Suriname
First explored by the Spaniards in the 16th century and
then settled by the English in the mid-17th century, Suriname became
a Dutch colony in 1667. With the abolition of slavery in 1863,
workers were brought in from India and Java. Independence from the
Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years later the civilian
government was replaced by a military regime that soon declared a
socialist republic. It continued to exert control through a
succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
1990, the military overthrew the civilian leadership, but a
democratically elected government - a four-party coalition -
returned to power in 1991. The coalition expanded to eight parties
in 2005 and has continued to rule since.
Svalbard
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
years later it officially took over the territory.
Swaziland
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in
1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured King
MSWATI III, the world's last absolute monarch, to grudgingly allow
political reform and greater democracy, although he has backslid on
these promises in recent years. A constitution came into effect in
2006, but political parties remain banned. The African United
Democratic Party tried unsuccessfully to register as an official
political party in mid 2006. Talks over the constitution broke down
between the government and progressive groups in 2007. Swaziland
recently surpassed Botswana as the country with the world's highest
known HIV/AIDS prevalence rate.
Sweden
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war for almost two centuries. An armed
neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's
long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded
with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by
high unemployment and in 2000-02 and 2009 by the global economic
downturns, but fiscal discipline over the past several years has
allowed the country to weather economic vagaries. Sweden joined the
EU in 1995, but the public rejected the introduction of the euro in
a 2003 referendum.
Switzerland
The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a
defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other
localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation
secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A
constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the
confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's
sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major
European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the
two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe
over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN
and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties
with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a
UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and
international organizations but retains a strong commitment to
neutrality.
Syria
Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the
northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The
French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence
in 1946. The new country lacked political stability, however, and
experienced a series of military coups during its first decades.
Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab
Republic. In September 1961, the two entities separated, and the
Syrian Arab Republic was reestablished. In November 1970, Hafiz
al-ASAD, a member of the Socialist Ba'th Party and the minority
Alawite sect, seized power in a bloodless coup and brought political
stability to the country. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost
the Golan Heights to Israel. During the 1990s, Syria and Israel held
occasional peace talks over its return. Following the death of
President al-ASAD, his son, Bashar al-ASAD, was approved as
president by popular referendum in July 2000. Syrian troops -
stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible peacekeeping role -
were withdrawn in April 2005. During the July-August 2006 conflict
between Israel and Hizballah, Syria placed its military forces on
alert but did not intervene directly on behalf of its ally
Hizballah. In May 2007 Bashar al-ASAD was elected to his second term
as president.
Taiwan
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
incorporated the local population within the governing structure. In
2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the
Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
"Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
Taiwan's eventual status - as well as domestic political and
economic reform.
Tajikistan
The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and
1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the
Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely
contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Much of
present-day Sughd province was transferred from the Uzbek SSR to the
newly formed Tajik SSR in 1929. Ethnic Uzbeks form a substantial
minority in Sughd province. Tajikistan became independent in 1991
following the breakup of the Soviet Union, and experienced a civil
war between regional factions from 1992-97. There have been no major
security incidents in recent years, although the country remains the
poorest in the former Soviet sphere. Attention by the international
community since the beginning of the NATO intervention in
Afghanistan has brought increased economic development and security
assistance, which could create jobs and strengthen stability in the
long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade
Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.
Tanzania
Shortly after achieving independence from Britain in the
early 1960s, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form the nation of
Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in 1995 with the
first democratic elections held in the country since the 1970s.
Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition have led to
two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling party won
despite international observers' claims of voting irregularities.
Thailand
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US treaty
ally following the conflict. A military coup in September 2006
ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat. The interim government
held elections in December 2007 that saw the former pro-THAKSIN
People's Power Party (PPP) emerge at the head of a coalition
government. The anti-THAKSIN People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)
in May 2008 began street demonstrations against the new government,
eventually occupying the prime minister's office in August and
Bangkok's two international airports in November. The PAD ended
their protests in early December 2008 following a court ruling that
dissolved the ruling PPP and two other coalition parties for
election violations. The Democrat Party then formed a new coalition
government and ABHISIT Wetchachiwa became prime minister. In October
2008 THAKSIN went into voluntary exile to avoid imprisonment for a
corruption conviction, and has since agitated his followers from
abroad. THAKSIN supporters re-organized into the United Front for
Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and rioted in April 2009,
shutting down an ASEAN meeting in Phuket, and in early 2010
protested a court verdict confiscating most of THAKSIN's wealth.
Between March and May 2010, the UDD staged large protests and
occupied several blocks of downtown Bangkok. A government operation
to disperse the protesters after nine weeks led to clashes that
resulted in 89 deaths and an estimated $1.5 billion in arson-related
property losses. These protests exposed major cleavages in the Thai
body politic which continue to hamper the current government. Since
January 2004, thousands have been killed as separatists in
Thailand's southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces increased the
violence associated with their cause.