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 held the honorific, "Father of
the Country," and presided symbolically over certain occasions but
lacked any governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary;
King ZAHIR Shah died on 23 July 2007
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
Defense
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
appointed by the monarch
Albania
chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since
24 July 2007)
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); four election rounds
held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; People's Assembly
vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required):
Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
Algeria
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a third term under 2008 amendment to constitution);
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 Constitution, residents of unincorporated
territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US
president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic
and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and
lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4
and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of
vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5%, Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%
Andorra
chief of state: French Coprince Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16
May 2007); represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002) and
Spanish Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May
2003); represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since 30 July 2003)
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 in 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); Antonio Paulo KASSOMA was named prime minister by
MPLA on 26 September 2008
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
because 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: 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 Louisse LAKE-TACK
(since 17 July 2007)
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: 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 Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER
(since 10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10
December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER (since
10 December 2007); Vice President Julio COBOS (since 10 December
2007)
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 28 October 2007 (next election to be held in 2011)
election results: Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER elected president;
percent of vote - Cristina FERNANDEZ DE KIRCHNER 45%, Elisa CARRIO
23%, Roberto LAVAGNA 17%, Alberto Rodriguez SAA 8%