diff --git a/africa/bc.json b/africa/bc.json index 0d9ddea4..a6444269 100644 --- a/africa/bc.json +++ b/africa/bc.json @@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Amanda S. JACOBSEN" + "text": "Ambassador Howard A. VAN VRANKEN (since 24 May 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Embassy Drive, Government Enclave (off Khama Crescent), Gaborone" diff --git a/africa/by.json b/africa/by.json index 6b6252f5..203403d3 100644 --- a/africa/by.json +++ b/africa/by.json @@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Melanie Harris HIGGINS (since 2 March 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Keith GILGES (since June 2022) " }, "embassy": { "text": "B.P. 1720, Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura" diff --git a/africa/cd.json b/africa/cd.json index b8d3890e..4991bddd 100644 --- a/africa/cd.json +++ b/africa/cd.json @@ -1201,15 +1201,15 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "382,320 (Sudan) (includes refugees since 15 April 2023), 128,083 (Central African Republic), 26,668 (Cameroon), 21,081 (Nigeria) (2023)" + "text": "418,187 (Sudan) (includes refugees since 15 April 2023), 128,312 (Central African Republic), 26,692 (Cameroon), 21,087 (Nigeria) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "381,289 (majority are in the east) (2023)" + "text": "215,918 (majority are in the east) (2023)" } }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Chad does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials investigated trafficking cases and finalized a National Action Plan for 2021-2022 and began implementation of standard operating procedures and a National Referral Mechanism for identifying and referring victims for care; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increased efforts to increase anti-trafficking capacity; government turnover hindered Chad’s ability to maintain consistent anti-trafficking efforts and reporting; authorities did not report prosecuting or convicting any traffickers, identifying victims, or conducting awareness campaigns; nonetheless, because the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Chad was granted a waiver per the TVPA from downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Chad remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2022)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Chad does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials investigated trafficking cases and finalized a National Action Plan for 2021-2022 and began implementation of standard operating procedures and a National Referral Mechanism for identifying and referring victims for care; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increased efforts to increase anti-trafficking capacity; government turnover hindered Chad’s ability to maintain consistent anti-trafficking efforts and reporting; authorities did not report prosecuting or convicting any traffickers, identifying victims, or conducting awareness campaigns; nonetheless, because the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Chad was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Chad remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2022)" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Chad, and traffickers exploit Chadian victims abroad; most trafficking is internal; some children are sent by their parents to relatives or intermediaries to receive education, an apprenticeship, goods, or money and are then forced to work in domestic service or cattle herding; children are also forced to work in agriculture, gold mines, charcoal vending, and fishing, and those attending Koranic schools are forced into begging and street vending; girls from rural areas who search for work in larger towns are exploited in sex trafficking and domestic servitude; terrorist groups abduct children to serve as soldiers, suicide bombers, brides, and forced laborers (2022)" diff --git a/africa/cg.json b/africa/cg.json index 9302b62c..e326b5ae 100644 --- a/africa/cg.json +++ b/africa/cg.json @@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Stephanie MILEY (since July 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 6 February 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe" @@ -1277,7 +1277,7 @@ "note": "note: in eastern Congo, fighters from armed groups, and in some cases government security forces, have been accused of forced recruitment of child soldiers" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "

the FARDC’s primary focus is internal security; while the FARDC is large on paper, with an estimated 18 operational infantry brigades, it struggles to provide security in large portions of the country; the FARDC is widely assessed to suffer from insufficient training, low equipment readiness, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline, and widespread corruption; it was created out of the armed factions of the Congo wars that ended in 2003, incorporating various militia, paramilitary, and rebel formations; the DRC’s most effective military force, the Republican Guard, is overseen by the office of the presidency rather than the FARDC and focuses largely on protecting the president and government institutions and enforcing internal security

the FARDC is actively conducting operations against a variety of illegal armed groups (IOGs) operating in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 15 significant and cohesive IOGs operate; there is also violence in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; some estimates place over 100 IOGs operating in the country, including organized militias, such as the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renewal (NDC-R), which controls a large portion of North Kivu; Mai Mai groups (local militias that operate variously as self-defense networks and criminal rackets); and foreign-origin groups seeking safe haven and resources, such as the Ugandan-origin Allied Democratic Forces (ADF; aka Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), multiple groups originating from Burundi, the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and the March 23 Movement (aka M23 or Congolese Revolutionary Army), which the DRC has accused Rwanda of backing; the FARDC has been accused of collaborating with some IOGs, such as the NDC-R; in 2023, the East Africa Community deployed a regional force to oversee the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group from the country; countries sending troops include Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan

the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; as of early 2023, MONUSCO had over 14,000 personnel assigned; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; 3 infantry battalions, plus artillery and special forces), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security (2023)" + "text": "

the FARDC’s primary focus is internal security; while the FARDC is large on paper, with an estimated 18 operational infantry brigades, it struggles to provide security in large portions of the country; the FARDC is widely assessed to suffer from insufficient training, low equipment readiness, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline, and widespread corruption; it was created out of the armed factions of the Congo wars that ended in 2003, incorporating various militia, paramilitary, and rebel formations; the DRC’s most effective military force, the Republican Guard, is overseen by the office of the presidency rather than the FARDC and focuses largely on protecting the president and government institutions and enforcing internal security

the FARDC is actively conducting operations against a variety of illegal armed groups (IOGs) operating in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 15 significant and cohesive IOGs operate; there is also violence in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; some estimates place over 100 IOGs operating in the country, including organized militias, such as the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renewal (NDC-R), which controls a large portion of North Kivu; Mai Mai groups (local militias that operate variously as self-defense networks and criminal rackets); and foreign-origin groups seeking safe haven and resources, such as the Ugandan-origin Allied Democratic Forces (ADF; aka Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), multiple groups originating from Burundi, the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and the March 23 Movement (aka M23 or Congolese Revolutionary Army), which the DRC has accused Rwanda of backing; the FARDC has been accused of collaborating with some IOGs, such as the NDC-R; in 2023, the East Africa Community deployed a regional force to oversee the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group from the country; countries sending troops included Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan

the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; as of 2023, MONUSCO had over 14,000 personnel assigned, but it was drawing down its forces towards a complete withdrawal at the request of the DRC Government; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; three infantry battalions, plus artillery and special forces), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security (2023)" }, "Maritime threats": { "text": "the International Maritime Bureau reported one incident in the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2022, the same number of attacks as in 2021; 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\"" @@ -1295,10 +1295,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "211,882 (Central African Republic), 208,075 (Rwanda), 53,164 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 43,250 (Burundi) (2023)" + "text": "211,882 (Central African Republic), 208,328 (Rwanda), 53,164 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 43,250 (Burundi) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "6.17 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2023)" + "text": "6.38 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/ct.json b/africa/ct.json index ccc6ab11..70ea9fe6 100644 --- a/africa/ct.json +++ b/africa/ct.json @@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ "text": "none" }, "local long form": { - "text": "Republique Centrafricaine" + "text": "Republique Centrale Africaine" }, "local short form": { "text": "none" @@ -532,10 +532,10 @@ }, "Constitution": { "history": { - "text": "several previous; latest (interim constitution) approved by the Transitional Council 30 August 2015, adopted by referendum 13-14 December 2015, ratified 27 March 2016" + "text": "several previous; latest constitution passed by a national referrendum on 30 July 2023; note - the new constitution was proposed by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, removed term limits, and will allow President Touadéra to run again in 2025" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the \"Mediator of the Central African\" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials; note - constitutional referendum on abolishing presidential term limits scheduled for 30 July 2023" + "text": "proposals require support of the government, two thirds of the National Council of Transition, and assent by the \"Mediator of the Central African\" crisis; passage requires at least three-fourths majority vote by the National Council membership; non-amendable constitutional provisions include those on the secular and republican form of government, fundamental rights and freedoms, amendment procedures, or changes to the authorities of various high-level executive, parliamentary, and judicial officials" } }, "Legal system": { @@ -1184,10 +1184,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "18,011 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 6,676 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2023)" + "text": "13,844 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 6,676 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "514,547 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2023)" + "text": "488,866 (clashes between army and rebel groups since 2005; tensions between ethnic groups) (2023)" } } } diff --git a/africa/eg.json b/africa/eg.json index a0ccf647..8bdd3d3c 100644 --- a/africa/eg.json +++ b/africa/eg.json @@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires John P. DESROCHER (since 26 April 2023)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador A.Elizabeth JONES (since 9 October 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo" @@ -1326,7 +1326,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "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); 287,230 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 149,454 (Syria) (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); 310,000 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 150,465 (Syria) (2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "10 (2022)" diff --git a/africa/ek.json b/africa/ek.json index a9b22958..7a3c104c 100644 --- a/africa/ek.json +++ b/africa/ek.json @@ -1133,7 +1133,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "

Tier 2 Watch List — Equatorial Guinea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government increased anti-trafficking awareness campaigns, as well as finalized and began implementing an updated 2022-2024 national action plan and standard operating procedures on victim protection and care; officials improved internal coordination, trained local leaders and law enforcement officials in trafficking indicators, victim identification, and investigation; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increased anti-trafficking efforts compared with the previous year; officials have never convicted a trafficker under its 2004 anti-trafficking law, did not prosecute traffickers or identify victims during the reporting period, and the law did not criminalize all forms of trafficking; senior government officials allegedly were complicit in trafficking crimes; because the government devoted sufficient resources to a plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet minimum standards, Equatorial Guinea was granted a waiver per the TVPA from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3, and therefore remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2022)

" + "text": "

Tier 2 Watch List — Equatorial Guinea does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government increased anti-trafficking awareness campaigns, as well as finalized and began implementing an updated 2022-2024 national action plan and standard operating procedures on victim protection and care; officials improved internal coordination, trained local leaders and law enforcement officials in trafficking indicators, victim identification, and investigation; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increased anti-trafficking efforts compared with the previous year; officials have never convicted a trafficker under its 2004 anti-trafficking law, did not prosecute traffickers or identify victims during the reporting period, and the law did not criminalize all forms of trafficking; senior government officials allegedly were complicit in trafficking crimes; because the government devoted sufficient resources to a plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet minimum standards, Equatorial Guinea was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3, and therefore remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2022)

" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Equatorial Guinea and Equatoguineans abroad; the majority of trafficking victims are subjected to forced domestic service and commercial sex in cities, particularly in the hospitality and restaurant sector; local and foreign women, including Latin Americans, are exploited in commercial sex domestically, while some Equatoguinean women are sex trafficked in Spain; some children from rural areas have been forced into domestic servitude; children from nearby countries are forced to labor as domestic workers, market workers, vendors, and launderers; individuals recruited from African countries and temporary workers from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela are sometimes exploited in forced labor and sex trafficking; observers report LGBTQI+ youth are often left homeless and stigmatized by family and society, increasing their vulnerability to trafficking (2022)" diff --git a/africa/gb.json b/africa/gb.json index e0e6541e..0cd685b0 100644 --- a/africa/gb.json +++ b/africa/gb.json @@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Samuel R. WATSON; note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Ellen B. THORBURN (since 27 October 2022); note - also accredited to Sao Tome and Principe" }, "embassy": { "text": "Sabliere, B.P. 4000, Libreville" diff --git a/africa/gv.json b/africa/gv.json index 6d7314d5..6090a39f 100644 --- a/africa/gv.json +++ b/africa/gv.json @@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "African Congress for Democracy and Renewal or CADRE [Daniel KOLIE]
Alliance for National Renewal or ARN [Pepe Koulemou KOULEMOU]
Alliance for National Renewal or ARENA [Sekou Koureissy CONDE]
Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO]
Citizen Generation or GECI [Mohamed SOUMAH]
Citizen Party for the Defense of Collective Interests or PCDIC [Hamidou BARRY]
Democratic Alliance for Renewal or ADR [Alpha Oumar Taran DIALLO]
Democratic National Movement or MND [Ousmane DORE]
Democratic Union for Renewal and Progress or UDRP [Edouard Zoutomou KPOGHOMOU]
Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG [Mamadou SYLLA]
Democratic People's Movement of Guinea or MPDG [Siaka BARRY]
Democratic Workers' Party of Guinea or PDTG [Talibi Dos CAMARA]
Front for the National Alliance or FAN [Makale CAMARA]
Generation for Reconciliation Union and Prosperity or GRUP [Papa Koly KOUROUMA]
Guinea for Democracy and Balance or GDE [Aboubacar SOUMAH]
Guinean Party for Peaceful Coexistence and Development or PGCD [Nene Moussa Maleya CAMARA]
Guinean Party for Solidarity and Democracy or PGSD [Elie KAMANO]
Guinean Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Francis HABA]
Guinean Rally for Development or RGD [Abdoul Kabele CAMARA]
Guinean Rally for Unity and Development or RGUD [Abraham BOURE]
Guinean Renaissance Party or PGR [Ibrahima Sory CONDE]
Modern Guinea [Thierno Yaya DIALLO]
Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD [Abdoulaye DIALLO]
National Committee for Reconciliation and Development [Colonel Mamady DOUMBOUYA]
National Front for Development or FND [Alhousseine Makanera KAKE]
National Union for Prosperity or UNP [Alpha Mady SOUMAH]
National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]
New Democratic Forces or NFD [Mouctar DIALLO]
New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Abbe SYLLA]
New Guinea or NG [Mohamed CISSE]
New Political Generation or NGP [Badra KONE]
Party for Progress and Change or PPC [Aboubacar Biro SOUMAH]
Party of Citizen Action through Labor or PACT [Makale TRAORE]
Party of Democrats for Hope or PADES [Ousmane KABA]
Party of Freedom and Progress or PLP [Laye Souleymane DIALLO]
Party of Hope for National Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]
Rally for Renaissance and Development or RRD [Abdoulaye KOUROUMA]
Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [vacant]
Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea or RDIG [Jean Marc TELIANO]
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Diabaty DORE]
Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]
Union for the Defense of Republican Interests or UDIR [Bouya KONATE]
Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jacques GBONIMY]
Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Mamadou Baadiko BAH]
Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]
Union of Democrats for the Renaissance of Guinea or UDRG [Amadou Oury BAH]
Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Unity and Progress Party or PUP [Fode BANGOURA]", + "text": "African Congress for Democracy and Renewal or CADRE [Daniel KOLIE]
Alliance for National Renewal or ARN [Pepe Koulemou KOULEMOU]
Alliance for National Renewal or ARENA [Sekou Koureissy CONDE]
Bloc Liberal or BL [Faya MILLIMONO]
Citizen Generation or GECI [Mohamed SOUMAH]
Citizen Party for the Defense of Collective Interests or PCDIC [Hamidou BARRY]
Democratic Alliance for Renewal or ADR [Alpha Oumar Taran DIALLO]
Democratic National Movement or MND [Ousmane DORE]
Democratic Union for Renewal and Progress or UDRP [Edouard Zoutomou KPOGHOMOU]
Democratic Union of Guinea or UDG [Mamadou SYLLA]
Democratic People's Movement of Guinea or MPDG [Siaka BARRY]
Democratic Workers' Party of Guinea or PDTG [Talibi Dos CAMARA]
Front for the National Alliance or FAN [Makale CAMARA]
Generation for Reconciliation Union and Prosperity or GRUP [Papa Koly KOUROUMA]
Guinea for Democracy and Balance or GDE [Aboubacar SOUMAH]
Guinean Party for Peaceful Coexistence and Development or PGCD [Nene Moussa Maleya CAMARA]
Guinean Party for Solidarity and Democracy or PGSD [Elie KAMANO]
Guinean Union for Democracy and Development or UGDD [Francis HABA]
Guinean Rally for Development or RGD [Abdoul Kabele CAMARA]
Guinean Rally for Unity and Development or RGUD [Abraham BOURE]
Guinean Renaissance Party or PGR [Ibrahima Sory CONDE]
Modern Guinea [Thierno Yaya DIALLO]
Movement for Solidarity and Development or MSD [Abdoulaye DIALLO]
National Committee for Reconciliation and Development [Colonel Mamady DOUMBOUYA]
National Front for Development or FND [Alhousseine Makanera KAKE]
National Union for Prosperity or UNP [Alpha Mady SOUMAH]
National Party for Hope and Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]
New Democratic Forces or NFD [Mouctar DIALLO]
New Generation for the Republic or NGR [Abbe SYLLA]
New Guinea or NG [Mohamed CISSE]
New Political Generation or NGP [Badra KONE]
Party for Progress and Change or PPC [Aboubacar Biro SOUMAH]
Party of Citizen Action through Labor or PACT [Makale TRAORE]
Party of Democrats for Hope or PADES [Ousmane KABA]
Party of Freedom and Progress or PLP [Laye Souleymane DIALLO]
Party of Hope for National Development or PEDN [Lansana KOUYATE]
Rally for Renaissance and Development or RRD [Abdoulaye KOUROUMA]
Rally for the Guinean People or RPG (vacant)
Rally for the Integrated Development of Guinea or RDIG [Jean Marc TELIANO]
Rally for the Republic or RPR [Diabaty DORE]
Union for Progress and Renewal or UPR [Ousmane BAH]
Union for the Defense of Republican Interests or UDIR [Bouya KONATE]
Union for the Progress of Guinea or UPG [Jacques GBONIMY]
Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Mamadou Baadiko BAH]
Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Cellou Dalein DIALLO]
Union of Democrats for the Renaissance of Guinea or UDRG [Amadou Oury BAH]
Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]
Unity and Progress Party or PUP [Fode BANGOURA]", "note": "

\n

\n

" }, "International organization participation": { @@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Troy FITRELL (since January 2022) " + "text": "Ambassador Troy Damian FITRELL (since January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Transversale No. 2, Centre Administratif de Koloma, Commune de Ratoma, Conakry" diff --git a/africa/iv.json b/africa/iv.json index fde7a476..ec7397ac 100644 --- a/africa/iv.json +++ b/africa/iv.json @@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ "text": "President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA (since 4 December 2010); Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet KONE (since 19 April 2022); note - Vice President Tiémoko Meyliet KONE appointed by President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA before a Congressional meeting on 19 April 2022" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Patrick ACHI (since 19 April 2022); note - Prime Minister ACHI resigned on 13 April 2022 and was reappointed by President Alassane Dramane OUATTARA before a Congressional meeting on 19 April 2022" + "text": "Prime Minister Robert Beujre MAMBE (since 16 October 2023)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president" @@ -651,7 +651,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Richard K. BELL (since 10 October 2019)" + "text": "Ambassador Jessica Davis BA (since 2 March 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "B.P. 730 Abidjan Cidex 03" diff --git a/africa/li.json b/africa/li.json index e5e455ab..bff346aa 100644 --- a/africa/li.json +++ b/africa/li.json @@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Michael A. MCCARTHY (since 22 January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant) Charges d'Affairs Catherine RODRIGUEZ (since 11 August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "502 Benson Street, Monrovia" diff --git a/africa/ly.json b/africa/ly.json index 5f457e3b..a1e0afab 100644 --- a/africa/ly.json +++ b/africa/ly.json @@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Khaled DAIEF (since 27 August 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Fadil S M OMAR (since 17 July 2023)" }, "chancery": { "text": "1460 Dahlia Street NW, Washington, DC 20012" @@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'affaires Leslie T. ORDEMAN (since 7 September 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Ambassador Richard B. NORLAND, US Special Envoy for Libya (since 8 September 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "operations suspended" @@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ "text": "24,887 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 11,623 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 8,302 (Eritrea) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "125,802 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2022)" + "text": "125,802 (conflict between pro-QADHAFI and anti-QADHAFI forces in 2011; post-QADHAFI tribal clashes 2014) (2023)" } } } diff --git a/africa/mr.json b/africa/mr.json index 83deb772..30fc9e4e 100644 --- a/africa/mr.json +++ b/africa/mr.json @@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ "text": "last held in 2 rounds on 13 and 27 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028)" }, "election results": { - "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - El Insaf 107, Tawassoul 11, UDP 10, Sawab 5, FRUD (Republican Front for Unity and Democracy) 7, El Islah 6, National Democratic Alliance (AND) 6, Mauritanian Party for Union and Change (HATEM) 3, El Karama 5, Nida Elwatan 5, Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal 4, Hiwar 3, Party of the Mauritanian Masses 1, El Vadila 2, Union of Planning and Construction (UPC) 1; composition - men, 135, women 41, percent of women elected 23.3%" + "text": "National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - El INSAF 107, Tawassoul 11, UDP 10, FRUD (Republican Front for Unity and Democracy) 7, El Islah (Reformist Party) 6, National Democratic Alliance (AND) 6, El Karama (Dignity Party) 5, Nida Al-Watan 5, Sawab 5, Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal 4, Hiwar 3, Mauritanian Party for Union and Change (HATEM) 3, El Vadila (Party of Virtue) 2, Union for Planning and Construction (UPC) 1, Party of the Mauritanian Masses (Hakam) 1; composition - men, 135, women 41, percent of women elected 23.3%" }, "note": "note - the early parliamentary elections in 2023 were the first to be held under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, elected in 2019 in a first peaceful transition of power; the elections followed the agreement between the government and parties in September 2022 to renew the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and hold the elections in the first semester of 2023 for climatic and logistical reasons" }, @@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]
Burst of Youth for the Nation or Sursaut or PSJN [Lalla Mint CHERIF]
El Insaf or Equity Party [Mohamed Melainine Ould EYIH]
El Islah Party [Mohamed Ould TALEBNA]
El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]
Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement or IRA [Biram Dah ABEID]
National Democratic Alliance or AND [Yacoub Ould MOINE]
National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI]
Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR [Valle Mint Mini]
Popular (or People's) Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR]
Rally (or Assembly) of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]
Sawab Party [Ahmed Salem Ould HORMA]
Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
Union of the Forces of Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]
" + "text": "Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]
El Insaf or Equity Party [Mohamed Melainine Ould EYIH]
El Islah Party [Mohamed Ould TALEBNA]
El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]
El Vadila [Ethmane Ould Cheikh Ahmed Eboul MEALY]
FRUD (Republican Front for Unity and Democracy) [Kadiata Malick DIALLO]
Mauritanian Party of Union and Change (HATEM) [Saleh Ould HANENNA]
National Democratic Alliance or AND [Yacoub Ould MOINE]
National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL [Hamadi Ould Sidi MOKHTAR]
Nida El-Watan [Daoud Ould Ahmed AICHA]
Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR [Valle Mint Mini]
Party of the Mauritanian Masses (Hakam) [El Khalil Ould ENNAHOUI]
Sawab Party [Ahmed Salem Ould HORMA]
Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
Union of Planning and Construction (UPC) [Qari Ould Mohamed ABDALLAHI]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "26,000 (Sahrawis) (2021); 102,400 (Mali) (2023)" + "text": "26,000 (Sahrawis) (2021); 104,080 (Mali) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/ng.json b/africa/ng.json index 716287b5..07a7b5b9 100644 --- a/africa/ng.json +++ b/africa/ng.json @@ -1237,7 +1237,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "221,076 (Nigeria), 66,5020 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)" + "text": "221,076 (Nigeria), 67,191 (Mali) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "335,277 (includes the regions of Diffa, Tillaberi, and Tahoua; unknown how many of the 11,000 people displaced by clashes between government forces and the Tuareg militant group, Niger Movement for Justice, in 2007 are still displaced; inter-communal violence; Boko Haram attacks in southern Niger, 2015) (2023)" diff --git a/africa/ni.json b/africa/ni.json index a749ab6c..14d3a242 100644 --- a/africa/ni.json +++ b/africa/ni.json @@ -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 statutory, 258 current; 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 2023 (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 59, PDP 36, LP 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2, YPP 1, APGA 1; composition - men 106, women 3, percent of women 2.75%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 178, PDP 114, LP 35, NNPP 19, APGA 5, other 7, vacant 2; composition - men 344, women 14, percent of women 3.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 3.6%

 

" + "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, PDP 36, LP 8, NNPP 2, SDP 2, YPP 1, APGA 1; composition - men 106, women 3, percent of women 2.75%

House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 178, PDP 114, LP 35, NNPP 19, APGA 5, other 7, vacant 2; composition - men 344, women 14, percent of women 3.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 3.6%

 

" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Charge d'Affaires David Greene" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David GREENE (since 31 March 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central District Area, Abuja" @@ -1308,10 +1308,10 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "86,401 (Cameroon) (2023)" + "text": "89,045 (Cameroon) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "3.579 million (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2023)" + "text": "3.15 million (northeast Nigeria; Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in northern Nigeria; communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the middle belt region, political violence; flooding; forced evictions; cattle rustling; competition for resources) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/pu.json b/africa/pu.json index 27c68dfd..c78ca12d 100644 --- a/africa/pu.json +++ b/africa/pu.json @@ -592,8 +592,8 @@ } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { - "embassy": { - "text": "the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998; the US Ambassador to Senegal is accredited to Guinea-Bissau; US diplomatic representation in Guinea-Bissau is conducted through the US Embassy in Dakar and the Guinea-Bissau Liaison Office located in Bissau" + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Mike RAYNOR (since 20 April 2022)" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2080 Bissau Place, Washington DC  20521-2080" diff --git a/africa/rw.json b/africa/rw.json index 24afc343..987c3fa4 100644 --- a/africa/rw.json +++ b/africa/rw.json @@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Deb MacLEAN (since February 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Eric KNEEDLER (since 3 October 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "2657 Avenue de la Gendarmerie (Kaciyiru), P. O. Box 28 Kigali" diff --git a/africa/sf.json b/africa/sf.json index dc2e566f..733eb7ee 100644 --- a/africa/sf.json +++ b/africa/sf.json @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ } }, "Ethnic groups": { - "text": "Black African 80.9%, Colored 8.8%, White 7.8%, Indian/Asian 2.6% (2021 est.)", + "text": "Black African 81.4%, Colored 8.2%, White 7.3%, Indian/Asian 2.7%, other 0.4% (2022 est.)", "note": "note: colored is a term used in South Africa, including on the national census, for persons of mixed race ancestry who developed a distinct cultural identity over several hundred years" }, "Languages": { @@ -1269,20 +1269,20 @@ "note": "note: the South African Police Service includes a Special Task Force for counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and hostage rescue operations" }, "Military expenditures": { + "Military Expenditures 2023": { + "text": "0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)" + }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "0.9% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { - "text": "0.9% of GDP (2021)" + "text": "0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { - "text": "1.1% of GDP (2020)" + "text": "1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { - "text": "1% of GDP (2019)" - }, - "Military Expenditures 2018": { - "text": "1% of GDP (2018)" + "text": "1% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { @@ -1337,7 +1337,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — South Africa does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government increased investigations and convictions of traffickers, investigated and prosecuted some allegedly complicit government officials, coordinated with foreign governments on trafficking investigations and the repatriation of victims, and increased inspections to investigate forced labor; officials adopted an anti-trafficking National Action Plan, accredited two shelters, and expanded awareness-raising activities; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; while the government approved regulations under the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act on immigration, the regulations had not been put into effect at the end of the reporting period; a lack of inter-agency coordination in identifying, referring, and certifying victims most likely hindered protection efforts; law enforcement personnel lacked the capacity and training to effectively identify and refer victims; victims were inappropriately penalized for offenses committed as a direct result of being trafficked, even after officials identified them as trafficking victims; reports of low-level official complicity persisted; because the government has devoted significant resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, South Africa was granted a waiver per the TVPA from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, South Africa remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — South Africa does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government increased investigations and convictions of traffickers, investigated and prosecuted some allegedly complicit government officials, coordinated with foreign governments on trafficking investigations and the repatriation of victims, and increased inspections to investigate forced labor; officials adopted an anti-trafficking National Action Plan, accredited two shelters, and expanded awareness-raising activities; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; while the government approved regulations under the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act on immigration, the regulations had not been put into effect at the end of the reporting period; a lack of inter-agency coordination in identifying, referring, and certifying victims most likely hindered protection efforts; law enforcement personnel lacked the capacity and training to effectively identify and refer victims; victims were inappropriately penalized for offenses committed as a direct result of being trafficked, even after officials identified them as trafficking victims; reports of low-level official complicity persisted; because the government has devoted significant resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, South Africa was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, South Africa remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "Human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in South Africa, as well as South Africans abroad; traffickers recruit victims from neighboring countries and rural areas within South Africa and exploit them in sex trafficking locally and in urban centers; adults and children, particularly from poor and rural areas, and migrants are forced into labor in domestic service, mining, food services, construction, criminal activities, agriculture, and the fishing sector; high unemployment and socioeconomic stratification increased the vulnerability of exploitation, particularly of youth, Black women, and foreign migrants; traffickers recruit victims who are unemployed and struggle with drug use, and commonly use substance abuse to control victims, including children; parents with substance abuse problems sometimes exploit their children in sex trafficking to pay for drugs; despite high unemployment, migrants travel from East, Central, and Southern Africa to South Africa looking for economic opportunity, particularly from Ethiopia and Mozambique, and are vulnerable to exploitation; official complicity in trafficking crimes, especially by police and immigration officials, facilitated trafficking; syndicates, often dominated by Nigerians, force women from Nigeria and countries bordering South Africa into commercial sex; South African trafficking rings exploit girls as young as 10 years old in sex trafficking; some brothels, previously identified as locations for sex trafficking, continue to operate with officials’ tacit approval; syndicates also recruit South African women to go to Europe, where some are forced into commercial sex, domestic service, or drug smuggling; Chinese business owners exploit Chinese, South African, and Malawian adults and children in factories, sweatshops, and other businesses; the Cuban government may have forced Cuban medical workers to work in South Africa (2023)" diff --git a/africa/sl.json b/africa/sl.json index fe41a9ef..924b54cd 100644 --- a/africa/sl.json +++ b/africa/sl.json @@ -620,7 +620,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador David REIMER (since 24 March 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Bryan David HUNT (since 23 August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown" diff --git a/africa/so.json b/africa/so.json index fb29f3d1..13a51d55 100644 --- a/africa/so.json +++ b/africa/so.json @@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,208 (Yemen) (2022)" + "text": "23,364 (Ethiopia), 9,969 (Yemen) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "3.864 million (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for resources; famine; insecurity because of fighting between al-Shabaab and the Transitional Federal Government's allied forces) (2022)" diff --git a/africa/su.json b/africa/su.json index 8660253e..c2644725 100644 --- a/africa/su.json +++ b/africa/su.json @@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@ "text": "808,336 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 137,402 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 93,477 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 72,334 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 24,370 (Central African Republic) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { - "text": "4.076 million (armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan since 15 April 2023) (2023); note - includes some non-Sudanese nationals" + "text": "4.55 million (armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan since 15 April 2023) (2023); note - includes some non-Sudanese nationals" } } } diff --git a/africa/to.json b/africa/to.json index 60f77ee8..d6892af5 100644 --- a/africa/to.json +++ b/africa/to.json @@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Dodji APEVON]
Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI [Tchaboure GOGUE]
Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Léopold GNININVI]
Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR [Dodji APEVON]
National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]
New Togolese Commitment [Gerry TAAMA]
Pan-African National Party or PNP [Tikpi ATCHADAM]
Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [Edem KODJO]
Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD [Agbeyome KODJO]
Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA]
The Togolese Party [Nathaniel OLYMPIO]
Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Dr. Gilchrist Sylvanus OLYMPIO]
Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]" + "text": "Action Committee for Renewal or CAR [Dodji APEVON]
Alliance of Democrats for Integral Development or ADDI [Tchaboure GOGUE]
Democratic Convention of African Peoples or CDPA [Léopold GNININVI]
Democratic Forces for the Republic or FDR [Dodji APEVON]
National Alliance for Change or ANC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]
New Togolese Commitment [Gerry TAAMA]
Pan-African National Party or PNP [Tikpi ATCHADAM]
Pan-African Patriotic Convergence or CPP [vacant]
Patriotic Movement for Democracy and Development or MPDD [Agbeyome KODJO]
Socialist Pact for Renewal or PSR [Abi TCHESSA]
The Togolese Party [Nathaniel OLYMPIO]
Union of Forces for Change or UFC [Jean-Pierre FABRE]
Union for the Republic or UNIR [Faure GNASSINGBE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -1256,7 +1256,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,872 (Burkina Faso), 8,436 (Ghana) (2023)" + "text": "9,846 (Burkina Faso), 8,436 (Ghana) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/africa/wa.json b/africa/wa.json index 70724b5f..4d30eab2 100644 --- a/africa/wa.json +++ b/africa/wa.json @@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jessica LONG (since 2 July 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Randy William BERRY (since 9 February 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "14 Lossen Street, Windhoek" diff --git a/africa/wz.json b/africa/wz.json index 4d910f4f..cc5ff10d 100644 --- a/africa/wz.json +++ b/africa/wz.json @@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ "text": "King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Cleopas DLAMINI (since since 19 July 2021); Deputy Prime Minister Themba MASUKU (since 6 November 2018)" + "text": "

Chief Mgwagwa GAMEDZE appointed acting prime minister (since 28 September 2023)

 

" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet recommended by the prime minister, confirmed by the monarch; at least one-half of the cabinet membership must be appointed from among elected members of the House of Assembly" @@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:
African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Sibusiso DLAMINI]
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Sibongile MAZIBUKO]
People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mlungisi MAKHANYA]
Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]" + "text": "political parties exist but conditions for their operations, particularly in elections, are undefined, legally unclear, or culturally restricted; the following are considered political associations:
African United Democratic Party or AUDP [Stanley S. MALINDZISA]
Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Sibongile MAZIBUKO]
People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mlungisi MAKHANYA]
Swazi Democratic Party or SWADEPA [Jan SITHOLE]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Jeanne M. MALONEY (since 4 March 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant) Charges d'Affaires Earl R. MILLER (since 27 January 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Corner of MR 103 and Cultural Center Drive, Ezulwini, P.O. Box D202, The Gables, H106" diff --git a/africa/zi.json b/africa/zi.json index 276464cb..ae7347ab 100644 --- a/africa/zi.json +++ b/africa/zi.json @@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { - "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023); First Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 4 September 2023 ); note - Robert Gabriel MUGABE resigned on 21 November 2017, after ruling for 37 years" + "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023); First Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 4 September 2023); note - Robert Gabriel MUGABE resigned on 21 November 2017, after ruling for 37 years" }, "head of government": { "text": "President Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA (since 4 September 2023); Vice President Constantino CHIWENGA (since 4 September 2023)" @@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Citizens Coalition for Change [Nelson CHAMISA] 
Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T [Douglas MWONZORA]
National People's Congress- NPC- [Wilbert MUBAIWA] 
National People's Party or NPP [Conrad SANGMA] (formerly Zimbabwe People First or ZimPF)
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Michael NKOMO]" + "text": "Citizens Coalition for Change [Nelson CHAMISA] 
Movement for Democratic Change - MDC-T [Douglas MWONZORA]
National People's Congress- NPC- [Wilbert MUBAIWA] 
Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA]
Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Michael NKOMO]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, COMESA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Thomas R. HASTINGS (since August 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Elaine M. FRENCH (since August 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "2 Lorraine Drive, Bluffhill, Harare" @@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ "text": "the ZDF inventory is comprised mostly of Soviet-era and older Chinese equipment; since the early 2000s, Zimbabwe has been under an arms embargo from the EU, as well as targeted sanctions from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18-22 years of age for voluntary military service (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription; women are eligible to serve (2022)" + "text": "18-22 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (18-24 for officer cadets; 18-30 for technical/specialist personnel); no conscription (2023)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "ZDF’s primary responsibilities are protecting the country’s sovereignty and territory and securing its borders; it also has a considerable role in domestic security and has continued to be active in the country’s politics since the 2017 military-assisted political transition; the ZDF is part of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force and has provided troops to the SADC deployment to Mozambique; Zimbabwe has defense ties with China and Russia; the Army has approximately 5 light infantry brigades, plus brigades of mechanized infantry, presidential guards, special operations, and artillery; the Air Force has a few dozen operational Chinese- and Russian-made combat aircraft and helicopters 

the ZDF was formed after independence from the former Rhodesian Army and the two guerrilla forces that opposed it during the Rhodesian Civil War (aka \"Bush War\") of the 1970s, the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) and the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA); the ZDF intervened in the Mozambique Civil War (1983-1992), the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Second Congo War (1998-2003), and the Angolan Civil War (1975-2002) during the late 1990s (2023)" @@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "11,867 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,926 (Mozambique) (2023)" + "text": "11,867 (Democratic Republic of Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 9,931 (Mozambique) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/cw.json b/australia-oceania/cw.json index e2901c9c..d2b10257 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/cw.json +++ b/australia-oceania/cw.json @@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ "text": "none" }, "Independence": { - "text": "none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on 4 August 1965 with the right at any time to move to full independence by unilateral action)" + "text": "4 August 1965 (Cook Islands became self-governing state in free association with New Zealand)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Constitution Day, the first Monday in August (1965)" @@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Parliament, formerly the Legislative Assembly (24 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the Queen's representative serves as a consultative body to the Parliament" + "text": "unicameral Parliament, formerly the Legislative Assembly (24 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the House of Ariki, a 24-member parliamentary body of traditional leaders appointed by the King's representative serves as a consultative body to the Parliament" }, "elections": { "text": "last held on 1 August 2022 (next to be held by 2026)" @@ -497,7 +497,8 @@ "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "embassy": { "text": "none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)" - } + }, + "note": "note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Cook Islands" }, "Flag description": { "text": "blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island) centered in the outer half of the flag" diff --git a/australia-oceania/fm.json b/australia-oceania/fm.json index 22a059b0..f56916e6 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/fm.json +++ b/australia-oceania/fm.json @@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Congress (14 seats; 10 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms and 4 at- large members directly elected from each of the 4 states by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 7 March 2023 (next to be held on March 2025)" + "text": "last held on 7 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 14; composition as of July 2022 - men 13, women 1, percent of women 7.1%" @@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Alissa M. BIBB (since 4 August 2023)" + "text": "Ambassador Jennifer JOHNSON (since 13 September 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "1286 US Embassy Place, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941" diff --git a/australia-oceania/gq.json b/australia-oceania/gq.json index efbf327a..1e26e85e 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/gq.json +++ b/australia-oceania/gq.json @@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Legislature of Guam or Liheslaturan Guahan (15 seats; members elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms)
Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as the delegate to the US House of Representatives; note - the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote" }, "elections": { - "text": "Guam Legislature - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on  November 2024)
delegate to the US House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on November 2024)" + "text": "Guam Legislature - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on November 2024)
delegate to the US House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on November 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "Guam Legislature - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, Republican Party 5; composition - men 5, women 10, percent of women 66.7%
Guam delegate to the US House of Representatives - Democratic Party 1 (man)" diff --git a/australia-oceania/ne.json b/australia-oceania/ne.json index c9dc868e..da8acb4e 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/ne.json +++ b/australia-oceania/ne.json @@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Assembly or Fono Ekepule (20 seats; 14 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 6 directly elected from the National Register or \"common roll\" by majority vote; members serve 3-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 29 April 2023 (next to be held on 2026)" + "text": "last held on 29 April 2023 (next to be held in 2026)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 20; composition - men 17, women 3, percent of women 15%" @@ -440,7 +440,8 @@ "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "embassy": { "text": "none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)" - } + }, + "note": "note: on 25 September 2023, the US officially established diplomatic relations with Niue" }, "Flag description": { "text": "yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large star on a blue disk in the center and a smaller star on each arm of the bold red cross; the larger star stands for Niue, the smaller stars recall the Southern Cross constellation on the New Zealand flag and symbolize links with that country; yellow represents the bright sunshine of Niue and the warmth and friendship between Niue and New Zealand" diff --git a/australia-oceania/nz.json b/australia-oceania/nz.json index a7fbfa44..c219e7a8 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/nz.json +++ b/australia-oceania/nz.json @@ -544,24 +544,27 @@ "text": "King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister Chris HIPKINS (since 25 January 2023); Deputy Prime Minister Carmel SEPULONI (since 25 January 2023)
note - on 19 January 2023, Prime Minister Jacinda ARDERN announced her resignation as prime minister effective not later than 7 February 2023; Chris HIPKINS elected unanimously by Labor Party caucus as party leader on 22 January 2023, sworn in on 25 January 2023" + "text": "Prime Minister Chris HIPKINS (since 25 January 2023); Deputy Prime Minister Carmel SEPULONI (since 25 January 2023)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the governor-general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor-general" + }, + "election results": { + "text": "14 October 2023 parliamentary elections see National Party led coalition appear to have a majority; official results scheduled to be released on 3 November 2023; National Party leader Christopher LUXON expected to be new prime minister" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (120 seats for 2020-23 term); 72 members directly elected in 65 single-seat constituencies and 7 Maori constituencies by simple majority vote and 48 directly elected by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" + "text": "unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament (121 seats for 2023-26 term); 72 members directly elected in 65 single-seat constituencies and 7 Maori constituencies by simple majority vote and 49 directly elected by closed party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 17 October 2020 (next scheduled for 14 October 2023)" + "text": "last held on 14 October 2023 (next scheduled for October 2026)" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote by party - Labor Party 49.1%, National Party 26.8%, ACT Party 8%, Green Party 6.3%, Maori Party 1%; seats by party - Labor Party 64, National Party 35, Green Party 10, ACT Party 10, Maori Party 1; composition - men 61, women 59, percent of women 49.2%" + "text": "percent of vote by party - National Party 39.0%, Labor Party 26.9%, Green Party 10.8%, ACT Party 9.0%, New Zealand First 6.5%; Maori Party 2.6%; seats by party - National Party 50, Labor Party 34, Green Party 14, ACT Party 11, New Zealand First 8, Maori Party 4; composition - NA; parliamentary election results see National Party led coalition appear to have a majority; official results scheduled to be released on 3 November 2023" } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/australia-oceania/tv.json b/australia-oceania/tv.json index be0cc637..8860b726 100644 --- a/australia-oceania/tv.json +++ b/australia-oceania/tv.json @@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ "text": "previous 1978 (at independence); latest effective 1 October 1986" }, "amendments": { - "text": "proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the final reading; amended 2007, 2010, 2013; note - in 2016, the United Nations Development Program and the Tuvaluan Government initiated a review of the country's constitution, which was ongoing as of early 2021" + "text": "proposed by the House of Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the final reading; amended 2007, 2010, 2013, 2023" } }, "Legal system": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json index a001233b..f4199cda 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ac.json @@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ "text": "31.5% (2023 est.)" }, "Education expenditures": { - "text": "3.8% of GDP (202 est.)" + "text": "3.8% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json index ec9d887b..4d330a05 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/do.json @@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ "text": "president nominated by the prime minister and leader of the opposition party and elected by the House of Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 27 September 2023 (next to be held in October 2028); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { - "text": "27 September 2023, parliament elects Sylvanie BURTON (DLP) with 20 votes for and five against; takes office on 2 October 2023" + "text": "27 September 2023, parliament elects Sylvanie BURTON (DLP) with 20 votes for and five against; assumed office on 2 October 2023" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json index 43df141c..4ab99402 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/gt.json @@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ "text": "unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica (160 seats; 128 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies in the country's 22 departments and 32 directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by closed party-list proportional representation vote, using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 25 June 2023 (next to be held on June 2027)" + "text": "last held on 25 June 2023 (next to be held in June 2027)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VAMOS 39, UNE 28, SEMILLA 23, CABAL 18, Valor-Unionist 12, VIVA 11, TODOS 6, VOS 4, BIEN 4, CREO 3, PPN 3, Victoria 3, Blue 2, Elephant 2, Change 1, Winaq-URNG 1; composition - men 128, women 32, percent of women 20%" @@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador William W. POPP (since 13 August 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Patrick VENTRELL (since August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenida Reforma 7-01, Zone 10, Guatemala City" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json index 09daf4c9..e73ace8d 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/ha.json @@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Eric William STROMAYER (since 3 July 2022)
" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Patricia AGUILERA (since 28 September 2023)
" }, "embassy": { "text": "Tabarre 41, Route de Tabarre, Port-au-Prince" @@ -1188,7 +1188,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Haiti does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials initiated two prosecutions under the anti-trafficking law and assigned investigative judges in two additional high-profile cases; the government also identified and provided services to 11 adult trafficking victims, and also provided support to an unknown number of child victims and conducted an audit of judicial and child protection cases; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; impunity and complicity, particularly in high-profile cases, remained problems; Haiti lacked sustained law enforcement efforts and did not pursue investigations following victim identification; improvements in law enforcement or victim protection efforts were unclear because the government did not disaggregate information on anti-trafficking law enforcement or victim protection efforts; anti-trafficking agencies did not cooperate effectively, and the government did not make sufficient efforts to combat child domestic servitude; because the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Haiti was granted a waiver per the TVPA from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Haiti remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Haiti does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials initiated two prosecutions under the anti-trafficking law and assigned investigative judges in two additional high-profile cases; the government also identified and provided services to 11 adult trafficking victims, and also provided support to an unknown number of child victims and conducted an audit of judicial and child protection cases; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; impunity and complicity, particularly in high-profile cases, remained problems; Haiti lacked sustained law enforcement efforts and did not pursue investigations following victim identification; improvements in law enforcement or victim protection efforts were unclear because the government did not disaggregate information on anti-trafficking law enforcement or victim protection efforts; anti-trafficking agencies did not cooperate effectively, and the government did not make sufficient efforts to combat child domestic servitude; because the government has devoted sufficient resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Haiti was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Haiti remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Haiti, as well as Haitians abroad; in 2023, officials estimated three million Haitians were at risk of trafficking; during the reporting period, Haiti suffered multiple crises, including gang violence, fuel shortages, irregular migration outflows, internal population displacements, a cholera epidemic, the breakdown of basic infrastructure, and the government’s inability to provide basic services—all of which increased vulnerability to trafficking and reduced government capacity to address it; most of Haiti’s trafficking cases involve children in forced labor and sex trafficking in domestic service; NGOs estimate that between 150,000 and 300,000 children work in domestic servitude, of which about two-thirds are girls and one-third boys—mostly victims of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, respectively; female foreign nationals, especially citizens of the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, are particularly at risk for sex and labor trafficking in Haiti; commercial sex typically takes place in upscale neighborhoods and resort areas to cater to foreigners; NGOs report child sex tourism occurs in Haiti, with most sex tourists coming from Canada, the US, and Europe; traffickers target Haitian children in private or NGO-sponsored residential care centers, children working in construction, agriculture, fisheries, domestic work, begging, and street vending, IDPs including those displaced by natural disasters, stateless people, LGBTQI+ youth, and those affected by gang violence; risks to migrants remained high, including from migrant smugglers who exploit migrant women in commercial sex to repay alleged debts; among all Haitian migrant groups, those traversing the Dominican Republic-Haiti border seeking economic opportunities were the largest and most vulnerable to trafficking; cross-border trafficking of Haitians include forced labor in the Dominican construction, service, and agricultural industries and sex trafficking in the Dominican tourism industry; Haitian adults and children also are at risk of fraudulent recruitment and forced labor in other Caribbean countries, South America, and the US; Cuban medical workers in Haiti may have been forced to work by the Cuban government (2023)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json index 326504e1..82b94335 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/td.json @@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { - "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Trinidad and Tobago does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials implemented new standard operating procedures for victim referral and care, opened a government-funded and operated shelter for female child victims, provided the first government shelters for adult victims; and increased the size of the Counter-Trafficking Unit; officials took steps to prevent trafficking among vulnerable populations, including migrants, Cuban medical workers, and Venezuelan refugees and migrants; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared to the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; courts have never convicted a trafficker under the 2011 anti-trafficking law, and corruption and complicity among officials, including at senior levels, inhibited law enforcement action; victim identification, referral, and services remained weak, and interagency coordination was poor; because the government has devoted significant resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Trinidad and Tobago was granted a waiver per the TVPA  from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Trinidad and Tobago remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" + "text": "Tier 2 Watch List — Trinidad and Tobago does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; officials implemented new standard operating procedures for victim referral and care, opened a government-funded and operated shelter for female child victims, provided the first government shelters for adult victims; and increased the size of the Counter-Trafficking Unit; officials took steps to prevent trafficking among vulnerable populations, including migrants, Cuban medical workers, and Venezuelan refugees and migrants; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared to the previous year, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; courts have never convicted a trafficker under the 2011 anti-trafficking law, and corruption and complicity among officials, including at senior levels, inhibited law enforcement action; victim identification, referral, and services remained weak, and interagency coordination was poor; because the government has devoted significant resources to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards, Trinidad and Tobago was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3; therefore, Trinidad and Tobago remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the third consecutive year (2023)" }, "trafficking profile": { "text": "human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Trinidad and Tobago, and also exploit victims from Trinidad and Tobago abroad; the country serves as a transit point for Venezuelan refugees and migrants en route to Europe, North Africa, and elsewhere in the Caribbean who are at high risk for trafficking; sex trafficking is the most prevalent form of trafficking in the country, victimizing women and girls primarily from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Venezuela; however, the government reported an increase in male Venezuelan labor trafficking victims and domestic child sex trafficking victims; unaccompanied Venezuelan children are at risk for sex trafficking; Trinidad remains the primary hub for most sexual exploitation, but traffickers move some victims to Tobago during the tourist season; migrants from the Caribbean region and from Asia are at risk for forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; traffickers also exploit victims from China, India, Kenya, Nepal, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; migrants from the Caribbean region and Asia are at risk for forced labor in domestic service and the retail sector; LGBTQI+ persons are at risk for sex trafficking; Cuban medical professionals may have been forced to work in Trinidad and Tobago by the Cuban government; corruption by police, immigration and customs, and coast guard officials has been associated with facilitating labor and sex trafficking; transnational organized crime may increasingly be involved in trafficking; Trinidad and Tobago is a sex tourism destination, according to NGOs, and most sex tourists come from Canada, China, the US, and Western Europe (2023)" diff --git a/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json b/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json index 513707b8..59c86aa1 100644 --- a/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json +++ b/central-america-n-caribbean/uc.json @@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Consul General Margy BOND (since January 2022); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten" + "text": "Consul General Margy BOND (since 20 January 2022); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten" }, "embassy": { "text": "P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1" diff --git a/central-asia/rs.json b/central-asia/rs.json index 3b80c7b9..741b488a 100644 --- a/central-asia/rs.json +++ b/central-asia/rs.json @@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Elizabeth ROOD (since 5 September 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Lynne M. TRACY (30 January 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "55,75566° N, 37,58028° E" @@ -1326,7 +1326,7 @@ "note": "note 1: in February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine with an estimated 150,000 troops; prior to the invasion, it maintained an estimated 30,000 troops in areas of Ukraine occupied since 2014

note 2: as of 2023, Russia was assessed to have about 3,000-5,000 private military contractors conducting military and security operations in Africa and the Middle East, including in the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, Sudan, and Syria" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the Russian military is a mixed force of conscripts and volunteers that is capable of conducting the full range of air, land, maritime, and strategic missile operations; it is also active in the areas of cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and space; in addition to protecting Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the military supports Moscow’s national security objectives, which include maintaining and projecting influence and power outside Russia, particularly in the former Soviet republics, and deterring perceived external threats from the US and NATO; in recent years, the Russian military has conducted combat operations in both Syria and Ukraine; in February 2022, Russia launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the military, particularly the ground forces, continues to be heavily engaged there in what is the largest war in Europe since World War II ended in 1945; Russia has occupied Ukraine’s province of Crimea and backed separatist forces in the Donbas region of Ukraine since 2014 with arms, equipment, and training, as well as special operations forces and troops, although Moscow denied their presence prior to 2022; Russia intervened in the Syrian civil war at the request of the ASAD government in September 2015 in what was Moscow’s first overseas expeditionary operation since the Soviet era; Russian assistance has included air support, arms and equipment, intelligence, military advisors, private military contractors, special operations forces, and training; it seized the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008; separately, Russia has provided military personnel and private military contractors to conduct missions in Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, and Sudan 

Russian forces are organized into five military districts and operational/joint strategic commands; the Ground Troops are configured into at least 11 combined arms armies, one tank army, and four army corps, each comprised of a mixture of tank or “motorized rifle” (mechanized or motorized infantry) division and brigade structures supplemented by artillery, tactical missile, and air defense forces; the most capable ground forces are the special forces (Spetsial’noye naznacheniye or Spetsnaz) brigades and Airborne and Air Assault Troops (VDV), which are considered strategic-level assets; the Spetsnaz forces have eight brigades, while the VDV has two airborne and two air assault divisions, plus four independent air assault brigades and a Spetsnaz reconnaissance regiment 

the Navy conducts operations globally and has four fleets (Baltic, Black Sea, Pacific, and Northern), as well as a flotilla in the Caspian Sea; the principal surface warships are an aircraft carrier (under repair until at least 2024), four battlecruisers or cruisers, and over 20 destroyers and frigates; the backbone of the Navy is its submarine force, which has approximately 50-60 nuclear ballistic missile, nuclear cruise missile, nuclear attack-type, and conventional attack submarines; the ballistic missile submarines are an essential arm of Russia’s nuclear triad; the Navy has an aviation force with fighters, multipurpose fighters, and surface attack aircraft, as well as anti-submarine warfare and attack helicopters; it also has coastal defense forces and a ground force of several naval infantry brigades, which have been used as ground troops in Ukraine
the Aerospace Forces include as sub-branches the Air Force, the Air and Missile Defense Forces, and Space Forces; the Air and Air/Missile Defense elements are typically organized into armies, commands, bases, brigades, and regiments; the Air Forces are some of the largest in the world, and prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine included nearly 1,500 fighters, multirole fighters, and bombers, as well as nearly 1,500 combat helicopters

the Strategic Rocket Forces have both road-mobile and silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and are organized into three armies with 12 subordinate divisions, each further broken down into regiments

the paramilitary Russian National Guard is organized into regions or districts with subordinate divisions and brigades, which include a mix of security, special purpose, protective, and motorized units, as well as some artillery and aviation forces (2023)" + "text": "the Russian military is a mixed force of conscripts and professionals (contract servicemen) that is capable of conducting the full range of air, land, maritime, and strategic missile operations; it is also active in the areas of cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and space; in addition to protecting Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the military supports Moscow’s national security objectives, which include maintaining and projecting influence and power outside Russia, particularly in the former Soviet republics, and deterring perceived external threats from the US and NATO; in recent years, the Russian military has conducted combat operations in both Syria and Ukraine; in February 2022, Russia launched an unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the military, particularly the ground forces, continues to be heavily engaged there in what is the largest war in Europe since World War II ended in 1945; Russia has occupied Ukraine’s province of Crimea and backed separatist forces in the Donbas region of Ukraine since 2014 with arms, equipment, and training, as well as special operations forces and troops, although Moscow denied their presence prior to 2022; Russia intervened in the Syrian civil war at the request of the ASAD government in September 2015 in what was Moscow’s first overseas expeditionary operation since the Soviet era; Russian assistance has included air support, arms and equipment, intelligence, military advisors, private military contractors, special operations forces, and training; it seized the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008; separately, Russia has provided military personnel and private military contractors to conduct missions in Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali, and Sudan 

Russian forces are organized into five military districts and operational/joint strategic commands; the Ground Troops are configured into at least 11 combined arms armies, one tank army, and four army corps, each comprised of a mixture of tank or “motorized rifle” (mechanized or motorized infantry) division and brigade structures supplemented by artillery, tactical missile, and air defense forces; the most capable ground forces are the special forces (Spetsial’noye naznacheniye or Spetsnaz) brigades and Airborne and Air Assault Troops (VDV), which are considered strategic-level assets; the Spetsnaz forces have eight brigades, while the VDV has two airborne and two air assault divisions, plus some independent air assault and Spetsnaz brigades

the Navy conducts operations globally and has four fleets (Baltic, Black Sea, Pacific, and Northern), as well as a flotilla in the Caspian Sea; the principal surface warships are an aircraft carrier (under repair until at least 2024), four battlecruisers or cruisers, and over 20 destroyers and frigates; the backbone of the Navy is its submarine force, which has approximately 50-60 nuclear ballistic missile, nuclear cruise missile, nuclear attack-type, and conventional attack submarines; the ballistic missile submarines are an essential arm of Russia’s nuclear triad; the Navy has an aviation force with fighters, multipurpose fighters, and surface attack aircraft, as well as anti-submarine warfare and attack helicopters; it also has coastal defense forces and a ground force of several naval infantry brigades, which have been used as ground troops in Ukraine

the Aerospace Forces include as sub-branches the Air Force, the Air and Missile Defense Forces, and Space Forces; the Air and Air/Missile Defense elements are typically organized into armies, commands, bases, brigades, and regiments; the Air Forces are some of the largest in the world, and prior to the 2022 invasion of Ukraine included nearly 1,500 fighters, multirole fighters, and bombers, as well as nearly 1,500 combat helicopters

the Strategic Rocket Forces have both road-mobile and silo-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and are organized into three armies with 12 subordinate divisions, each further broken down into regiments

the paramilitary Russian National Guard is organized into regions or districts with subordinate divisions and brigades, which include a mix of security, special purpose, protective, and motorized units, as well as some artillery and aviation forces (2023)" } }, "Space": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json index f9944049..78c6f63c 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bm.json @@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief; note - after 1 February, the military junta replaced the Cabinet" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "prior to the military takeover, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates become vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term); election last held on 28 March 2018; the military junta pledged to hold new elections in 2023, but has repeatedly announced delays " + "text": "prior to the military takeover, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates become vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term); election last held on 28 March 2018; the military junta pledged to hold new elections, but has repeatedly announced delays" }, "election results": { "text": "
2018: WIN MYINT elected president in an indirect by-election held on 28 March 2018 after the resignation of HTIN KYAW; Assembly of the Union vote - WIN MYINT (NLD) 403, MYINT SWE (USDP) 211, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 18, 4 votes canceled (636 votes cast); note - WIN MYINT and other key leaders of the ruling NLD party were placed under arrest following the military takeover on 1 February 2021

2016: Assembly of the Union vote - HTIN KYAW elected president; HTIN KYAW (NLD) 360, MYINT SWE (USDP) 213, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 79 (652 votes cast)" @@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ "state counsellor": { "text": "State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021; formerly served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Office of the President" }, - "note": "note 1: a parliamentary bill creating the position of \"state counsellor\" was signed into law by former President HTIN KYAW on 6 April 2016; a state counsellor serves the equivalent term of the president and is similar to a prime minister in that the holder acts as a link between the parliament and the executive branch

note 2: in July 2023, the junta announced a 6-month extension on the state of emergency in place since 2021, a move that further delayed elections that it had pledged to hold by August 2023" + "note": "note: a parliamentary bill creating the position of \"state counsellor\" was signed into law by former President HTIN KYAW on 6 April 2016; a state counsellor serves the equivalent term of the president and is similar to a prime minister in that the holder acts as a link between the parliament and the executive branch" }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { @@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Arakan National Party or ANP [THAR TUN HLA]
Democratic Party or DP [U THU WAI]
Kayah State Democratic Party or KySDP
Kayin People's Party or KPP [TUN AUNG MYINT]
Kokang Democracy and Unity Party or KDUP [LUO XINGGUANG]
La Hu National Development Party or LHNDP [KYA HAR SHAL]
Lisu National Development Party or LNDP [U ARKI DAW]
Mon Unity Party (formed in 2019 from the All Mon Region Democracy Party and Mon National Party)
National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE]
National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI]
National Unity Party or NUP [U HAN SHWE]
Pa-O National Organization or PNO [AUNG KHAM HTI]
People's Party [KO KO GYI]
Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AI PAO]
Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD 
Ta'ang National Party or TNP [AIK MONE]
Tai-Leng Nationalities Development Party or TNDP [ U SAI HTAY AUNG]
Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [THAN HTAY]
Unity and Democracy Party of Kachin State or UDPKS [U KHAT HTEIN NAN]
Wa Democratic Party or WDP [KHUN HTUN LU]
Wa National Unity Party or WNUP [NYI PALOTE]
Zomi Congress for Democracy or ZCD [PU CIN SIAN THANG]
(numerous smaller parties; approximately 90 parties ran in the 2020 election)", - "note": "note: in January 2023, the military junta announced a new law restricting political parties and their ability to participate in elections, including: 1) barring parties and candidates deemed by the junta to have links to individuals or organizations alleged to have committed terrorism or other unlawful acts; 2) stipulating that political parties that wanted to contest the national election would also need to secure at least 100,000 members within 90 days of registration and have funds of 100 million Myanmar kyat ($45,500), 100 times more than previously required, which would need to be deposited with a state-owned bank; 3) requiring that any existing party must apply for registration within 60 days of the legislation being announced or be invalidated; allowing for parties to be suspended for 3 years, and ultimately dissolved, for failing to comply with the provisions of the new law; 4) not allowing parties to lodge an appeal against election commission decisions on registration

in March 2023, the military junta announced that 40 political parties had been dissolved, including the National League for Democracy, because they did not register under the junta's new party establishment rules

" + "note": "note 1: in January 2023, the military junta announced a new law restricting political parties and their ability to participate in elections, including: 1) barring parties and candidates deemed by the junta to have links to individuals or organizations alleged to have committed terrorism or other unlawful acts; 2) stipulating that political parties that wanted to contest the national election would also need to secure at least 100,000 members within 90 days of registration and have funds of 100 million Myanmar kyat ($45,500), 100 times more than previously required, which would need to be deposited with a state-owned bank; 3) requiring that any existing party must apply for registration within 60 days of the legislation being announced or be invalidated; allowing for parties to be suspended for 3 years, and ultimately dissolved, for failing to comply with the provisions of the new law; 4) not allowing parties to lodge an appeal against election commission decisions on registration

note 2: in March 2023, the military junta announced that 40 political parties had been dissolved, including the National League for Democracy, because they did not register under the junta's new party establishment rules

" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -1268,7 +1268,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "IDPs": { - "text": "1.948 million (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China and Thailand, natural disasters, forced land evictions) (2023)" + "text": "1.975 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 0c926c97..c136ee12 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/bx.json @@ -538,13 +538,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei (33 seats; 20 members appointed by the sultan from ex-officio cabinet ministers, titled people, and prominent citizens in public service and various professional fields and 13 members from 4 multi-seat constituencies, and 3 ex-officio members - the speaker and first and second secretaries" + "text": "unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei (33 seats; 20 members appointed by the sultan from ex-officio cabinet ministers, titled people, and prominent citizens in public service and various professional fields and 13 members from 4 multi-seat constituencies, and 3 ex-officio members - the speaker and first and second secretaries); 5-year term" }, "elections": { "text": "January 2017 - appointed by the sultan" }, "election results": { - "text": "NA; composition (as of February 2022) - men 30, women 3, percent of women 9.1%" + "text": "Legislative Council last appointed January 2023; composition men 30, women 3, percent of women 9.1%" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -559,8 +559,8 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]", - "note": "note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] were deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have limited activity" + "text": "National Development Party or NDP [Zainal Talib]", + "note": "note: the NDP is Brunei’s only registered party, but does not have representation in the Legislative Council, which is appointed" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json index 83435883..e0948e0d 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/cb.json @@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { - "text": "22.4 years (2014 est.)", + "text": "23.3 years (2021-22 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { @@ -566,19 +566,18 @@ "text": "King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)" }, "head of government": { - "text": "Prime Minister HUN MANET (since 22 August 2023)" + "text": "Prime Minister HUN MANET (since 22 August 2023); note - MANET succeeded his father, HUN SEN, who had been prime minister since 1985" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch" - }, - "note": "Prime Minister HUN MANET succeeded his father, HUN SEN who had been prime minister since 1985" + } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of:
Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms)
National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" + "text": "bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of:
Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms)

National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "Senate - last held on 25 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024); National Assembly - last held on 23 July 2023 (next to be held in July 2028)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json index b3cbbe4f..345bf58f 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ch.json @@ -609,13 +609,13 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (maximum of 3,000 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and the People's Liberation Army; members serve 5-year terms); note - in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied independent parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected" + "text": "unicameral National People's Congress (NPC) or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (maximum of 3,000 seats; members indirectly elected by municipal, regional, and provincial people's congresses, and the People's Liberation Army; members serve 5-year terms); note - in practice, only members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), its 8 allied independent parties, and CCP-approved independent candidates are elected" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held in December 2017-February 2018 (next to be held in 2023)" + "text": "the 14th NPC convened on 5 March 2023; the 15th NPC will convene in March 2028" }, "election results": { - "text": "percent of vote - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 2,238, women 742, percent of women 24.9%" + "text": "percent of vote - NA; seats by party - NA; the 14th NPC consists of 2,977 delegates; 2,187 men; 790 women (26.5%) " } }, "Judicial branch": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json index 29e8971b..ea9f6e62 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/hk.json @@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ "text": "president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 May 2022 (next to be held in 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee

2017: Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast)" + "text": "
2022: John LEE was the only candidate and won with over 99% of the vote by the Election Committee

2017: Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM (non-partisan) 777, John TSANG (non-partisan) 365, WOO Kwok-hing (non-partisan) 21, 23 ballots rejected (1,186 votes cast)" }, "note": "note: electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members" }, @@ -460,12 +460,12 @@ "text": "unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (90 seats); 20 members directly elected in 2-seat constituencies, 30 indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods, and 50 indirectly elected by the 1,500-member Election Committee; members serve 4-year terms; note - in March 2021, China's National People's Congress amended the electoral rules and system for the LegCo; the total number of seats increased from 70 to 90, directly elected geographical constituencies were reduced from 35 to 20 seats, while trade-based indirectly elected functional constituencies remained at 30; an additional 40 seats were elected by the 1,500-member Election Commission; all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), established in April 2022; the CERC consists of the chairperson, 2-4 official members, and 1-3 non-official members, all appointed by the chief executive" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 19 Dec 2021 (next scheduled for 2025)" + "text": "last held on 19 Dec 2021 (next to be held in 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "

percent of vote by bloc: pro-Beijing 93%, non-establishment 7%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 89 (DAB 19, FTU 8, BPA 7, NPP 5, Liberal Party 4, FEW 2, FLU 2, other 46), non-establishment 1 (Third Side); composition - men 73, women 17, percent of women 18.9%; note - Hong Kong's leading pro-democracy political parties boycotted the 2021 election


 

" }, - "note": "note: in July 2023, Hong Kong lawmakers reduced the proportion of directly elected seats on local district councils from some 90% to about 20%; under the new law, the majority of the 470 seats would be filled by members appointed by the chief executive, rural committee chairpersons, and others elected by local committees that are packed with pro-establishment figures" + "note": "note: in July 2023, Hong Kong lawmakers reduced the proportion of directly elected seats on local district councils from some 90% to about 20%; under the new law, the majority of the 470 seats would be filled by members appointed by the chief executive, rural committee chairpersons, and others elected by local committees that are packed with pro-establishment figures" }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { @@ -479,8 +479,8 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "parties:
Bauhinia Party or BP [WONG Chau-chi and LI Shan]
Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]
Civic Party [vacant]
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]
Democratic Party [LO Kin-hei]
Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood of ADPL [Bruce LIU]
Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin; arrested in 2020]
League of Social Democrats or LSD [CHAN Po-ying]
Liberal Party or LP [led by Tommy CHEUNG; chaired by Peter SHIU]
Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]
New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP]
People Power or PP [LEUNG Ka-shing]
Third Side [TIK Chi-yeun]

other:
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU [labor and political group presided over by NG Chau-pei and chaired by WONG Kwok]
Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW [WONG Kwan-yu]
Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU [represented by POON Siu-Ping]
Roundtable [Michael TIEN Puk-sun]
Professional Power [Christine FONG Kwok Shan]
Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWND [Priscilla LEUNG]
New Prospect for Hong Kong [Gary ZHANG Xinyu]
New Century Forum [MA Fung-kwak]
Path of Democracy [Ronny TONG] (think tank)", - "note": "note(s) - pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, PP, Professional Commons; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA, BP; non-establishment - Third Side, Path of Democracy; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law; in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed" + "text": "Bauhinia Party or BP [WONG Chau-chi and LI Shan]
Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]
Concern Group for Tseung Kwan O People's Livelihood or CGPLTKO [N/A] 
Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]
Democratic Party [LO Kin-hei]
Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU [Lam Chun-sing]
Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood of ADPL [Bruce LIU]
Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW [LAU Chi-pang]
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU [labor and political group presided over by NG Chau-pei and chaired by WONG Kwok]
Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWND [Priscilla LEUNG]
Labor Party [Steven KWOK Wing-kin; arrested in 2020]
League of Social Democrats or LSD [CHAN Po-ying]
Liberal Party or LP [led by Tommy CHEUNG; chaired by Peter SHIU]
Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]
New Century Forum [MA Fung-kwak]
New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP]
New Prospect for Hong Kong [Gary ZHANG Xinyu]
New Territories Association of Societies or NTAS [CHAN Yung]
Path of Democracy [Ronny TONG] (think tank)
People Power or PP [LEUNG Ka-shing]
Professional Power [Christine FONG Kwok Shan]
Roundtable [Michael TIEN Puk-sun]
Tai Po Democratic Alliance or TPDA [N/A] 
Third Side or TS [TIK Chi-yeun]", + "note": "note 1: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

note 2: by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law; in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed; as of 2023, nearly all politically active groups were pro-Beijing" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json index 2544c5c6..6e565e02 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/id.json @@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president and vice president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" + "text": "president and vice president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in February 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "
2019: Joko WIDODO elected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 55.5%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 44.5%

2014: Joko WIDODO elected president; percent of vote - Joko WIDODO (PDI-P) 53.15%, PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo (GERINDRA) 46.85%" @@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ "text": "bicameral People's Consultative Assembly or Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat consists of:
Regional Representative Council or Dewan Perwakilan Daerah (136 seats; non-partisan members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies - 4 each from the country's 34 electoral districts - by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms); note - the Regional Representative Council has no legislative authority
House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (575 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve 5-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Regional Representative Council - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" + "text": "Regional Representative Council - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in February 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 17 April 2019 (next to be held in February 2024)" }, "election results": { "text": "Regional Representative Council - all seats elected on a non-partisan basis; composition - men 102, women 34, percent of women 25%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDI-P 19.3%, Gerindra 12.6%, Golkar 12.3%, PKB 9.7%, Nasdem 9.1%, PKS 8.2%, PD 7.8%, PAN 6.8%, PPP 4.5%, other 9.6%; seats by party - PDI-P 128, Golkar 85, Gerindra 78, Nasdem 59, PKB 58, PD 54, PKS 50, PAN 44, PPP 19; composition - men 449, women 126, percent of women 21.9%; total People's Consultative Assembly percent of women 22.5%" @@ -621,7 +621,8 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Democrat Party or PD [Agus Harimurti YUDHOYONO]
Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO]
Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo]
Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]
National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR]
National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH]
National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN]
Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Ahmad SYAIKHU]
United Development Party or PPP [Muhamad MARDIONO]" + "text": "Democrat Party or PD [Agus Harimurti YUDHOYONO]
Functional Groups Party or GOLKAR [Airlangga HARTARTO]
Great Indonesia Movement Party or GERINDRA [PRABOWO Subianto Djojohadikusumo]
Indonesia Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri]
National Awakening Party or PKB [Muhaiman ISKANDAR]
National Democratic Party or NasDem [Surya PALOH]
National Mandate Party or PAN [Zulkifli HASAN]
Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [Ahmad SYAIKHU]
United Development Party or PPP [Muhamad MARDIONO]", + "note": "note: these parties are those represented in national and regional legislatures; additional parties are represented in only regional legislatures" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-11, G-15, G-20, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IORA, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, MSG (associate member), NAM, OECD (enhanced engagement), OIC, OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -1266,19 +1267,19 @@ }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2023": { - "text": "0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { - "text": "0.8% of GDP (2021)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { - "text": "0.8% of GDP (2020)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { - "text": "0.8% of GDP (2019)" + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json index b7631884..780e0d18 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ja.json @@ -1241,8 +1241,11 @@ "note": "note: the Coast Guard is under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism; it is barred by law from operating as a military force, but in times of conflict Article 80 of the 1954 Self-Defense Forces Act permits the transfer of control of the coast guard to the Ministry of Defense with Cabinet approval" }, "Military expenditures": { + "Military Expenditures 2023": { + "text": "1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)" + }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "1.1% of GDP (2022)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1% of GDP (2021)" @@ -1253,20 +1256,17 @@ "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "0.9% of GDP (2019)" }, - "Military Expenditures 2018": { - "text": "0.9% of GDP (2018)" - }, "note": "note: the Japanese Government in 2022 pledged to increase defense expenditures to 2% of GDP in line with NATO standards by 2028; if the planned increase occurs, Japan would have one of the world's largest defense budgets" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 240,000 active personnel (150,000 Ground; 45,000 Maritime; 45,000 Air); 14,000 Coast Guard (2023)" + "text": "approximately 230-240,000 active personnel (145-150,000 Ground; 40-45,000 Maritime; 40-45,000 Air); 14,000 Coast Guard (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the JSDF is equipped with a mix of imported and domestically produced equipment; Japan has a robust defense industry and is capable of producing a wide range of air, ground, and naval weapons systems; the majority of its weapons imports are from the US and some domestically produced weapons are US-origin and manufactured under license (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { - "text": "18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women (maximum enlistment age 32); no conscription (2022)", - "note": "note: as of 2023, women made up about 8% of the military's full-time personnel" + "text": "18-32 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2023)", + "note": "note: as of 2023, women made up about 9% of the military's full-time personnel" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 200 Djibouti (2023)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json index 9f4cd390..f771b540 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/kn.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C.  Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms - Kogoryo, Paekche, and Silla - were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula, as well as part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in the late 7th century (688). Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry between the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Following the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, Korea was split along the 38th parallel with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control.

In 1948, North Korea (formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK) was founded under President KIM Il Sung, who consolidated power and cemented autocratic one-party rule under the Korean Worker's Party (KWP). After the Korean War (1950-53), during which North Korea failed to conquer UN-backed South Korea (formally the Republic of Korea or ROK), North Korea demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. North Korea also declared a central ideology of juche (\"self-reliance\") as an internal check against outside influence while continuing to rely heavily on China and the Soviet Union for economic support. Establishing a policy of hereditary succession in North Korea, KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's reign, North Korea continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts. 

After the end of Soviet aid in 1991, North Korea faced serious economic setbacks that exacerbated decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation. Since the mid-1990s, North Korea has faced chronic food shortages and economic stagnation. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has improved, but still falls far short of producing sufficient food to provide for its entire population. Starting in 2002, North Korea began to tolerate semi-private markets but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. New economic development plans in the 2010s failed to meet government-mandated goals for key industrial sectors, food production, or overall economic performance. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, North Korea instituted a nationwide lockdown that has severely restricted its economy and international engagement. Since then, leader KIM Jong Un has repeatedly expressed concerns with the regime's economic failures and food problems, but in 2021 vowed to continue \"self-reliant\" policies and has reinvigorated his pursuit of greater regime control of the economy. As of 2023, despite slowly renewing cross-border trade, North Korea remains one of the World's most isolated and one of Asia's poorest countries.

North Korea has a history of provocative regional military actions and posturing that are of major concern to the international community and have limited North Korea’s international engagement, particularly economically. These include proliferation of military-related items; ballistic and cruise missile development and testing; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and large conventional armed forces. Following a period of heightened tensions between North Korea and the US in 2017, KIM in 2018 announced a pivot towards diplomacy, including a re-prioritization of economic development, a pause in missile testing beginning in late 2017, and a refrain from anti-US rhetoric starting in June 2018. However, despite high-level efforts to ease tensions during the 2018-19 timeframe, including summits with the leaders of China, South Korea, and the US, North Korea continued developing its WMD programs and, in recent years, issued statements condemning the US and vowing to further strengthen its military capabilities, including long range missiles and nuclear weapons. 

" + "text": "

The first recorded kingdom (Choson) on the Korean Peninsula dates from approximately 2300 B.C.  Over the subsequent centuries, three main kingdoms - Kogoryo, Paekche, and Silla - were established on the Peninsula. By the 5th century A.D., Kogoryo emerged as the most powerful, with control over much of the Peninsula, as well as part of Manchuria (modern-day northeast China). However, Silla allied with the Chinese to create the first unified Korean state in the late 7th century (688). Following the collapse of Silla in the 9th century, Korea was unified under the Koryo (Goryeo; 918-1392) and the Chosen (Joseon; 1392-1910) dynasties. Korea became the object of intense imperialistic rivalry between the Chinese (its traditional benefactor), Japanese, and Russian empires in the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.  Following the Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Korea was occupied by Imperial Japan. In 1910, Japan formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, Korea was split along the 38th parallel with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored communist control.

In 1948, North Korea (formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK) was founded under President KIM Il Sung, who consolidated power and cemented autocratic one-party rule under the Korean Worker's Party (KWP). After the Korean War (1950-53), during which North Korea failed to conquer UN-backed South Korea (formally the Republic of Korea or ROK), North Korea demonized the US as the ultimate threat to its social system through state-funded propaganda and molded political, economic, and military policies around the core ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's control. North Korea also declared a central ideology of juche (\"self-reliance\") as an internal check against outside influence while continuing to rely heavily on China and the Soviet Union for economic support. Establishing a policy of hereditary succession in North Korea, KIM Il Sung's son, KIM Jong Il, was officially designated as his father's successor in 1980, assuming a growing political and managerial role until the elder KIM's death in 1994. Under KIM Jong Il's reign, North Korea continued developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. KIM Jong Un was publicly unveiled as his father's successor in 2010. Following KIM Jong Il's death in 2011, KIM Jong Un quickly assumed power and has since occupied the regime's highest political and military posts. 

After the end of Soviet aid in 1991, North Korea faced serious economic setbacks that exacerbated decades of economic mismanagement and resource misallocation. Since the mid-1990s, North Korea has faced chronic food shortages and economic stagnation. In recent years, the North's domestic agricultural production has improved, but still falls far short of producing sufficient food to provide for its entire population. Starting in 2002, North Korea began to tolerate semi-private markets but has made few other efforts to meet its goal of improving the overall standard of living. New economic development plans in the 2010s failed to meet government-mandated goals for key industrial sectors, food production, or overall economic performance. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, North Korea instituted a nationwide lockdown that severely restricted its economy and international engagement. Since then, leader KIM Jong Un has repeatedly expressed concerns with the regime's economic failures and food problems, but in 2021 vowed to continue \"self-reliant\" policies and has reinvigorated his pursuit of greater regime control of the economy. As of 2023, despite slowly renewing cross-border trade, North Korea remains one of the World's most isolated and one of Asia's poorest countries.

North Korea has a history of provocative regional military actions and posturing that are of major concern to the international community and have limited North Korea’s international engagement, particularly economically. These include proliferation of military-related items; ballistic and cruise missile development and testing; WMD programs including tests of nuclear devices in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2017; and large conventional armed forces. Despite high-level efforts to ease tensions during the 2018-19 timeframe, including summits with the leaders of China, South Korea, and the US, North Korea has continued developing its WMD programs and, in recent years, issued statements condemning the US and vowing to further strengthen its military capabilities, including long range missiles and nuclear weapons. 

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "embassy": { - "text": "none; the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power; note - temporarily closed since 2020" + "text": "none; the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular protecting power" } }, "Flag description": { @@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ "note": "note 1: North Korea employs a systematic and intentional overlap of powers and responsibilities among its multiple internal security organizations to prevent any potential subordinate consolidation of power and assure that each unit provided a check and balance on the other

note 2: the Security Guard Command protects the Kim family, other senior leadership figures, and government facilities

note 3: the North also has a large paramilitary/militia force organized into the Worker Peasant Red Guard and Red Youth Guard; these organizations are present at all levels of government (province, county, ward) and are under the control of the Korean Workers' Party in peacetime, but revert to KPA control in crisis or war; they are often mobilized for domestic projects, such as road building and agricultural support" }, "Military expenditures": { - "text": "between 2010 and 2019, military expenditures accounted for an estimated 20-25% of North Korea's GDP annually; North Korea in the 2010s and 2020s has increasingly relied on illicit activities — including cybercrime — to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs to evade US and UN sanctions" + "text": "between 2010 and 2019, military expenditures accounted for an estimated 20-25% of North Korea's GDP annually; in 2023, North Korea announced that it would spend nearly 16% of state expenditures on defense; North Korea in the 2010s and 2020s has increasingly relied on illicit activities — including cybercrime — to generate revenue for its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs to evade US and UN sanctions" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "information varies; estimated 1-1.2 million active-duty troops; estimated 200,000 internal security forces (2023)" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json index e6fcd78d..bc99ea3e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/ks.json @@ -578,8 +578,8 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Basic Income Party [SHIN Ji-hye] 
Democratic Party of Korea or DPK [LEE Jae-myung] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016); includes the former Open Democratic Party [CHOI Kong-wook], which merged with the DP in January 2022 and the Together Citizens' Party or Platform Party [WOO Hee-jong, CHOI Bae-geun], which merged with the DP in May 2022)
Justice Party or JP [LEE Jeong-mi]
People Power Party or PPP [KIM Gi-hyeon] (renamed from United Future Party in September 2020, formerly Liberty Korea Party)
Transition Korea [CHO Jung-hun]", - "note": "note: the DPK is South Korea’s largest party and its main progressive party; the People Power Party (PPP) is a conservative grouping and is South Korea’s second-largest party; the PPP and its predecessor parties have controlled the National Assembly for all but nine of the 33 years since the 1987 Constitution went into effect" + "text": "Basic Income Party [SHIN Ji-hye] 
Democratic Party of Korea or DPK [LEE Jae-myung] (renamed from Minjoo Party of Korea or MPK in October 2016); includes the former Open Democratic Party [CHOI Kong-wook], which merged with the DP in January 2022 and the Together Citizens' Party or Platform Party [WOO Hee-jong, CHOI Bae-geun], which merged with the DP in May 2022)
Hope of Korea [Yang Hyang-ja]
Justice Party or JP [LEE Jeong-mi]
People Power Party or PPP [KIM Gi-hyeon] (renamed from United Future Party in September 2020, formerly Liberty Korea Party)
Transition Korea [CHO Jung-hun]", + "note": "note: the DPK is South Korea’s largest party and its main progressive party; the People Power Party (PPP) is a conservative grouping and is South Korea’s second-largest party" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, AfDB (nonregional member), APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE (partner), Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json index 6c737978..58dbffd9 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/la.json @@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ "text": "Prime Minister SONXAI Siphandon (since 30 December 2022)" }, "cabinet": { - "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly" + "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 March 2021 (next to be held in March 2026); prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for 5-year term" @@ -627,7 +627,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Peter HAYMOND (since 7 February 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargée d’Affaires Michelle OUTLAW (since August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Ban Somvang Tai, Thadeua Road, Km 9, Hatsayfong District, Vientiane" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json index e8bbb083..e4fe0b64 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mc.json @@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ "text": "president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2028); chief executive chosen by a 400-member Election Committee for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 August 2019 (next to be held in 2024)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes) 

2014: Fernando CHUI Sai (unopposed; received 380 of 396 votes)" + "text": "2019: HO lat Seng (unopposed; received 392 out of 400 votes) 

2014: Fernando CHUI Sai (unopposed; received 380 of 396 votes)" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Alliance for Change or APM [Melinda CHAN Mei-yi]
Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng] (an electoral list of UPP)
Macau Civic Power [Agnes LAM Iok-fong]
Macau-Guangdong Union or UMG [MAK Soi-kun]
Macau Citizens' Development Association or ACDM [Becky SONG Pek-kei]
New Hope or NE [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]
New Macau Association (New Macau Progressives) or AMN or ANPM [Sulu SOU Ka-hou]
New Union for Macau's Development or NUDM [Angela LEONG On-kei]
Union for Development or UPD [HO Sut Heng]
Union for Promoting Progress or UPP [HO Ion-sang]
United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam]", + "text": "Alliance for a Happy Home or ABL [WONG Kit-cheng]
Association of Synergy of Macao (\"Synergy Power\" or Poder da Singeria) or PS [Vitor VAI]
Macau-Guangdong Union or UGM [MAK Soi-kun]
New Hope or NE [José Maria Pereira COUTINHO]
Union for Development or UPD [HO Sut Heng]
Union for Promoting Progress or UPP or UNIPRO [HO Ion-sang]
United Citizens Association of Macau or ACUM [CHAN Meng-kam]
Women's General Association of Macau or AGMM [HO Teng-iat]", "note": "note: there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies" }, "International organization participation": { diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json index e64e659e..85ccfbcb 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/mg.json @@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ "text": "directly appointed by the prime minister following a constitutional amendment ratified in November 2019; prior to the amendment, the cabinet was nominated by the prime minister in consultation with the president and confirmed by the State Great Hural (parliament)" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple majority popular vote for one 6-year term; election last held on 9 June 2021; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural" + "text": "presidential candidates nominated by political parties represented in the State Great Hural and directly elected by simple majority popular vote for one 6-year term; election last held on 9 June 2021 (next election in 2027); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the State Great Hural" }, "election results": { "text": "Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH elected president in first round; percent of vote - Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH (MPP) 72%, Dangaasuren ENKHBAT (RPEC) 21.6%, Sodnomzundui ERDENE (DP) 6.4%" @@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "36 parties registered for the 2020 legislative elections to the State Great Hural; among them, the following parties won seats:
Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzunduin ERDENE]
Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH]

others include:
Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Tserendorj GANKHUYAG]
Justice Party [Batbayar NASANBILEG]
Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Bayanjargal TSOGTGEREL]
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]
Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [Adiya GANBAATAR]
Mongolian Traditionally United Party or MTUP [Batdelgeriin BATBOLD]
National Labor Party or HUN [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]

Coalitions:
Our Coalition (MPRP, Civil Will-Green Party, and Mongolian Traditionally United Party)
Right Person Electorate Coalition or RPEC (National Labor Party, Mongolian Social Democratic Party, Justice Party) [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]" + "text": "36 parties registered for the 2020 legislative elections to the State Great Hural; among them, the following parties won seats:
Democratic Party or DP [Sodnomzunduin ERDENE]
Mongolian People's Party or MPP [Ukhnaagiin KHURELSUKH]

others include:
Civil Will-Green Party or CWGP [Tserendorj GANKHUYAG]
Justice Party [Batbayar NASANBILEG]
Mongolian National Democratic Party or MNDP [Bayanjargal TSOGTGEREL]
Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]
Mongolian Social Democratic Party or MSDP [Adiya GANBAATAR]
Mongolian Traditionally United Party or MTUP [Batdelgeriin BATBOLD]
National Labor Party or HUN [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]

Coalitions:
Our Coalition (MPRP, CWGP, and MTUP)
Right Person Electorate Coalition or RPEC (HUN, MSDP, Justice Party) [Togmidyn DORJKHAND]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, ARF, CD, CICA, CP, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, SCO (observer), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json index a0bb9b95..d25307a7 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/my.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants.

The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. These holdings were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Former Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in May 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted rule by UMNO. Since 2018, Malaysia has undergone considerable political upheaval with a succession of coalition governments holding power. However, following legislative elections in 2022, Anwar IBRAHIM was appointed prime minister after more than 20 years in opposition. His ruling coalition holds a two-thirds majority in the Malaysian parliament.

" + "text": "

Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants.

The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. These holdings were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Former Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in May 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted rule by UMNO. Since 2018, Malaysia has undergone considerable political upheaval with a succession of coalition governments holding power. Following legislative elections in 2022, Anwar IBRAHIM was appointed prime minister after more than 20 years in opposition. His ruling coalition holds a two-thirds majority in the Malaysian parliament.

" } }, "Geography": { @@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 January 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister" + "text": "king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 January 2019 (next to be held in January 2024); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ "text": "Senate - appointed
House of Representatives - last held on 19 Nov 2022 (next to be held in 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%

2022: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 37.5%, PN 30.4%, BN 22.4%, GPS 4%, WARISAN 1.8%, GRS 1.3%, other 2.6%; seats by party/coalition - PH 81, PN 73, BN 30, GPS 23, GRS 6, WARISAN 3, PBM 1, KDM 1, MUDA 1, independents/unaffiliated 3

2018: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8%" + "text": "Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%

2022: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 37.5%, PN 30.4%, BN 22.4%, GPS 4%, WARISAN 1.8%, GRS 1.3%, other 2.6%; seats by party/coalition - PH 81, PN 73, BN 30, GPS 23, GRS 6, WARISAN 3, PBM 1, KDM 1, MUDA 1, independents/unaffiliated 3

2018: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8%" }, "note": "note: as of May 2022, seats by party/coalition - PH 90, PN 50, BN 42, GPS 18, WARISAN 7, PEJUANG 4, PBM 3, PSB 1, MUDA 1, independent 4, vacant 2" }, @@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN:
All Malaysia Indian Progressive Front or IPF (Barisan Kemajuan India Se-Malaysia) or AMIPF [LOGANATHAN Thoraisamy]
Love Malaysia Party (Parti Cinta Malaysia) or PCM [HUAN Cheng Guan]
Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA [WEE Ka Siong]
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [VIGNESWARAN Sanasee]
Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kongres India Muslim Malaysia) or KIMMA [Syed IMBRAHIM Kader]
Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party (Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia) or MMSP [R.S. THANENTHIRAN]
United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UMNO [Ahmad ZAHID Hamidi]
United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Arthur Joseph KURUP]

Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH:
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [Anthony LOKE Siew Fook]
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA [Syed SADDIQ Syed Adbdul Rahman]
National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [MOHAMAD Sabu]
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]
United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu) or UPKO [EWON Benedick]

National Alliance (Perikatan Nasional) or PN
Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM [LAU Hoe Chai]
Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU [MUHYIDDIN Yassin]
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]

Sabah People's Alliance (Gabungan Rakya Sabah) or GRS:
Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR [Jeffrey KITINGAN]
Sabah People's Ideas Party (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah) or GAGASAN or PGRS [HAJIJI Noor]
Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Maju Sabah) or SAPP [Yong Teck Lee]
United Sabah National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Sabah Bersatu ((Baru)) or USNO (Baru) [PANDIKAR Amin Mulia]
United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus Johnity ONGKILI]

Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS 
Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif) or PDP [TIONG King Sing]
Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [Joseph SALANG Gandum]
Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak) or SUPP [SIM Kui Hian]
United Bumiputera Heritage Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB [Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg or or ABANG JOHARI or \"Abang Jo\"]

Others receiving votes in 2022 general election:
Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM [Larry SNG Wei Shein] (formerly Sarawak Workers Party)
Heritage Party (Parti Warisan) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal]
Social Democratic Harmony Party (Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat) or KDM [PETER Anthony]
Socialist Party of Malaysia (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) or PSM [Michael JEYAKUMAR Devaraj]


" + "text": "National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN [Ahmad ZAHID Hamidi]:
All Malaysia Indian Progressive Front or IPF (Barisan Kemajuan India Se-Malaysia) or AMIPF [LOGANATHAN Thoraisamy]
Love Malaysia Party (Parti Cinta Malaysia) or PCM [HUAN Cheng Guan]
Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA [WEE Ka Siong]
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [VIGNESWARAN Sanasee]
Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress (Kongres India Muslim Malaysia) or KIMMA [Syed IMBRAHIM Kader]
Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party (Parti Makkal Sakti Malaysia) or MMSP [R.S. THANENTHIRAN]
United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UMNO [Ahmad ZAHID Hamidi]
United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Arthur Joseph KURUP]

Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH [ANWAR Ibrahim]:
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [Anthony LOKE Siew Fook]
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA [Syed SADDIQ Syed Adbdul Rahman]
National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [MOHAMAD Sabu]
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]
United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu) or UPKO [EWON Benedick]

National Alliance (Perikatan Nasional) or PN [MUHYIDDIN Yassin]:
Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM [LAU Hoe Chai]
Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU [MUHYIDDIN Yassin]
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]

Sabah People's Alliance (Gabungan Rakya Sabah) or GRS [HAJIJI Noor]:
Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR [Jeffrey KITINGAN]
Sabah People's Ideas Party (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah) or GAGASAN or PGRS [HAJIJI Noor]
Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Maju Sabah) or SAPP [Yong Teck Lee]
United Sabah National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Sabah Bersatu ((Baru)) or USNO (Baru) [PANDIKAR Amin Mulia]
United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus Johnity ONGKILI]

Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS [Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg or ABANG JOHARI or \"Abang Jo\"]:
Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif) or PDP [TIONG King Sing]
Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [Joseph SALANG Gandum]
Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak) or SUPP [SIM Kui Hian]
United Bumiputera Heritage Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB [Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Abang Openg or ABANG JOHARI or \"Abang Jo\"]

Others receiving votes in 2022 general election:
Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM [Larry SNG Wei Shein] 
Heritage Party (Parti Warisan) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal]
Social Democratic Harmony Party (Parti Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat) or KDM [PETER Anthony]
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA [Syed SADDIQ] 


" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Brian D. McFEETERS (since 26 February 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Manu BHALLA (since August 2023) " }, "embassy": { "text": "376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json index 23f72737..3d73231a 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/pp.json @@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Advance PNG [Muglua DILU]
Allegiance Party or AP [Bryan KRAMER]
Destiny Party [Marsh NARAWEC]
Liberal Party [John PUNDARI]
Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Joseph YOPYYOPY]
National Alliance Party or NAP [Patrick PRUAITCH]
New Generation Party or NGP [Keith IDUHU]
Our Development Party or ODP [Charles ABEL]
Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [James MARAPE]
Papua New Guinea Country Party or PNGCP [Chris HAIVETA]
Papua New Guinea Greens Party [Richard MASERE]
Papua New Guinea National Party [Kerenga KUA]
Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Belden NAMAH]
People's First Party or PFP [Richard MARU]
People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]
People's Movement for Change or PMC [Gary JAFFA]
People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL]
People's Party or PP [Peter IPATAS]
People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN]
People's Reform Party or PRP [James DONALD]
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Powes PARKOP]
Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POLYE]
United Labor Party or PLP [vacant]
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]" + "text": "Advance PNG [Muglua DILU]
Allegiance Party or AP [Bryan KRAMER]
Destiny Party [Marsh NARAWEC]
Liberal Party [John PUNDARI]
Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Joseph YOPYYOPY]
National Alliance Party or NAP [Patrick PRUAITCH]
New Generation Party or NGP [Keith IDUHU]
Our Development Party or ODP [Charles ABEL]
Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU PATI [James MARAPE]
Papua New Guinea Country Party or PNGCP [Chris HAIVETA]
Papua New Guinea Greens Party [Richard MASERE]
Papua New Guinea National Party [Kerenga KUA]
Papua New Guinea Party or PNGP [Belden NAMAH]
People's First Party or PFP [Richard MARU]
People's Labor Party or PLP [Peter YAMA]
People's Movement for Change or PMC [Gary JAFFA]
People's National Congress Party or PNC [Peter Paire O'NEILL]
People's Party or PP [Peter IPATAS]
People's Progress Party or PPP [Sir Julius CHAN]
People's Reform Party or PRP [James DONALD]
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Powes PARKOP]
Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party or THE [Don POLYE]
United Labor Party or ULP [Lekwa GURE]
United Resources Party or URP [William DUMA]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (observer), C, CD, CP, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" @@ -618,13 +618,13 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Matthew BUNT (since 25 August 2023); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Katherine Elizabeth MONAHAN (since 26 September 2023); note - also accredited to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu" }, "embassy": { - "text": "P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby" + "text": "Harbour City Road, Port Moresby 121, NCD, Papua New Guinea" }, "mailing address": { - "text": "4240 Port Moresby Place, Washington DC  20521-4240" + "text": "Harbour City Road, Port Moresby 121, NCD, Papua New Guinea" }, "telephone": { "text": "[675] 308-2100" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json index 16bc08c7..a12a513e 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/sn.json @@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; Cabinet responsible to Parliament" }, "elections/appointments": { - "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 13 September 2017 (next to be held on 1 September 2023); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president" + "text": "president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 1 September 2023; next to be held in 2029); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president" }, "election results": { "text": "2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote - THARMAN (independent) 70.4%, Ng Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, Tan Kin Lian (independent) 13.9%; turnout is 93.4%

2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate

2011: Tony TAN Keng Yam elected president; percent of vote - Tony TAN Keng Yam (independent) 35.2%, TAN Cheng Bock (independent) 34.9%, TAN Jee Say (independent) 25%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 4.9%" @@ -547,10 +547,10 @@ }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { - "text": "unicameral Parliament (104 seats statutory, 103 current term; 93 members directly elected by simple majority popular vote, up to 9 nominated by a parliamentary selection committee and appointed by the president, and up to 12 non-constituency members from opposition parties to ensure political diversity; members serve 5-year terms); note - the number of nominated members increased to 12 for the 2020 election for the first time (2021)" + "text": "unicameral Parliament (104 seats statutory, 103 current term; 93 members directly elected by simple majority popular vote, up to 9 nominated by a parliamentary selection committee and appointed by the president, and up to 12 non-constituency members from opposition parties to ensure political diversity; members serve 5-year terms); note - the number of nominated members increased to 12 for the 2020 election for the first time" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 10 July 2020 (next must be held by 2025)" + "text": "last held on 10 July 2020 (next must be held by 24 November 2025)" }, "election results": { "text": "percent of vote by party - PAP 89.2%, WP 10.6%, other 0.2%; seats by party - PAP 83, WP 10; composition of total Parliament - men 73, women 30, percent of women 29.1%" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json index 23ae8903..f8877dd4 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/tt.json @@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d'Affaires Thomas DALEY (since August 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant), Chargé d'Affaires Marc WEINSTOCK (since August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Coqueiros, Dili" diff --git a/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json b/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json index 06add603..d32ff5fe 100644 --- a/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json +++ b/east-n-southeast-asia/tw.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan based on a 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist Government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then illegal founding of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan’s first opposition party, in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over forty years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered, became one of East Asia's economic \"Tigers,\" and after 2000 became a major investor in mainland China as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China." + "text": "First inhabited by Austronesian people, Taiwan became home to Han immigrants beginning in the late Ming Dynasty (17th century). In 1895, military defeat forced China's Qing Dynasty to cede Taiwan to Japan, which then governed Taiwan for 50 years. Taiwan came under Chinese Nationalist (Kuomintang, KMT) control after World War II. With the communist victory in the Chinese civil war in 1949, the Nationalist-controlled Republic of China government and 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and continued to claim to be the legitimate government for mainland China and Taiwan based on a 1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Until 1987, however, the Nationalist Government ruled Taiwan under a civil war martial law declaration dating to 1948. Beginning in the 1970s, Nationalist authorities gradually began to incorporate the native population into the governing structure beyond the local level. The democratization process expanded rapidly in the 1980s, leading to the then illegal founding of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan’s first opposition party, in 1986 and the lifting of martial law the following year. Taiwan held legislative elections in 1992, the first in over 40 years, and its first direct presidential election in 1996. In the 2000 presidential elections, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power with the KMT loss to the DPP and afterwards experienced two additional democratic transfers of power in 2008 and 2016. Throughout this period, the island prospered, became one of East Asia's economic \"Tigers,\" and after 2000 became a major investor in mainland China as cross-Strait ties matured. The dominant political issues continue to be economic reform and growth as well as management of sensitive relations between Taiwan and China." } }, "Geography": { @@ -429,7 +429,7 @@ "text": "president and vice president directly elected on the same ballot by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 January 2020 (next to be held on 13 January 2024); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2020: TSAI Ing-wen reelected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 57.1%, HAN Kuo-yu (KMT) 38.6%, James SOONG (PFP) 4.2%; note - TSAI is the first woman elected president of Taiwan

2016: TSAI Ing-wen elected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 56.1%, Eric CHU (KMT) 31%, James SOONG (PFP) 12.8%" + "text": "2020: TSAI Ing-wen reelected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 57.1%, HAN Kuo-yu (KMT) 38.6%, James SOONG (PFP) 4.2%; note - TSAI is the first woman elected president of Taiwan

2016: TSAI Ing-wen elected president; percent of vote - TSAI Ing-wen (DPP) 56.1%, Eric CHU (KMT) 31%, James SOONG (PFP) 12.8%" } }, "Legislative branch": { @@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ "text": "[886] 2-2162-2251" }, "email address and website": { - "text": "
TaipeiACS@state.gov

https://www.ait.org.tw/" + "text": "TaipeiACS@state.gov

https://www.ait.org.tw/" }, "branch office(s)": { "text": "American Institute in Taiwan
No. 100, Jinhu Road,
Neihu District 11461, Taipei City" diff --git a/europe/al.json b/europe/al.json index 2c20bc22..35000496 100644 --- a/europe/al.json +++ b/europe/al.json @@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Yuri KIM (since 27 January 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David WISNER (since August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana" @@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 7,000 total active duty personnel (5,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2022)" + "text": "approximately 7,000 total active-duty personnel (5,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "since joining NATO, the military has been in the process of modernizing by retiring its inventory of Soviet-era weapons and replacing them with Western equipment, including donated and secondhand purchases  (2023)" diff --git a/europe/bo.json b/europe/bo.json index 9bf160dd..9f9e1a7f 100644 --- a/europe/bo.json +++ b/europe/bo.json @@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Deputy Chief of Mission – Ruben HARUTUNIAN (since 9 June 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Peter KAUFMAN (since June 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "46 Starovilenskaya Street, Minsk 220002" diff --git a/europe/bu.json b/europe/bu.json index de1042b5..ff789c4a 100644 --- a/europe/bu.json +++ b/europe/bu.json @@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "22,226 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 54,715 (Ukraine) (as of 3 October 2023)" + "text": "22,226 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 53,060 (Ukraine) (as of 10 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,129 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/ei.json b/europe/ei.json index b76c6cb9..521e8159 100644 --- a/europe/ei.json +++ b/europe/ei.json @@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Aontu [Peadar TOIBIN]
Solidarity-People Before Profit or PBPS [collective leadership]
Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]
Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]
Green Party [Eamon RYAN]
Human Dignity Alliance [Ronan MULLEN]
Labor (Labour) Party Ivana BACIK]
Renua Ireland (vacant)
Right to Change or RTC [Joan COLLINS]
Sinn Fein [Mary Lou McDONALD]
Social Democrats [Holly CAIRNS]
Socialist Party [collective leadership]
The Workers' Party [collective leadership]" + "text": "Aontu [Peadar TOIBIN]
Solidarity-People Before Profit or PBPS [collective leadership]
Fianna Fail [Micheal MARTIN]
Fine Gael [Leo VARADKAR]
Green Party [Eamon RYAN]
Human Dignity Alliance [Ronan MULLEN]
Labor (Labour) Party Ivana BACIK]
Right to Change or RTC [Joan COLLINS]
Sinn Fein [Mary Lou McDONALD]
Social Democrats [Holly CAIRNS]
Socialist Party [collective leadership]
The Workers' Party [collective leadership]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" diff --git a/europe/en.json b/europe/en.json index 130c1e1a..fccd60bc 100644 --- a/europe/en.json +++ b/europe/en.json @@ -1227,7 +1227,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "50,450 (Ukraine) (as of 1 September 2023)" + "text": "50,450 (Ukraine) (as of 1 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "70,604 (2022); note - following independence in 1991, automatic citizenship was restricted to those who were Estonian citizens prior to the 1940 Soviet occupation and their descendants; thousands of ethnic Russians remained stateless when forced to choose between passing Estonian language and citizenship tests or applying for Russian citizenship; one reason for demurring on Estonian citizenship was to retain the right of visa-free travel to Russia; stateless residents can vote in local elections but not general elections; stateless parents who have been lawful residents of Estonia for at least five years can apply for citizenship for their children before they turn 15 years old" diff --git a/europe/ez.json b/europe/ez.json index bc21de89..58e06f0a 100644 --- a/europe/ez.json +++ b/europe/ez.json @@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Bijan SABET" + "text": "Ambassador Bijan SABET (since 15 February 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Trziste 15, 118 01 Praha 1 - Mala Strana" @@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-28 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2004 (2023)", - "note": "note: as of 2019, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel" + "note": "note: as of 2020, women comprised about 13% of the military's full-time personnel" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "up to 130 Lithuania (NATO); 130 Slovakia (NATO) (2023)", @@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "368,300 (Ukraine) (as of 10 September 2023)" + "text": "361,385 (Ukraine) (as of 8 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "1,625 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/fi.json b/europe/fi.json index b1621cc5..9985e944 100644 --- a/europe/fi.json +++ b/europe/fi.json @@ -1240,7 +1240,7 @@ "text": "2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "2% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "2% of GDP (2022)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1.9% of GDP (2021)" @@ -1276,7 +1276,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "9,175 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 60,060 (Ukraine) (as of 10 September 2023)" + "text": "9,175 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 61,520 (Ukraine) (as of 24 September 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "3,546 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/gm.json b/europe/gm.json index 140a3630..a37ae49e 100644 --- a/europe/gm.json +++ b/europe/gm.json @@ -1274,7 +1274,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 183,000 active-duty uniformed personnel (62,000 Army; 16,000 Navy; 27,000 Air Force; 20,000 Medical Service, 14,000 Cyber and Information Space Command; 43,000 other, including central staff, support, logistics, etc.) (2023)" + "text": "approximately 185,000 active-duty armed forces personnel (62,000 Army; 16,000 Navy; 27,000 Air Force; 20,000 Medical Service, 14,000 Cyber and Information Space Command; 45,000 other, including central staff, support, logistics, etc.) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the German Federal Armed Forces inventory is comprised of weapons systems produced domestically or jointly with other European countries and Western imports, particularly from the US; in recent years, the US has been the leading foreign supplier; Germany's defense industry is capable of manufacturing the full spectrum of air, land, and naval military weapons systems, and is one of the world's leading arms exporters; it also participates in joint defense production projects with the US and European partners (2023)" @@ -1315,7 +1315,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "664,238 (Syria), 183,631 (Afghanistan), 151,254 (Iraq), 64,496 (Eritrea), 47,658 (Iran), 38,755 (Turkey), 32,155 (Somalia), 13,334 (Russia), 12,155 (Nigeria), 9,250 (Pakistan), 6,257 (Serbia and Kosovo), 6,912 (Ethiopia), 5,532 (Azerbaijan) (mid-year 2022); 1,094,155 (Ukraine) (as of 17 September 2023)" + "text": "664,238 (Syria), 183,631 (Afghanistan), 151,254 (Iraq), 64,496 (Eritrea), 47,658 (Iran), 38,755 (Turkey), 32,155 (Somalia), 13,334 (Russia), 12,155 (Nigeria), 9,250 (Pakistan), 6,257 (Serbia and Kosovo), 6,912 (Ethiopia), 5,532 (Azerbaijan) (mid-year 2022); 1,100,720 (Ukraine) (as of 7 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "28,941 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/hr.json b/europe/hr.json index 47a9e4dd..bb006729 100644 --- a/europe/hr.json +++ b/europe/hr.json @@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "23,480 (Ukraine) (as of 22 September 2023)" + "text": "23,570 (Ukraine) (as of 6 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,889 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/hu.json b/europe/hu.json index 3eedc6ae..050c3a6f 100644 --- a/europe/hu.json +++ b/europe/hu.json @@ -1286,7 +1286,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "53,375 (Ukraine) (as of 25 September 2023)" + "text": "53,375 (Ukraine) (as of 8 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "130 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/it.json b/europe/it.json index c265f7f5..07879e1e 100644 --- a/europe/it.json +++ b/europe/it.json @@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Shawn CROWLEY (since July 2022); note - also accredited to San Marino" + "text": "Ambassador Jack Markell (since September 2023); note - also accredited to San Marino" }, "embassy": { "text": "via Vittorio Veneto 121, 00187 Roma" @@ -1248,7 +1248,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 170,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 108,000 Carabinieri (2022)" + "text": "approximately 170,000 active personnel (100,000 Army; 30,000 Navy; 40,000 Air Force); approximately 108,000 Carabinieri (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically manufactured, imported, and jointly produced weapons systems, mostly from Europe and the US; in recent years, the US has been the lead supplier of military hardware to Italy; the Italian defense industry is capable of producing equipment across all the military domains with particular strengths in aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval vessels; it also participates in joint development and production of advanced weapons systems with other European countries and the US (2023)" diff --git a/europe/lh.json b/europe/lh.json index d5f9a913..08107d8c 100644 --- a/europe/lh.json +++ b/europe/lh.json @@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Robert S. GILCHRIST (since 4 February 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Tamir WASER (since 12 August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Akmenu gatve 6, Vilnius, LT-03106" @@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 16,000 personnel (12,500 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces and 2,500 conscripts); 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,000 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc) (2023)" + "text": "approximately 17,000 active-duty personnel (13,000 Army, including about 5,000 National Defense Voluntary Forces and 2,500 conscripts); 500 Navy; 1,000 Air Force; 2,500 other, including special operations forces, logistics support, training, etc) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory is a mix of Soviet-era and more modern European and US equipment; Germany and the US have been the leading suppliers in recent years (2023)" @@ -1260,7 +1260,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "49,970 (Ukraine) (as of 15 September 2023)" + "text": "49,970 (Ukraine) (as of 29 September 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,720 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/lo.json b/europe/lo.json index 1d91eb62..0b5778d7 100644 --- a/europe/lo.json +++ b/europe/lo.json @@ -1197,7 +1197,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 14,000 active-duty personnel (8,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 2,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support forces) (2022)" + "text": "approximately 14,000 active-duty personnel (8,000 Land Forces; 4,000 Air Forces; 2,000 other, including staff, special operations, and support forces) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era platforms; in recent years, it has imported limited quantities of more modern equipment, particularly from Italy and the US (2023)" @@ -1229,7 +1229,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "109,115 (Ukraine) (as of 24 September 2023)" + "text": "109,115 (Ukraine) (as of 1 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "2,940 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/mj.json b/europe/mj.json index 3e3b6439..067052dc 100644 --- a/europe/mj.json +++ b/europe/mj.json @@ -1224,7 +1224,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 2,000 active duty troops (2022)" + "text": "approximately 2,000 active-duty troops (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory is small and consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, with a limited mix of other imported systems from such countries as Austria, Turkey, and the US (2023)" @@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "61,745 (Ukraine) (as of 25 September 2023)" + "text": "62,075 (Ukraine) (as of 2 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "468 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/mt.json b/europe/mt.json index 78e2f5bd..1cac3c1b 100644 --- a/europe/mt.json +++ b/europe/mt.json @@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Gwendolyn \"Wendy\" GREEN (since August 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador Constance J. MILSTEIN (since October 27, 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000" @@ -1150,8 +1150,11 @@ "note": "note: the Malta Police Force maintains internal security; both the Police and the AFM report to the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security, and Law Enforcement" }, "Military expenditures": { + "Military Expenditures 2023": { + "text": "0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)" + }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "0.7% of GDP (2022)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "0.5% of GDP (2021)" @@ -1161,9 +1164,6 @@ }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "0.5% of GDP (2019)" - }, - "Military Expenditures 2018": { - "text": "0.5% of GDP (2018)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { diff --git a/europe/nl.json b/europe/nl.json index 4cb6c269..bcefd554 100644 --- a/europe/nl.json +++ b/europe/nl.json @@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Shefali RAZDAN DUGEAL (since 19 October 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Shefali RAZDAN DUGGAL (since 19 October 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar" @@ -1247,7 +1247,7 @@ }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 48,000 active-duty personnel (20,000 Army; 9,000 Navy; 7,000 Air Force; 7,000 Constabulary; 5,000 other) (2023)", - "note": "note: the total figures include about 6,500 reservists on active duty; the Navy has about 2,300 marines" + "note": "note: the total figures include about 6,000 reservists on active duty; the Navy has about 2,300 marines" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of weapons systems; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2023)" @@ -1261,7 +1261,7 @@ "note": "note: in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, some NATO countries, including the Netherlands, have sent additional troops and equipment to the battlegroups deployed in NATO territory in eastern Europe" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the Dutch military is charged with the three core tasks of defending the country’s national territory and that of its allies, enforcing the national and international rule of law, and providing assistance during disasters and other crises; it also has some domestic security duties, including in the Dutch Caribbean territories; the military operates globally but rarely carries out military operations independently and focuses on cooperating with the armed forces of other countries, particularly with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK to include combined military units

the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is heavily involved in NATO missions and operations with air, ground, and naval forces, including air policing missions over the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval flotillas, as well as standby units for NATO’s rapid response force; the military has previously deployed forces to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo and also regularly contributes to EU- and UN-led missions

the Dutch military is a professional force and conforms to NATO standards; the Army is experienced, equipped with modern weapons, and exercises regularly, including with allied partners; it has three brigades of mechanized, light, and air mobile infantry, plus artillery, air defense, and commando/special forces units; the Army cooperates closely with the German Army, including having its air mobile and mechanized brigades assigned to German divisional headquarters; in addition, the Army shares with the Germans command of a NATO high-readiness corps-level headquarters, which can be ready for deployment inside or outside NATO territory within 20 days; in 2020, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands formed a joint composite special operations component command

founded in the late 1400s, the Royal Netherlands Navy is one of the oldest naval forces in the World and conducts a variety of missions worldwide; in addition to its close ties with NATO, the Navy cooperates closely with the Belgian Navy, including a joint staff known as the Admiralty Benelux; it has a command responsible for the activities of Dutch naval units in the Caribbean, which includes combating drug trafficking, environmental crime, and illegal fishing, as well as providing search and rescue and disaster relief capabilities; the Netherlands has naval bases on Curaçao and Aruba; the Navy’s principal warships are 10 frigates and ocean-going patrol ships and four attack submarines; the Marine Corps has two battalion-size combat groups and special operations forces; since 1973, it has worked closely with the British Royal Marines, including jointly in the UK-Netherlands amphibious landing force

the Air Force operates globally and is equipped with about 50 modern US-origin combat aircraft, including F-35 stealth multirole fighters; the Air Force has a helicopter command with attack and other combat-capable helicopters; Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg have an agreement to allow the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces to conduct air policing patrols over the three countries

the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee’s (military police) are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks; it has 21 brigades based in eight Dutch provinces, plus Curaçao in the Caribbean, a special missions security brigade, and separate security platoons to guard and protect domestic sites that are most likely to be the targets of attacks, such as government buildings; Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATO

the Dutch military is also part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a defense framework of 10 Northern European nations designed to provide security to the High North, North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea Region in response to a crisis (2023)" + "text": "the Dutch military is charged with the three core tasks of defending the country’s national territory and that of its allies, enforcing the national and international rule of law, and providing assistance during disasters and other crises; it also has some domestic security duties, including in the Dutch Caribbean territories; the military operates globally but rarely carries out military operations independently and focuses on cooperating with the armed forces of other countries, particularly with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK to include combined military units

the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is heavily involved in NATO missions and operations with air, ground, and naval forces, including air policing missions over the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval flotillas, as well as standby units for NATO’s rapid response force; the military has previously deployed forces to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo and also regularly contributes to EU- and UN-led missions

the Dutch military is a professional force and conforms to NATO standards; the Army is experienced, equipped with modern weapons, and exercises regularly, including with allied partners; it has three brigades of mechanized, light, and air mobile infantry, plus artillery, air defense, and commando/special forces units; the Army cooperates closely with the German Army, including having its air mobile and mechanized brigades assigned to German divisional headquarters; in addition, the Army shares with the Germans command of a NATO high-readiness corps-level headquarters, which can be ready for deployment inside or outside NATO territory within 20 days; in 2020, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands formed a joint composite special operations component command

founded in the late 1400s, the Royal Netherlands Navy is one of the oldest naval forces in the World and conducts a variety of missions worldwide; in addition to its close ties with NATO, the Navy cooperates closely with the Belgian Navy, including a joint staff known as the Admiralty Benelux; it has a command responsible for the activities of Dutch naval units in the Caribbean, which includes combating drug trafficking, environmental crime, and illegal fishing, as well as providing search and rescue and disaster relief capabilities; the Netherlands has naval bases on Curaçao and Aruba; the Navy’s principal warships are 10 frigates and ocean-going patrol ships and three attack submarines; the Marine Corps has two battalion-size combat groups and special operations forces; since 1973, it has worked closely with the British Royal Marines, including jointly in the UK-Netherlands amphibious landing force

the Air Force operates globally and is equipped with about 50 modern US-origin combat aircraft, including F-35 stealth multirole fighters; the Air Force has a helicopter command with attack and other combat-capable helicopters; Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg have an agreement to allow the Belgian and Dutch Air Forces to conduct air policing patrols over the three countries

the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee’s (military police) are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks; it has 21 brigades based in eight Dutch provinces, plus Curaçao in the Caribbean, a special missions security brigade, and separate security platoons to guard and protect domestic sites that are most likely to be the targets of attacks, such as government buildings; Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATO

the Dutch military is also part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a defense framework of 10 Northern European nations designed to provide security to the High North, North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea Region in response to a crisis (2023)" } }, "Space": { diff --git a/europe/no.json b/europe/no.json index 93415ebf..fdfcd696 100644 --- a/europe/no.json +++ b/europe/no.json @@ -1211,7 +1211,7 @@ }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 27,000 active personnel (9,000 Army; 4,300 Navy; 4,700 Air Force; 9,000 other, including special operations, cyber, joint staff, intelligence, logistics support, active Home Guard, etc.); approximately 40,000 Home Guard (2023)", - "note": "note:  active personnel includes about 10,000 conscripts" + "note": "note: active personnel include about 10,000 conscripts" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory includes a mix of modern, imported European, US, and domestically produced weapons systems and equipment; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of weapons systems to Norway (2023)" diff --git a/europe/pl.json b/europe/pl.json index 60ac5922..922f7b88 100644 --- a/europe/pl.json +++ b/europe/pl.json @@ -588,10 +588,10 @@ "text": "bicameral Parliament consists of:
Senate or Senat (100 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
Sejm (460 seats; members elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote with 5% threshold of total votes needed for parties and 8% for coalitions to gain seats; minority parties exempt from threshold; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { - "text": "Senate - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held on 15 October 2023)
Sejm - last held on 13 October 2019 (next to be held on 15 October 2023)" + "text": "
Senate - last held on 15 October 2023 (next to be held in 2027)
Sejm - last held on 15 October 2023 (next to be held in 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PiS 48, KO 43, PSL 3, SLD 2, independent 4; composition (as of October 2021) - men 76, women 24, percent of women 24%
Sejm - percent of vote by party - PiS 43.6%, KO 27.4%, SLD 12.6%, PSL 8.5% Confederation 6.8%, other 1.1%; seats by party - PiS 235, KO 134, SLD 49, PSL 30, KWiN 11, MN 1; men 330, women 130, percent of women 28.3%; note - total Parliament percent of women 27.5%" + "text": "
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Sejm (preliminary results as of 10/15/2023): PiS 35.4%, KO 30.7%, TD 14.4%, Lewica 8.6%, Konf 7.2%; seats by party - PiS 194, KO 157, TD 65, Lewica 26, Konf 18" }, "note": "note: the designation National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the 2 houses meet jointly" }, @@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 120,000 active-duty personnel (65,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force; 3,000 Special Forces; 25-30,000 joint service/other); approximately 40,000 Territorial Defense Forces  (2023)", + "text": "approximately 120,000 active-duty personnel (65,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 15,000 Air Force; 3,000 Special Forces; 30,000 joint service/other); approximately 40,000 Territorial Defense Forces (2023)", "note": "note: in June 2019, the Polish Government approved a plan to increase the size of the military over a period of 10 years to over 200,000 troops, including doubling the size of the Territorial Defense Forces; in 2021, it announced additional plans to increase the size of the military to over 300,000 personnel" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { diff --git a/europe/ro.json b/europe/ro.json index 9f835e4b..dcfd6b42 100644 --- a/europe/ro.json +++ b/europe/ro.json @@ -1237,7 +1237,7 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 70,000 active-duty military personnel (53,000 Land Forces; 7,000 Naval Forces; 10,000 Air Force) (2023)" + "text": "approximately 75,000 active-duty military personnel (58,000 Land Forces; 7,000 Naval Forces; 10,000 Air Force) (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory is comprised mostly of Soviet-era and older domestically produced weapons systems, although in recent years it has launched an effort to acquire more Western-origin equipment from European countries and the US, including aircraft and armored vehicles (2023)" @@ -1273,12 +1273,12 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "85,255 (Ukraine) (as of 17 September 2023)" + "text": "85,120 (Ukraine) (as of 1 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "297 (2022)" }, - "note": "note: 14,905 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2023)" + "note": "note: 14,971 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-September 2023)" }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

a source country for cannabis

" diff --git a/europe/sm.json b/europe/sm.json index c901234f..143e267e 100644 --- a/europe/sm.json +++ b/europe/sm.json @@ -525,6 +525,9 @@ } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Jack Markell (since September 2023); note - also accredited to Italy" + }, "embassy": { "text": "the United States does not have an Embassy in San Marino; the US Ambassador to Italy is accredited to San Marino, and the US Consulate General in Florence maintains day-to-day ties" } diff --git a/europe/sp.json b/europe/sp.json index f38b6c9b..b9b4cb48 100644 --- a/europe/sp.json +++ b/europe/sp.json @@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "14,994 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 438,400 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2022); 190,380 (Ukraine) (as of 24 September 2023)" + "text": "14,994 (Syria) (mid-year 2022); 438,400 (Venezuela) (economic and political crisis; includes Venezuelans who have claimed asylum, are recognized as refugees, or have received alternative legal stay) (2022); 190,380 (Ukraine) (as of 8 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "6,489 (2022)" diff --git a/europe/sv.json b/europe/sv.json index 1016a54f..73c076bb 100644 --- a/europe/sv.json +++ b/europe/sv.json @@ -313,10 +313,10 @@ "text": "unicameral Longyearbyen Community Council (15 seats; members directly elected by majority vote to serve 4-year-terms); note - the Council acts very much like a Norwegian municipality, responsible for infrastructure and utilities, including power, land-use and community planning, education, and child welfare; however, healthcare services are provided by the state" }, "elections": { - "text": "last held on 7 October 2019 (next to be held in October 2023)" + "text": "last held on 9 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2027)" }, "election results": { - "text": "seats by party - Labor Party 5, Liberals 4, Conservatives 3, Progress Party 2, Green Party 1" + "text": "seats by party - Liberals 7, Labor 3, Social Liberals 3, Conservatives 2" } }, "Judicial branch": { @@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ } }, "Political parties and leaders": { - "text": "Svalbard Conservative Party [Kjetil FIGENSCHOU]
Svalbard Green Party [Pal BERG]
Svalbard Labor Party [Arild OLSEN]
Svalbard Liberal Party [Terie AUVENIK]
Svalbard Progress Party [Jorn DYBDAHL]" + "text": "Conservative [Celine ANDERSSEN]
Green [Pal BERG]
Labor [Arild OLSEN]
Liberal [Terje AUVENIK]
Progress [Jorn DYBDAHL]
Social Liberals []" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "none" diff --git a/europe/sw.json b/europe/sw.json index fa43e514..bdb49c03 100644 --- a/europe/sw.json +++ b/europe/sw.json @@ -1225,8 +1225,11 @@ "text": "Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten or \"the Defense Force\"): Army, Navy, Air Force, Home Guard (2023)" }, "Military expenditures": { + "Military Expenditures 2023": { + "text": "1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)" + }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { - "text": "1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)" + "text": "1.3% of GDP (2022)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2021)" @@ -1236,9 +1239,6 @@ }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "1.1% of GDP (2019)" - }, - "Military Expenditures 2018": { - "text": "1% of GDP (2018)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { @@ -1283,7 +1283,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "113,213 (Syria), 26,857 (Afghanistan), 25,849 (Eritrea), 10,464 (Iraq), 9,315 (Somalia), 7,146 (Iran) (mid-year 2022); 41,235 (Ukraine) (as of 28 September 2023)" + "text": "113,213 (Syria), 26,857 (Afghanistan), 25,849 (Eritrea), 10,464 (Iraq), 9,315 (Somalia), 7,146 (Iran) (mid-year 2022); 41,315 (Ukraine) (as of 5 October 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "46,515 (2022); note - the majority of stateless people are from the Middle East and Somalia" diff --git a/europe/up.json b/europe/up.json index 85689e0c..48078719 100644 --- a/europe/up.json +++ b/europe/up.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "Introduction": { "Background": { - "text": "

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20) but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine overwhelmingly voted for independence in 1991 around the time of the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control, patronage politics, and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 and early 2005 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in legislative (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement and fed up with blatant corruption led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019.

Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel beginning an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 with the aim of ending the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements, but this effort failed as well. By early 2022, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by launching a full-scale invasion of the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion has received near universal international condemnation, and many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. Russia made substantial gains in the early weeks of the invasion but underestimated Ukrainian resolve and combat capabilities. By the end of 2022, Ukrainian forces had regained all territories in the north and northeast and made some advances in the east and south. Nonetheless, Russia in late September 2022 unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts - Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia - even though none was fully under Russian control. The annexations remain unrecognized by the international community.

The invasion has also created Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. As of 3 October 2023, there were 6.2 million Ukrainian refugees recorded globally, and 5.09 million people were internally displaced as of June 2023.  Nearly 27,450 civilian casualties had been reported, as of 24 September 2023. The invasion of Ukraine remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the conflict in Syria).

The Ukrainian people continue to fiercely resist Russia’s full-scale invasion, which has targeted civilian and critical infrastructure - including energy - to try to break the Ukrainian will. President ZELENSKYY has focused on the civic identity of Ukrainians, regardless of ethnic or linguistic background, to unite the country behind the goals of ending the war by regaining as much territory as possible and advancing Ukraine’s candidacy for membership in the European Union (EU). Support for joining the EU and NATO has grown significantly, overcoming the historical, and sometimes artificial, divide between eastern and western Ukraine.

" + "text": "

Ukraine was the center of the first eastern Slavic state, Kyivan Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol invasions, Kyivan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The cultural and religious legacy of Kyivan Rus laid the foundation for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the 18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in 1917, Ukraine achieved a short-lived period of independence (1917-20) but was reconquered and endured a brutal Soviet rule that engineered two forced famines (1921-22 and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German and Soviet armies were responsible for 7 to 8 million more deaths. Although Ukraine overwhelmingly voted for independence in 1991 around the time of the dissolution of the USSR, democracy and prosperity remained elusive as the legacy of state control, patronage politics, and endemic corruption stalled efforts at economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.

A peaceful mass protest referred to as the \"Orange Revolution\" in the closing months of 2004 and early 2005 forced the authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. Subsequent internal squabbles in the YUSHCHENKO camp allowed his rival Viktor YANUKOVYCH to stage a comeback in legislative (Rada) elections, become prime minister in August 2006, and be elected president in February 2010. In October 2012, Ukraine held Rada elections, widely criticized by Western observers as flawed due to use of government resources to favor ruling party candidates, interference with media access, and harassment of opposition candidates. President YANUKOVYCH's backtracking on a trade and cooperation agreement with the EU in November 2013 - in favor of closer economic ties with Russia - and subsequent use of force against students, civil society activists, and other civilians in favor of the agreement and fed up with blatant corruption led to a three-month protest occupation of Kyiv's central square. The government's use of violence to break up the protest camp in February 2014 led to all out pitched battles, scores of deaths, international condemnation, a failed political deal, and the president's abrupt departure for Russia. New elections in the spring allowed pro-West president Petro POROSHENKO to assume office in June 2014; he was succeeded by Volodymyr ZELENSKY in May 2019.

Shortly after YANUKOVYCH's departure in late February 2014, Russian President PUTIN ordered the invasion of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula falsely claiming the action was to protect ethnic Russians living there. Two weeks later, a \"referendum\" was held regarding the integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation. The \"referendum\" was condemned as illegitimate by the Ukrainian Government, the EU, the US, and the UN General Assembly (UNGA). In response to Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, 100 members of the UN passed UNGA resolution 68/262, rejecting the \"referendum\" as baseless and invalid and confirming the sovereignty, political independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. In mid-2014, Russia began supplying proxies in two of Ukraine's eastern provinces with manpower, funding, and materiel beginning an armed conflict with the Ukrainian Government. Representatives from Ukraine, Russia, and the unrecognized Russian proxy republics signed the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum in September 2014 with the aim of ending the conflict. However, this agreement failed to stop the fighting or find a political solution. In a renewed attempt to alleviate ongoing clashes, leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France, and Germany negotiated a follow-on Package of Measures in February 2015 to implement the Minsk agreements, but this effort failed as well. By early 2022, more than 14,000 civilians were killed or wounded as a result of the Russian intervention in eastern Ukraine.

On 24 February 2022, Russia escalated its conflict with Ukraine by launching a full-scale invasion of the country on several fronts in what has become the largest conventional military attack on a sovereign state in Europe since World War II. The invasion has received near universal international condemnation, and many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia and supplied humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine. Russia made substantial gains in the early weeks of the invasion but underestimated Ukrainian resolve and combat capabilities. By the end of 2022, Ukrainian forces had regained all territories in the north and northeast and made some advances in the east and south. Nonetheless, Russia in late September 2022 unilaterally declared its annexation of four Ukrainian oblasts - Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia - even though none was fully under Russian control. The annexations remain unrecognized by the international community.

The invasion has also created Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. As of 10 October 2023, there were 6.2 million Ukrainian refugees recorded globally, and 5.09 million people were internally displaced as of June 2023.  Nearly 27,800 civilian casualties had been reported, as of 8 October 2023. The invasion of Ukraine remains one of the two largest displacement crises worldwide (the other is the conflict in Syria).

The Ukrainian people continue to fiercely resist Russia’s full-scale invasion, which has targeted civilian and critical infrastructure - including energy - to try to break the Ukrainian will. President ZELENSKYY has focused on the civic identity of Ukrainians, regardless of ethnic or linguistic background, to unite the country behind the goals of ending the war by regaining as much territory as possible and advancing Ukraine’s candidacy for membership in the European Union (EU). Support for joining the EU and NATO has grown significantly, overcoming the historical, and sometimes artificial, divide between eastern and western Ukraine.

" } }, "Geography": { diff --git a/middle-east/ae.json b/middle-east/ae.json index 788f95e1..aae123e6 100644 --- a/middle-east/ae.json +++ b/middle-east/ae.json @@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Sean MURPHY (since January 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Martina A. STRONG (since January 2021)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Embassies District, Plot 38, Sector W59-02, Street No. 4, Abu Dhabi" diff --git a/middle-east/aj.json b/middle-east/aj.json index 15b69ba4..6e2594d3 100644 --- a/middle-east/aj.json +++ b/middle-east/aj.json @@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires ad interium (since 29 June 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Hugo GUEVARA (since 29 June 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku" diff --git a/middle-east/gg.json b/middle-east/gg.json index 25d10569..9b66a5e5 100644 --- a/middle-east/gg.json +++ b/middle-east/gg.json @@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Kelly C. DEGNAN (since 31 January 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador Robin DUNNIGAN (since 12 October 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "29 Georgian-American Friendship Avenue, Didi Dighomi, Tbilisi, 0131" @@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "24,180 (Ukraine) (as of 9 May 2023)" + "text": "27,000 (Ukraine) (as of 4 October 2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "308,000 (displaced in the 1990s as a result of armed conflict in the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; displaced in 2008 by fighting between Georgia and Russia over South Ossetia) (2022)" diff --git a/middle-east/is.json b/middle-east/is.json index d3c87ffb..fafd060b 100644 --- a/middle-east/is.json +++ b/middle-east/is.json @@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "9,043,387 (2023 est.) (includes populations of the Golan Heights or Golan Sub-District and also East Jerusalem, which was annexed by Israel after 1967)", - "note": "note: approximately 227,100 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2019); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total" + "note": "note: approximately 236,600 Israeli settlers live in East Jerusalem (2021); following the March 2019 US recognition of the Golan Heights as being part of Israel, The World Factbook no longer includes Israeli settler population of the Golan Heights (estimated at 23,400 in 2019) in its overall Israeli settler total" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { @@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ } }, "Ethnic groups": { - "text": "Jewish 74% (of which Israel-born 78.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.8%, Africa-born 4.2%, Asia-born 2.3%), Arab 21.1%, other 4.9% (2020 est.)" + "text": "Jewish 73.5% (of which Israel-born 79.7%, Europe/America/Oceania-born 14.3%, Africa-born 3.9%, Asia-born 2.1%), Arab 21.1%, other 5.4% (2022 est.)" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { @@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ } }, "Religions": { - "text": "Jewish 74%, Muslim 18%, Christian 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, other 4.5% (2020 est.)" + "text": "Jewish 73.5%, Muslim 18.1%, Christian 1.9%, Druze 1.6%, other 4.9% (2022 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { @@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Thomas NIDES (since 5 December 2021)" + "text": "ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Stephanie L. HALLETT (since 21 July 2023); note - as of 14 October 2023, Jacob LEW, nominated as US ambassador to Israel, was awaiting confirmation by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations" }, "embassy": { "text": "14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem, 9378322" @@ -1245,7 +1245,7 @@ "note": "note 1: women have served in the Israeli military since its establishment in 1948; as of 2021, women made up about 35% of IDF personnel; more than 90% of military specialties, including combat specialties, were open to women and more than 3,000 women were serving in combat units; the IDF's first mixed-gender infantry unit, the Caracal Battalion, was established in 2004

note 2: conscripts comprise about 70% of the IDF active-duty ground forces

note 3: the IDF recruits non-Israeli Jews and non-Jews with a minimum of one Jewish grandparent, as well as converts to Judaism; each year the IDF brings in about 800-1,000 foreign recruits from around the world" }, "Military - note": { - "text": "the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF consists of about 1,000 military personnel

the IDF is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities; its primary operational focuses include the threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria, and terrorist organizations, including HAMAS and Hizballah, both of which are backed by Iran, Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; it has considerable experience in conventional and unconventional warfare; since the country’s founding in 1948, the IDF has been in conflicts against one or more of its Arab neighbors in 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1967-70 (“War of Attrition”), 1973, 1982, and 2006; it bombed nuclear sites in Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007, and since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, has conducted numerous air strikes in Syria against Iranian, Iranian-backed militia, and Hizballah forces, and Syrian Government targets; over the same period, the IDF has carried out strikes against Hizballah in Lebanon in response to attacks on Israeli territory; these strikes followed an Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006, also to suppress Hizballah attacks; the IDF has conducted operations against HAMAS and PIJ, which operate out of the Gaza Strip and have launched numerous rocket attacks against Israel; HAMAS and Israel fought an 11-day conflict in 2021, which ended in an informal truce, although sporadic clashes continue; the IDF also has conducted security operations against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank

since its creation from armed Jewish militias in the midst of the First Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, the IDF, particularly the Ground Force, has been guided by a requirement to rapidly mobilize and defend the country’s territory from numerically superior neighboring countries; the Ground Force has a relatively small active combat force of approximately 10 armored, mechanized infantry, paratrooper, and commandos/special forces brigades, plus an artillery corps, that is backed up by a large force of trained reserves—more than 400,000 personnel—that can be mobilized rapidly into dozens of combat brigades; the Ground Force also controls Israel’s ballistic missile force; the Air Force has approximately 250 modern US-made combat aircraft, as well as one of the world’s most advanced theater missile defense systems; the Navy is largely a coastal defense force with a small but growing and largely modern inventory; its primary surface warships are 7 German- and US-built corvettes, supplemented by a small flotilla of missile attack vessels and 6 German-made attack submarines

Israel’s primary security partner is the US; consistent with a 10-year (2019-2028) Memorandum of Understanding, the US annually provides over $3 billion in military financing and cooperative military programs, such as missile defense; the US also provides Israel access to US-produced military weapons systems including advanced fighter aircraft; Israel has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2023)" + "text": "the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has operated in the Golan between Israel and Syria since 1974 to monitor the ceasefire following the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and supervise the areas of separation between the two countries; UNDOF consists of about 1,000 military personnel

the IDF is responsible for external defense but also has some domestic security responsibilities; its primary operational focuses include the threat posed by Iran, instability in Syria, and terrorist organizations, including HAMAS and Hizballah, both of which are backed by Iran, Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham; it has considerable experience in conventional and unconventional warfare; since the country’s founding in 1948, the IDF has been in conflicts against one or more of its Arab neighbors in 1948-49, 1956, 1967, 1967-70 (“War of Attrition”), 1973, 1982, and 2006; it bombed nuclear sites in Iraq in 1981 and Syria in 2007, and since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, has conducted numerous air strikes in Syria against Iranian, Iranian-backed militia, and Hizballah forces, and Syrian Government targets; over the same period, the IDF has carried out strikes against Hizballah in Lebanon in response to attacks on Israeli territory; these strikes followed an Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 2006, also to suppress Hizballah attacks; the IDF has conducted operations against HAMAS and PIJ, which operate out of the Gaza Strip and have launched numerous rocket attacks against Israel; HAMAS and Israel fought an 11-day conflict in 2021, which ended in an informal truce, although sporadic clashes continue; the IDF also has conducted security operations against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank

since its creation from armed Jewish militias in the midst of the First Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, the IDF, particularly the Ground Force, has been guided by a requirement to rapidly mobilize and defend the country’s territory from numerically superior neighboring countries; the Ground Force has a relatively small active combat force of approximately 10 armored, mechanized infantry, paratrooper, and commandos/special forces brigades, plus an artillery corps, that is backed up by a large force of trained reserves—more than 400,000 personnel—that can be mobilized rapidly into dozens of combat brigades; the Ground Force also controls Israel’s ballistic missile force; the Air Force has approximately 250 modern US-made combat aircraft, as well as one of the world’s most advanced theater missile defense systems; the Navy is largely a coastal defense force with a small but growing and largely modern inventory; its primary surface warships are seven German- and US-built corvettes, supplemented by a small flotilla of missile attack vessels and six German-made attack submarines

Israel’s primary security partner is the US; consistent with a 10-year (2019-2028) Memorandum of Understanding, the US annually provides over $3 billion in military financing and cooperative military programs, such as missile defense; the US also provides Israel access to US-produced military weapons systems including advanced fighter aircraft; Israel has Major Non-NATO Ally status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2023)" } }, "Space": { diff --git a/middle-east/jo.json b/middle-east/jo.json index 129a8b23..252604e2 100644 --- a/middle-east/jo.json +++ b/middle-east/jo.json @@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Henry T. WOOSTER (since 8 October 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador Yael LEMPERT (since 3 September 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Abdoun, Al-Umawyeen St., Amman" @@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "2.4 million (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 12,866 (Yemen), 6,013 Sudan (2021); 33,951 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 655,283 (Syria) (2023)" + "text": "2.4 million (Palestinian refugees) (2020); 12,866 (Yemen), 6,013 Sudan (2021); 33,951 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 653,292 (Syria) (2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "64 (2022)" diff --git a/middle-east/mu.json b/middle-east/mu.json index fc755f42..c23d603c 100644 --- a/middle-east/mu.json +++ b/middle-east/mu.json @@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Leslie M. TSOU (since 19 January 2020)" + "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affaires Leslie ORDEMAN (since August 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "P.C. 115, Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat" diff --git a/middle-east/sa.json b/middle-east/sa.json index 809a3538..49896a52 100644 --- a/middle-east/sa.json +++ b/middle-east/sa.json @@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Martina STRONG (since February 2021)" + "text": "Ambassador Michael STRONG (since 2 May 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Riyadh 11564" diff --git a/middle-east/sy.json b/middle-east/sy.json index 0a85d065..76b19b82 100644 --- a/middle-east/sy.json +++ b/middle-east/sy.json @@ -1184,7 +1184,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "580,000 (Palestinian Refugees) (2022); 11,121 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022)" + "text": "580,000 (Palestinian Refugees) (2022); 11,121 (Iraq) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "6.865 million (ongoing civil war since 2011) (2022)" @@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@ "stateless persons": { "text": "160,000 (2022); note - Syria's stateless population consists of Kurds and Palestinians; stateless persons are prevented from voting, owning land, holding certain jobs, receiving food subsidies or public healthcare, enrolling in public schools, or being legally married to Syrian citizens; in 1962, some 120,000 Syrian Kurds were stripped of their Syrian citizenship, rendering them and their descendants stateless; in 2011, the Syrian Government granted citizenship to thousands of Syrian Kurds as a means of appeasement; however, resolving the question of statelessness is not a priority given Syria's ongoing civil war" }, - "note": "note: the ongoing civil war has resulted in more than 5.2 million registered Syrian refugees - dispersed mainly in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey - as of August 2023" + "note": "note: the ongoing civil war has resulted in nearly 5.2 million registered Syrian refugees - dispersed mainly in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey - as of October 2023" }, "Trafficking in persons": { "tier rating": { diff --git a/middle-east/tu.json b/middle-east/tu.json index 6c7eb4b7..3e47a502 100644 --- a/middle-east/tu.json +++ b/middle-east/tu.json @@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Jeffrey Lane FLAKE (since 26 January 2022)" + "text": "Ambassador Jeffry Lane FLAKE (since 26 January 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "1480 Sokak No. 1, Cukurambar Mahallesi, 06530 Cankaya, Ankara" @@ -1257,14 +1257,14 @@ } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { - "text": "approximately 400,000 active-duty personnel (300,000 Army; 50,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Gendarmerie (2023)" + "text": "approximately 450,000 active-duty personnel (350,000 Army; 50,000 Navy; 50,000 Air Force); approximately 150,000 Gendarmerie (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory is mostly comprised of a mix of domestically produced and Western weapons systems, although in recent years, Turkey has also acquired some Chinese, Russian, and South Korean equipment; over the past decade, Italy, Spain, and the US have been among the leading providers of armaments to Turkey; Turkey has a robust defense industry capable of producing a range of weapons systems for both export and internal use, including armored vehicles, naval vessels, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), although it is heavily dependent on Western technology; Turkey's defense industry also partners with other countries for defense production (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "mandatory military service for men at age 20; service can be delayed if in university or in certain professions (researchers, professionals, and athletic, or those with artistic talents have the right to postpone military service until the age of 35); 6-12 months service; women may volunteer (2023)", - "note": "note 1: in 2019, a new law cut the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to 6 months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates remained 12 months); after completing 6 months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional 6 months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 are required to undergo a 1 month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining 5 months of their mandatory service by paying a fee

note 2: as of 2019, women made up about 0.3% of the military's full-time personnel" + "note": "note 1: in 2019, a new law cut the men’s mandatory military service period in half, as well as making paid military service permanent; with the new system, the period of conscription was reduced from 12 months to 6 months for privates and non-commissioned soldiers (the service term for reserve officers chosen among university or college graduates remained 12 months); after completing 6 months of service, if a conscripted soldier wants to and is suitable for extending his military service, he may do so for an additional 6 months in return for a monthly salary; under the new law, all male Turkish citizens over the age of 20 are required to undergo a 1 month military training period, but they can obtain an exemption from the remaining 5 months of their mandatory service by paying a fee

note 2: as of 2020, women made up about 0.3% of the military's full-time personnel" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "approximately 150 (Azerbaijan; monitoring cease-fire, clearing mines); 250 Bosnia-Herzegovina (EUFOR); approximately 30-35,000 Cyprus; up to 10,000 Iraq (numbers depend on military operations); 800 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR); 110 Lebanon (UNIFIL); estimated 500 Libya; up to 5,000 Qatar; approximately 200 Somalia (training mission); up to 10,000 Syria (numbers depend on military operations) (2023)", @@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "10,244 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 3,288,755 (Syria), 43,605 (Ukraine) (as of 31 August 2023) (2023)" + "text": "10,244 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 3,274,059 (Syria), 43,605 (Ukraine) (as of 31 August 2023) (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) (2022)" diff --git a/south-america/ec.json b/south-america/ec.json index b434d69c..88bf6f39 100644 --- a/south-america/ec.json +++ b/south-america/ec.json @@ -576,10 +576,10 @@ "text": "Cabinet appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { - "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 20 August 2023 with a runoff on 15 October 2023 (next to be held on 28 February 2025); note – on 18 May 2023, Ecuador’s National Electoral Council announced that the legislative and presidential elections—originally scheduled for February 2025—would be held on 20 August 2023 after President Guillermo LASSO dissolved the National Assembly by decree on 17 May 2023; though eligible for a second term, LASSO announced that he would not run in the 2023 election; the next president will serve out the remainder of the current presidential term (2021–2025)

" + "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 20 August 2023 with a runoff on 15 October 2023 (next to be held on 28 February 2025); note – on 18 May 2023, Ecuador’s National Electoral Council announced that the legislative and presidential elections—originally scheduled for February 2025—would be held on 20 August 2023 (with a runoff election held 15 October 2023) after President Guillermo LASSO dissolved the National Assembly by decree on 17 May 2023; though eligible for a second term, LASSO announced that he would not run in the 2023 election; the next president will serve out the remainder of the current presidential term (2021–2025)

" }, "election results": { - "text": "
2023: first round election results: percent of vote - Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 33.6%, Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 23.5%, Christian Gustavo ZURITA Ron (Construye) 16.4%, Jan Tomislav TOPIĆ Feraud (Por Un País Sin Miedo) 14.7%, other 11.8%; a runoff election between GONZÁLEZ and NOBOA is scheduled for 15 October 2023

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%" + "text": "
2023: first round results: percent of vote - Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 33.6%, Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 23.5%, Christian Gustavo ZURITA Ron (Construye) 16.4%, Jan Tomislav TOPIĆ Feraud (Por Un País Sin Miedo) 14.7%, Otto Ramón SONNENHOLZNER Sper (Avanza) 7.1% other 4.7%; second round results: percent of vote - Daniel NOBOA Azin (ADN) 51.9%, Luisa GONZÁLEZ Alcivar (MRC) 48.1%; note - NOBOA is scheduled to take office 25 November 2023

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%" } }, "Legislative branch": { diff --git a/south-asia/mv.json b/south-asia/mv.json index 28cfd135..32eca3a9 100644 --- a/south-asia/mv.json +++ b/south-asia/mv.json @@ -594,6 +594,9 @@ } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { + "chief of mission": { + "text": "Ambassador Hugo Yue-Ho JON (since 6 September 2023); note - Ambassador JON is the first resident US ambassador to the Republic of Maldives" + }, "embassy": { "text": "the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US is in the process of opening an embassy in Maldives; as of March 2022, there is no US Ambassador to Maldives; until late 2021, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka was also accredited to the Maldives" } diff --git a/south-asia/np.json b/south-asia/np.json index dc80ac2b..77313f08 100644 --- a/south-asia/np.json +++ b/south-asia/np.json @@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { - "text": "Ambassador Randy BERRY (since 25 October 2018)" + "text": "Ambassador Dean R. THOMPSON (since October 2022)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Maharajgunj, Kathmandu" diff --git a/south-asia/pk.json b/south-asia/pk.json index 9841c5ea..48b171c2 100644 --- a/south-asia/pk.json +++ b/south-asia/pk.json @@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@ }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { - "text": "2.62-2.88 million (1.28 million registered, 1.34-1.6  million undocumented or otherwise categorized) (Afghanistan) (2022)" + "text": "2.64-2.9 million (1.3 million registered, 1.34-1.6  million undocumented or otherwise categorized) (Afghanistan) (2023)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "21,000 (primarily those who remain displaced by counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations and violent conflict between armed non-state groups in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Khyber-Paktunkwa Province; more than 1 million displaced in northern Waziristan in 2014; individuals also have been displaced by repeated monsoon floods) (2022)" diff --git a/world/xx.json b/world/xx.json index cdbb5d72..8e15a027 100644 --- a/world/xx.json +++ b/world/xx.json @@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ }, "Wonders of the World": { "The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World": { - "text": "

The conquests of Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 B.C.) in the fourth century B.C. fostered the spread of Greek culture to the lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean and through much of the Middle East, ushering in what is today referred to as the Hellenistic Period (323-31 B.C.). Guidebooks compiled by Hellenistic sightseers focused on outstanding monuments in those parts of the world now brought into the Hellenistic sphere: Persia, Egypt, and Babylon. Generally, seven were emphasized since that number was considered magical, perfect, and complete. Not all Wonders lists from ancient times agreed completely, but generally six of the seven consistently appeared (the massive Walls of Babylon sometimes substituted for the Lighthouse of Alexandria). The seven described below represent the “classic” Seven Wonders most often cited.

1. The Great Pyramid of Egypt
The oldest of the Seven Wonders, the Great Pyramid is the only one that remains largely intact. Commissioned by the Pharaoh Khufu (r. ca. 2589-2566 B.C.), it is the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. It served as the ruler’s tomb and was built over a period of some 20 years, concluding about 2560 B.C. Estimated to have been 146.5 m tall when completed, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years (until the 14th century A.D.). Most of the original limestone casing stones that formed the outer smooth surface of the pyramid are gone. Today, the pyramid’s height is about 139 m.

2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
This is the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders for which a definitive location has never been established. There are no surviving Babylonian texts mentioning the Gardens, nor have any archeological remains ever been discovered in today’s Iraq. According to tradition, the Gardens were a remarkable feat of engineering with an ascending series of mud-brick-tiered gardens containing a variety of trees, shrubs, and vines that when viewed from below resembled a leafy green mountain. The Gardens are frequently attributed to the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562 B.C.), who had them built for his Median wife Queen Amytis, who missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland.

3. The Temple of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus
This Greek temple at Ephesus (3 km southwest of Selcuk in present-day western Turkey), dedicated to the goddess Artemis, was completely rebuilt twice: once after a 7th century B.C. flood and then following a 356 B.C. act of arson. In its final form it was judged to be one of the Seven Wonders and it survived for 600 years. The magnificent building was composed entirely of marble. Its massive dimensions were reported as 130 m by 69 m, with 127 columns, each some 18 m tall. The Temple was damaged in a Gothic raid in A.D. 268 and finally closed by Christians in the early-to-mid 5th century. The structure was dismantled in succeeding centuries and today almost nothing of the Temple remains.

4. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Constructed in about 350 B.C., the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was located on the site of the present-day city of Bodrun in southwestern Turkey. It was the tomb of Mausolus, a Persian ruler, and his wife. (It is from the ruler’s name that the term mausoleum is derived.) The structure stood about 45 m high and took some 20 years to complete. A series of earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries A.D. devastated the structure, the last of the original Seven Wonders to be destroyed.

5. The Colossus of Rhodes
This statue of the Greek sun god Helios, constructed to celebrate Rhodes’ successful repulse of a siege, was made of iron tie bars to which brass or bronze plates were attached to form a skin. Contemporary descriptions list its height at about 70 cubits or some 33 m – approximately the same height as the Statue of Liberty from heel to top of head (34 m) – thus making it the tallest statue in the ancient world. Completed in about 280 B.C. at the entrance to Rhodes harbor, the monument only stood for approximately 54 years until it toppled in a 226 B.C. earthquake. The impressive remains lay on the ground for over 800 years before finally being sold for scrap.

6. The Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria
Completed around 275 B.C., the Alexandria Lighthouse stood on Pharos Island at the entrance to the Egyptian port city for some 1,600 years! It was severely damaged by three earthquakes between A.D. 956 and 1323, when it was deactivated. We have a fairly good idea of the shape of the structure since it appears on a number of ancient coins. A solid square base, which made up about half of the height, supported an octagonal middle section, and a cylindrical top. The height of the structure is thought to have been at least 100 m and perhaps as high as 140 m. (The tallest lighthouse in the world today is the Jeddah Light in Saudi Arabia, which stands at 133 m.) At its apex stood a mirror that reflected sunlight during the day; a fire burned at night. Since it could be seen at a very great distance, the Pharos light served as a reassuring beacon for mariners from all parts of the Mediterranean.

7. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece
The giant seated statue of the king of the Greek gods in the sanctuary of Olympia was completed by the Greek sculptor Phidias in approximately 435 B.C. Roughly 13 m tall, it was constructed of ivory plates and gold panels on a wooden framework; the god’s throne was ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones. With the rise of Christianity, the sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse; the details of the statue’s final destruction are unknown.

note: The Lighthouse of Alexandria may have been the last of the Wonders to be completed (ca. 275 B.C.) and the Colossus of Rhodes was the first to be destroyed in about 226 B.C., so the Seven Wonders existed at the same time for only some 50 years in the middle of the third century B.C.

" + "text": "

The conquests of Alexander the Great (r. 336-323 B.C.) in the fourth century B.C. fostered the spread of Greek culture to the lands bordering the eastern Mediterranean and through much of the Middle East, ushering in what is today referred to as the Hellenistic Period (323-31 B.C.). Guidebooks compiled by Hellenistic sightseers focused on outstanding monuments in those parts of the world now brought into the Hellenistic sphere: Persia, Egypt, and Babylon. Generally, seven were emphasized since that number was considered magical, perfect, and complete. Not all Wonders lists from ancient times agreed completely, but generally six of the seven consistently appeared (the massive Walls of Babylon sometimes substituted for the Lighthouse of Alexandria). The seven described below represent the “classic” Seven Wonders most often cited.

1. The Great Pyramid of Egypt
The oldest of the Seven Wonders, the Great Pyramid is the only one that remains largely intact. Commissioned by the Pharaoh Khufu (r. ca. 2589-2566 B.C.), it is the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. It served as the ruler’s tomb and was built over a period of some 20 years, concluding about 2560 B.C. Estimated to have been 146.5 m tall when completed, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years (until the 14th century A.D.). Most of the original limestone casing stones that formed the outer smooth surface of the pyramid are gone. Today, the pyramid’s height is about 139 m.

2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
This is the only one of the ancient Seven Wonders for which a definitive location has never been established. There are no surviving Babylonian texts mentioning the Gardens, nor have any archeological remains ever been discovered in today’s Iraq. According to tradition, the Gardens were a remarkable feat of engineering with an ascending series of mud-brick-tiered gardens containing a variety of trees, shrubs, and vines that when viewed from below resembled a leafy green mountain. The Gardens are frequently attributed to the Neo-Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605-562 B.C.), who had them built for his Median wife Queen Amytis, who missed the green hills and valleys of her homeland.

3. The Temple of Artemis (Artemision) at Ephesus
This Greek temple at Ephesus (3 km southwest of Selcuk in present-day western Turkey), dedicated to the goddess Artemis, was completely rebuilt twice: once after a 7th century B.C. flood and then following a 356 B.C. act of arson. In its final form it was judged to be one of the Seven Wonders and it survived for 600 years. The magnificent building was composed entirely of marble. Its massive dimensions were reported as 130 m by 69 m, with 127 columns, each some 18 m tall. The Temple was damaged in a Gothic raid in A.D. 268 and finally closed by Christians in the early-to-mid 5th century. The structure was dismantled in succeeding centuries and today almost nothing of the Temple remains.

4. The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Constructed in about 350 B.C., the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was located on the site of the present-day city of Bodrum in southwestern Turkey. It was the tomb of Mausolus, a Persian ruler, and his wife. (It is from the ruler’s name that the term mausoleum is derived.) The structure stood about 45 m high and took some 20 years to complete. A series of earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries A.D. devastated the structure, the last of the original Seven Wonders to be destroyed.

5. The Colossus of Rhodes
This statue of the Greek sun god Helios, constructed to celebrate Rhodes’ successful repulse of a siege, was made of iron tie bars to which brass or bronze plates were attached to form a skin. Contemporary descriptions list its height at about 70 cubits or some 33 m – approximately the same height as the Statue of Liberty from heel to top of head (34 m) – thus making it the tallest statue in the ancient world. Completed in about 280 B.C. at the entrance to Rhodes harbor, the monument only stood for approximately 54 years until it toppled in a 226 B.C. earthquake. The impressive remains lay on the ground for over 800 years before finally being sold for scrap.

6. The Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria
Completed around 275 B.C., the Alexandria Lighthouse stood on Pharos Island at the entrance to the Egyptian port city for some 1,600 years! It was severely damaged by three earthquakes between A.D. 956 and 1323, when it was deactivated. We have a fairly good idea of the shape of the structure since it appears on a number of ancient coins. A solid square base, which made up about half of the height, supported an octagonal middle section, and a cylindrical top. The height of the structure is thought to have been at least 100 m and perhaps as high as 140 m. (The tallest lighthouse in the world today is the Jeddah Light in Saudi Arabia, which stands at 133 m.) At its apex stood a mirror that reflected sunlight during the day; a fire burned at night. Since it could be seen at a very great distance, the Pharos light served as a reassuring beacon for mariners from all parts of the Mediterranean.

7. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia in Greece
The giant seated statue of the king of the Greek gods in the sanctuary of Olympia was completed by the Greek sculptor Phidias in approximately 435 B.C. Roughly 13 m tall, it was constructed of ivory plates and gold panels on a wooden framework; the god’s throne was ornamented with ebony, ivory, gold, and precious stones. With the rise of Christianity, the sanctuary at Olympia fell into disuse; the details of the statue’s final destruction are unknown.

note: The Lighthouse of Alexandria may have been the last of the Wonders to be completed (ca. 275 B.C.) and the Colossus of Rhodes was the first to be destroyed in about 226 B.C., so the Seven Wonders existed at the same time for only some 50 years in the middle of the third century B.C.

" }, "The New Seven Wonders of the World": { "text": "

A private initiative to come up with a new list for seven of the world’s wonders sprang up early in the new Millennium. Worldwide balloting – via the Internet or by telephone – took place covering a list of 200 existing monuments. Reportedly over 100 million votes were cast over a period of several years and the final list was announced on 7-7-2007. Even though the polling was unscientific, the seven “winners” were a worthy compilation of extraordinary Wonders to be found around the world. All seven of the New Wonders are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are frequently cited in the literature. 

1. Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico
This archeological site includes the impressive remains of a large pre-Columbian Maya city that flourished from ca. A.D. 600-1100. Among the outstanding structures at the site are the massive Temple of the Warriors complex, an Observatory (El Caracol), the Great Ball Court, and the Sacred Cenote (sinkhole) where offerings were made. The most famous building, however, is the step-pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulcan that dominates the center of the site and serves as the symbol of Chichen Itza. The pyramidal structure is 24 m high; the crowning temple adds another 6 m. Although located in the dense jungles of Yucatan, it remains one of the most visited tourist sites in Mexico.

2. The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Construction began with the Roman Emperor Vespasian in A.D. 72 and was completed by his son Titus in A.D. 80. Some further modifications were made by Domitian (A.D. 81-96). The three emperors make up the Flavian Dynasty, thus providing the alternate name for the structure as the Flavian Amphitheater. The massive structure is estimated to have seated, on average, about 65 thousand spectators and was most famously used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. Substantially ruined by earthquakes and thieves who looted much of the stone, the structure nonetheless remains an iconic symbol of Rome. The Colosseum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the World.

3. Christ the Redeemer Statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Built between 1922 and 1931, the 30-meter-tall sculpture is reputed to be the largest Art Deco statue in the World. Its pedestal provides another 8 m in height and the arms stretch out to 28 m. Constructed of reinforced concrete and soapstone, the statue has become the cultural icon not only of Rio but also of Brazil.

4. Great Wall, China
The name refers to a remarkable series of fortification systems that stretched across the northern historical borders of China and served as protection against various nomadic peoples. The earliest of these walls date to the 7th century B.C.; certain stretches began to be linked in the 3rd century B.C. and successive dynasties added to or maintained various sections of the walls. The best known and best-preserved portions of the wall are those built by the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). An archeological survey revealed that the Wall and all its associated branches measures 21,196 km. Winding through amazingly varied terrain, the Great Wall is acknowledged as one of the most impressive architectural feats in history.

5. Machu Picchu, Cuzco Region, Peru
Perhaps the most spectacular archeological site in the Americas, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, situated on a 2,430 m Andean mountain ridge, is now thought to have been erected as an estate for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti (r. 1438-1471). Additionally, it may also have served as a religious sanctuary. Built between about 1450 and 1460, it was abandoned approximately a century later, at the time of the Spanish conquest. Construction was carried out in the classic Inca style of polished, dry-stone, fitted walls. Some 750 people lived at this royal estate, most of them support staff to the nobility. The site is roughly divided into an agricultural sector (with myriad terraces for raising crops) and an urban sector. The latter is composed of an upper town (with temples) and a lower town (with warehouses). Some of the religious monuments include: the Intiwatana (a carved, ritual stone that served as a type of sundial and that is referred to as “The Hitching Post of the Sun”); the Torreon or Temple of the Sun, a small tower that likely served as a type of observatory; and the Intimachay, a sacred cave with a masonry entrance.

6. Petra, Ma’an, Jordan
Petra is believed to have been established in the 4th century B.C. as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an entity that grew fabulously wealthy as the nexus of trade routes in the southern Levant. The kingdom retained its independence until annexed by the Roman Empire in A.D. 106. The city is justifiably famous for two things, its stunning rock-cut architecture and its water conduit system, which allowed the Nabataeans to control and store the water supply in this desert region and create an artificial oasis. At its peak in the 1st century A.D., the city may have had a population of 20 thousand.

7. Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
This gorgeous ivory-white mausoleum – described as “one of the universally admired masterpieces of the World’s heritage” – was commissioned in 1632 by Shah Jahan (r. 1628-1658) as the final resting place for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The building also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The Taj Mahal is the centerpiece of an entire 17-hectare complex that also includes a guest house, a mosque, and formal gardens. The entire project was not completed until about 1653. The Taj Mahal remains one of the most visited tourist sites in the World.

note: The Great Pyramid of Egypt, the only surviving Wonder of the ancient Seven, received an honorary status among the New Seven Wonders. Its inclusion enabled a Wonder to be listed for each of the continents but Australia.

" @@ -811,6 +811,9 @@ }, "Military and Security": { "Military expenditures": { + "Military Expenditures 2022": { + "text": "2.2% of GDP (2022 est.)" + }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, @@ -823,10 +826,7 @@ "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "2.2% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, - "Military Expenditures 2017": { - "text": "2.2% of GDP (2017 est.)" - }, - "note": "note: in 2022, the world's largest defense budgets belonged to the US, China, India, the UK, and Russia; total global military expenditures were estimated at more than $2 trillion" + "note": "note: in 2022, total global military expenditures were estimated at more than $2 trillion" }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 20 million active-duty military personnel worldwide (2023)",