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Switzerland, and Thailand have no top or bottom and may be flown with either long edge on top without any notice being taken

note 2: the most common colors found on national flags are: red (including deep red; ~75%), white (~70%), and blue (including light blue; ~50%); these three colors are so prevalent that there are only two countries, Jamaica and Sri Lanka, that do not include one of them on their flag; the next three most popular colors are: yellow/gold and green (both ~45%) and black (~30%)

note 3: flags composed of three colors are by far the most common type and, of those, the red-white-blue combination is the most widespread" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "virtually every country has a national anthem; most (but not all) anthems have lyrics, which are usually in the national or most common language of the country; states with more than one national language may offer several versions of their anthem" }, - "note": "note: the world's oldest national anthem is the \"Het Wilhelmus\" (The William) of the Netherlands, which dates to the 17th century; the first national anthem to be officially adopted (1795) was \"La Marseillaise\" (The Song of Marseille) of France; Japan claims to have the world's shortest national anthem, entitled \"Kimigayo\" (The Emperor's Reign), it consists of 11 measures of music (the lyrics are also the world's oldest, dating to the 10th century or earlier); the world's longest national anthem in terms of lyrics is that of Greece, \"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian\" (Hymn to Liberty) with 158 stanzas - only two of which are used; the world's longest national anthem in terms of music is that of Uruguay, \"Himno Nacional\" (National Anthem of Uruguay) with 105 bars (almost five minutes) - generally only the first verse and chorus are sung; both Denmark and New Zealand have two official national anthems" + "note": "note: the World's oldest national anthem is the \"Het Wilhelmus\" (The William) of the Netherlands, which dates to the 17th century; the first national anthem to be officially adopted (1795) was \"La Marseillaise\" (The Song of Marseille) of France; Japan claims to have the World's shortest national anthem, entitled \"Kimigayo\" (The Emperor's Reign), it consists of 11 measures of music (the lyrics are also the world's oldest, dating to the 10th century or earlier); the World's longest national anthem in terms of lyrics is that of Greece, \"Ymnos eis tin Eleftherian\" (Hymn to Liberty) with 158 stanzas - only two of which are used; the World's longest national anthem in terms of music is that of Uruguay, \"Himno Nacional\" (National Anthem of Uruguay) with 105 bars (almost five minutes) - generally only the first verse and chorus are sung; both Denmark and New Zealand have two official national anthems" }, "National heritage": { "total World Heritage Sites": { @@ -740,7 +743,7 @@ } }, "Communications - note": { - "text": "note 1: the development of formal postal systems may be traced back thousands of years; the earliest documented organized courier service for the dissemination of written dispatches was set up by the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (ca. 2400 B.C.); the invention of a true postal system organized for delivery of post to citizens, is credited to Ancient Persia (6th century B.C.); other credible early postal services are those of Ancient India (Mauryan Empire; 4th century B.C.) and Ancient China (Han Dynasty; 3rd century B.C.) 

note 2: data centers consist of a dedicated space within a building or a group of buildings used to house computing resources and other components, such as telecommunications and storage systems; the ongoing worldwide boom in data generation is responsible for the mushrooming of data centers; the three largest data center facilities by area as of the first half of 2022 are:
 
no. 1. - the China Telecom data center located in the Inner Mongolia Information Park, Hohhot, China, reportedly covers 1 million sq m (10.7 million sq ft); the largest Internet data center in the world, it has over 50% market share in the Chinese data center market, with an extensive network of over 400 data centers located in prime regions in mainland China and overseas markets

no. 2. - the China Mobile data center located in the Inner Mongolia Information Park, Hohhot, China, covers 720,000 sq m (7.7 million sq ft); it is one of the world's biggest cloud computing data centers

no. 3. - The Citadel data center owned by US-based Switch, in Tahoe Reno, Nevada, covers 670,000 sq m (7.2 million sq ft); called the world’s largest technology ecosystem, the facility runs on 100% renewable (solar and wind) energy  (2021)" + "text": "note 1: the development of formal postal systems may be traced back thousands of years; the earliest documented organized courier service for the dissemination of written dispatches was set up by the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (ca. 2400 B.C.); the invention of a true postal system organized for delivery of post to citizens, is credited to Ancient Persia (6th century B.C.); other credible early postal services are those of Ancient India (Mauryan Empire; 4th century B.C.) and Ancient China (Han Dynasty; 3rd century B.C.) 

note 2: data centers consist of a dedicated space within a building or a group of buildings used to house computing resources and other components, such as telecommunications and storage systems; the ongoing worldwide boom in data generation is responsible for the mushrooming of data centers; the three largest data center facilities by area as of the first half of 2022 are:
 
no. 1. - the China Telecom data center located in the Inner Mongolia Information Park, Hohhot, China, reportedly covers 1 million sq m (10.7 million sq ft); the largest Internet data center in the World, it has over 50% market share in the Chinese data center market, with an extensive network of over 400 data centers located in prime regions in mainland China and overseas markets

no. 2. - the China Mobile data center located in the Inner Mongolia Information Park, Hohhot, China, covers 720,000 sq m (7.7 million sq ft); it is one of the World's biggest cloud computing data centers

no. 3. - The Citadel data center owned by US-based Switch, in Tahoe Reno, Nevada, covers 670,000 sq m (7.2 million sq ft); called the World’s largest technology ecosystem, the facility runs on 100% renewable (solar and wind) energy (2021)" } }, "Transportation": { @@ -758,7 +761,7 @@ }, "Waterways": { "text": "2,293,412 km (2017)", - "note": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,693 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km; Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km; Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km; Amur (Asia) 4,352 km; Lena (Asia) 4,345 km; Congo (Africa) 4,344 km

note 1: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the world, responsible for about 20% of the Earth's freshwater entering the ocean

note 2: there are 20 countries without rivers: 3 in Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Libya); 1 in the Americas (Bahamas); 8 in Asia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen); 3 in Europe (Malta, Monaco, Holy See), 5 in Oceania (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu); these countries also do not have natural lakes

top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area): Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km; Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world

note 3: the deepest lake in the world (1,620 m), and also the largest freshwater lake by volume (23,600 cu km), is Lake Baikal in Russia" + "note": "top ten longest rivers: Nile (Africa) 6,693 km; Amazon (South America) 6,436 km; Mississippi-Missouri (North America) 6,238 km; Yenisey-Angara (Asia) 5,981 km; Ob-Irtysh (Asia) 5,569 km; Yangtze (Asia) 5,525 km; Yellow (Asia) 4,671 km; Amur (Asia) 4,352 km; Lena (Asia) 4,345 km; Congo (Africa) 4,344 km

note 1: rivers are not necessarily navigable along the entire length; if measured by volume, the Amazon is the largest river in the World, responsible for about 20% of the Earth's freshwater entering the ocean

note 2: there are 20 countries without rivers: 3 in Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Libya); 1 in the Americas (Bahamas); 8 in Asia (Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen); 3 in Europe (Malta, Monaco, Holy See), 5 in Oceania (Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu); these countries also do not have natural lakes

top ten largest natural lakes (by surface area): Caspian Sea (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan) 372,960 sq km; Lake Superior (Canada, United States) 82,414 sq km; Lake Victoria (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) 69,490 sq km; Lake Huron (Canada, United States) 59,596 sq km; Lake Michigan (United States) 57,441 sq km; Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia) 32,890 sq km; Great Bear Lake (Canada) 31,800 sq km; Lake Baikal (Russia) 31,494 sq km; Lake Nyasa (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania) 30,044 sq km; Great Slave Lake (Canada) 28,400 sq km

note 1: the areas of the lakes are subject to seasonal variation; only the Caspian Sea is saline, the rest are fresh water

note 2: Lakes Huron and Michigan are technically a single lake because the flow of water between the Straits of Mackinac that connects the two lakes keeps their water levels at near-equilibrium; combined, Lake Huron-Michigan is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the World

note 3: the deepest lake in the world (1,620 m), and also the largest freshwater lake by volume (23,600 cu km), is Lake Baikal in Russia" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { @@ -814,7 +817,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "

Tier 2 Watch List: (34 countries) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Zambia, Zimbabwe (2022)

Tier 3:  (22 countries) Afghanistan, Belarus, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, Cuba, Curacao, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Russia, Sint Maarten, South Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Vietnam (2022)" + "text": "

Tier 2 Watch List: (34 countries) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Zambia, Zimbabwe (2022)

Tier 3: (22 countries) Afghanistan, Belarus, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, Cuba, Curacao, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Russia, Sint Maarten, South Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Venezuela, Vietnam (2022)" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "approximately 800,000 people, mostly women and children, are trafficked annually across national borders, not including millions trafficked within their own countries; at least 80% of the victims are female and up to 50% are minors; 75% of all victims are trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation; almost two-thirds of the global victims are trafficked intra-regionally within East Asia and the Pacific (260,000 to 280,000 people) and Europe and Eurasia (170,000 to 210,000 people)"