elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997 but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new constitution)
election results: Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992; percent of vote - Pascal LISSOUBA 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%; note - LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO
Cook Islands:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High
Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of
New Zealand
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18
November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually becomes prime minister
note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime minister
Coral Sea Islands: administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
Costa Rica:
chief of state: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since
8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May
1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May
1998); note - president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since 8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since 8 May 1998), Second Vice President Elizabeth ODIO Benito (since 8 May 1998); note - president is both the chief of state and head of government