Cayman Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS
(since 18 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of
Government Business
Central African Republic
chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE
(since 15 March 2003 coup)
head of government: Prime Minister Faustin-Archange TOUADERA (since
22 January 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: under the new constitution, the president elected to a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 13
March and 8 May 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister
appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
election results: Francois BOZIZE elected president; percent of
second round balloting - Francois BOZIZE (KNK) 64.6%, Martin ZIGUELE
(MLPC) 35.4%
Chad
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno (since 4
December 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister Youssof Saleh ABBAS (since 16
April 2008)
cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
round of voting; last held 3 May 2006 (next to be held by May 2011);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno reelected president;
percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 64.7%, Delwa Kassire
KOUMAKOYE 15.1%, Albert Pahimi PADACKE 7.8%, Mahamat ABDOULAYE 7.1%,
Brahim KOULAMALLAH 5.3%; note - a June 2005 national referendum
altered the constitution removing presidential term limits and
permitting Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY Itno to run for reelection
Chile
chief of state: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11
March 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Michelle BACHELET Jeria (since 11
March 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a single four-year
term; election last held 11 December 2005, with runoff election held
15 January 2006 (next to be held in December 2009)
election results: Michelle BACHELET Jeria elected president; percent
of vote - Michelle BACHELET Jeria 53.5%; Sebastian PINERA Echenique
46.5%
China
chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003);
Vice President XI Jinping (since 15 March 2008)
head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003);
Executive Vice Premier LI Keqiang (17 March 2008), Vice Premier HUI
Liangyu (since 17 March 2003), Vice Premier ZHANG Deijiang (since 17
March 2008), and Vice Premier WANG Qishan (since 17 March 2008)
cabinet: State Council appointed by National People's Congress (NPC)
elections: president and vice president elected by National People's
Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March
2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National
People's Congress
election results: HU Jintao elected president by National People's
Congress with a total of 2,963 votes; XI Jinping elected vice
president with a total of 2,919 votes
Christmas Island
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30
January 2006)
cabinet: NA
elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
Australia
Colombia
chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the three largest
parties that supported President URIBE's reelection - the PSUN, PC,
and CR - and independents
elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 28
May 2006 (next to be held in May 2010)
election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez reelected president;
percent of vote - Alvaro URIBE Velez 62%, Carlos GAVIRIA Diaz 22%,
Horacio SERPA Uribe 12%, other 4%
Comoros
chief of state: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
2006)
head of government: President Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI (since 26 May
2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
main islands in the Union; election last held 14 May 2006 (next to
be held by May 2010); prime minister appointed by the president;
note - the post of prime minister has been vacant since May 2002
election results: Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI elected president; percent of
vote - Ahmed Abdallah SAMBI 58.0%, Ibrahim HALIDI 28.3%, Mohamed
DJAANFAMI 13.7%
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
chief of state: President Joseph
KABILA (since 17 January 2001); note - following the assassination
of his father, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency which he
retained through the 2003-06 transition; he was subsequently elected
president in October 2006
head of government: Prime Minister Adolphe MUZITO (since 10 October
2008)
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president
elections: under the new constitution the president is elected by
popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
elections last held 30 July 2006 and 29 October 2006 (next to be
held in 2011); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Joseph KABILA elected president; percent of vote
(second round) - Joseph KABILA 58%, Jean-Pierre BEMBA Gombo 42%
note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
following the latter's assassination in January 2001; negotiations
with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
government in July 2003 with free elections held on 30 July 2006 and
29 October 2006 confirming Joseph KABILA as president