Afghanistan
chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents
Ahmad Zia MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government; former King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of
the Country," and presides symbolically over certain occasions, but
lacks any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary
head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); Vice Presidents Ahmad Zia
MASOOD and Abdul Karim KHALILI (since 7 December 2004)
cabinet: 25 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); if no
candidate receives 50% or more of the vote in the first round of
voting, the two candidates with the most votes will participate in a
second round; a president can only be elected for two terms;
election last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANUNI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda
JALAL 1.2%
Akrotiri
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY
(since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of
Defence
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch
Albania
chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU
(since 24 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September
2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24
June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
vote by number - total votes 134: for 97, against 19, abstained 14,
invalid votes 4
Algeria
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 8 April 2004 (next
to be held in April 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%
American Samoa
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
(since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20
January 2001)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated
territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US
president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms
(eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November
2004 (next to be held November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote
- Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
Andorra
chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT
SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
Council president
elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
term; election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held April-May
2009)
election results: Albert PINTAT SANTOLARIA elected executive council
president; percent of General Council vote - NA
Angola
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year
term (eligible for a second consecutive or discontinuous term) under
the 1992 constitution; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in
1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for
reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September
1992 (next to be held in 2009)
election results: Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI
40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held
and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola
(UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war
resumed leaving DOS SANTOS in his current position as the president
Anguilla
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
2000)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
elected members of the House of Assembly
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
appointed chief minister by the governor
Antigua and Barbuda
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir James B.
CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24
March 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
the advice of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
by the governor general
Argentina
chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May
2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term);
election last held 27 April 2003 (next election to be held in 2007)
election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April
2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
the eve of the election