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THE STATESMAN’S YEARBOOK 2008 ‘No lesson seems to be so deeply inculcated by the experience of life as that you never should trust experts. If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome: if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent: if you believe the soldiers, nothing is safe. They all require to have their strong wine diluted by a very large admixture of insipid common sense.’ Lord Salisbury writing to Lord Lytton. 15 June 1877.

Editors Frederick Martin 1864–1883 Sir John Scott-Keltie 1883–1926 Mortimer Epstein 1927–1946 S. H. Steinberg 1946–1969 John Paxton 1969–1990 Brian Hunter 1990–1997 Barry Turner 1997–0000

Credits Publisher Alison Jones () Garrett Kiely (New York) Editor Barry Turner Editorial Assistant Jill Fenner Senior Research Editor Nicholas Heath-Brown Research Steven Hall James Matthews Olivia Shean Daniel Smith Richard German Robert McGowan Liane Jones Sun Kyu Choi Andrew Clarke James Wilson Justine Foong Emile Farley Aaron Gatti Martha Nyman Index Richard German Print Production Phillipa Davidson-Blake Michael Card Design Jim Weaver Online Production Semantico Technical Support Saleem Jivraj Marketing Charley Holyhead (London) Erin Igoe (New York)

email: [email protected] THE STATESMAN’S YEARBOOK

THE POLITICS, CULTURES AND ECONOMIES OF THE WORLD 2008

Edited by BARRY TURNER © Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2007 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Published annually since 1864 This edition published 2007 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N. Y. 10010 Companies and representatives throughout the world PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave Macmillan division of St. Martin’s Press, LLC and of Palgrave Macmillan Ltd. Macmillan® is a registered trademark in the , United Kingdom and other countries. Palgrave is a registered trademark in the European Union and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-74026-0 ISBN 978-1-349-74024-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-74024-6 ISSN 0081-4601 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 PREFACE

It’s only the second year of this new, expanded format, but of more than 400 cities around the world, including all already it’s hard to believe that The Statesman’s Yearbook has capital cities. Access to this unparalleled resource is free to ever been any other way. We’ve been lucky enough to get all purchasers of the print edition: simply click on the link lots of good feedback from librarians and researchers over ‘Register for Online Access’, key in the unique access code the last year, and—aside from a couple of complaints from on the front of your book and complete your registration. people who’ve had to adjust their shelves to accommodate This free licence is restricted to a single user on a local area the new volume—the recurring themes are: a) how much network of not more than 256 machines: if you’d like to offer easier the new format is to read; and b) the usefulness of the unlimited access to multiple users across your institution online version. please email [email protected] and we’ll get back to you The online version of The Statesman’s Yearbook, with a quote. www.statesmansyearbook.com, is a dynamic, searchable We welcome feedback from users as we continue to develop and regularly updated edition of the print work—for key The Statesman’s Yearbook both in print and online to make current affairs such as elections we recommend that you it an even more useful tool for research; please send your check it regularly to ensure you have the most authoritative comments to [email protected], or write to The information. It also contains a significant amount of material Statesman’s Yearbook team, Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, that we can’t accommodate in the print version for reasons of Basingstoke RG21 6XS, UK. space, including a week-by-week chronology of world events Alison Jones back to 2000, biographical profiles of past leaders and profiles Publisher, The Statesman’s Yearbook

v CONTENTS

TIME ZONES MAP Front Endpaper PREFACE v KEY WORLD FACTS xv DEFENCE xvi EDUCATION xvii HEALTH xviii CHRONOLOGY xxiii ADDENDA xxxi

Part I: International Organizations Page Globalization: A Winning Formula With Too Many Losers? by Barry Turner ...... 3

UNITED NATIONS (UN)...... 5 General Assembly...... 5 Security Council ...... 6 Economic and Social Council ...... 7 Trusteeship Council ...... 7 International Court of Justice...... 7 Secretariat...... 8 Member States...... 9 UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ...... 10 NOBEL PRIZES ...... 12 UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM ...... 12 Operational Programmes and Funds ...... 12 Training and Research Institutes ...... 14 Information ...... 15 SPECIALIZED AGENCIES OF THE UN ...... 15 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ...... 15 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) ...... 16 International Development Association (IDA) ...... 18 International Finance Corporation (IFC)...... 18 Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) ...... 18 International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)...... 18 International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)...... 18 International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) ...... 19 International Labour Organization (ILO) ...... 19 International Maritime Organization (IMO)...... 20 International Monetary Fund (IMF)...... 20 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ...... 21 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ...... 22 UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) ...... 22 Universal Postal Union (UPU)...... 23 World Health Organization (WHO) ...... 23 World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) ...... 25 World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ...... 26 World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) ...... 26 OTHER ORGANS RELATED TO THE UN ...... 26 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) ...... 26 World Trade Organization (WTO) ...... 27 Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) ...... 27 Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) ...... 28

Europe EUROPEAN UNION (EU)...... 28 EU INSTITUTIONS...... 32 European Commission ...... 32 Council of the European Union (Council of Ministers) ...... 33 European Council...... 34 European Parliament ...... 34

vii viii contents

Court of Justice of the European Communities ...... 34 European Court of Auditors...... 34 OTHER EU STRUCTURES ...... 35 European System of Central Banks...... 35 European Investment Bank...... 35 European Investment Fund...... 35 European Data Protection Supervisor ...... 35 European Ombudsman ...... 35 Advisory Bodies ...... 35 MAIN DECENTRALIZED EU BODIES ...... 36 Community Fisheries Control Agency ...... 36 Community Plant Variety Office ...... 36 European Agency for Reconstruction...... 36 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work...... 36 European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders...... 36 European Aviation Safety Agency ...... 36 European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ...... 36 European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training ...... 36 European Environment Agency...... 36 European Food Safety Authority ...... 36 European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions...... 36 European Maritime Safety Agency ...... 37 European Medicines Agency ...... 37 European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction...... 37 European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia...... 37 European Network and Information Security Agency...... 37 European Railway Agency ...... 37 European Training Foundation ...... 37 Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market...... 37 Translation Centre for Bodies of the European Union ...... 37 Europol...... 37 Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) ...... 36 COUNCIL OF ...... 38 WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION (WEU) ...... 39 ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE (OSCE) ...... 40 EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT (EBRD)...... 41 EUROPEAN FREE TRADE ASSOCIATION (EFTA) ...... 41 EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA) ...... 42 CERN—THE EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH...... 42 CENTRAL EUROPEAN INITIATIVE (CEI) ...... 42 NORDIC COUNCIL ...... 42 NORDIC DEVELOPMENT FUND ...... 42 NORDIC INVESTMENT BANK...... 42 COUNCIL OF THE BALTIC STATES...... 43 EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION (EBU) ...... 43 ECONOMIC COOPERATION (BSEC) ...... 43 COMMISSION...... 44 EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (ETUC) ...... 44

Other Organizations AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ...... 44 BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS (BIS) ...... 44 COMMONWEALTH...... 45 COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS) ...... 47 INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA)...... 48 INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC)...... 48 INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC)...... 48 INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY AND ELECTORAL ASSISTANCE (IDEA) ...... 49 INTERNATIONAL MOBILE SATELLITE ORGANIZATION (IMSO) ...... 49 INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) ...... 49 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) ...... 49 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO) ...... 50 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE FRANCOPHONIE...... 50 INTERNATIONAL ROAD FEDERATION (IRF)...... 50 INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY (ISA)...... 50 INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE ORGANIZATION (ITSO) ...... 51 CONTENTS ix

INTERNATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION (ITUC) ...... 51 INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE LAW OF THE SEA (ITLOS)...... 52 INTERNATIONAL UNION AGAINST CANCER (UICC) ...... 52 INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU) ...... 52 INTERPOL (INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION)...... 52 ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK ...... 53 MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES (MSF) ...... 53 NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO) ...... 53 ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (OECD) ...... 56 ORGANIZATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC) ...... 57 UNREPRESENTED NATIONS AND PEOPLES ORGANIZATION (UNPO) ...... 57 WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES ...... 58 WORLD CUSTOMS ORGANIZATION ...... 58 WORLD FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS (WFTU)...... 58 WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE (WWF)...... 59

Africa AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK...... 59 AFRICAN EXPORT–IMPORT BANK (AFREXIMBANK)...... 59 AFRICAN UNION (AU)...... 60 BANK OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES (BEAC)...... 60 CENTRAL BANK OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (BCEAO)...... 60 COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN (COMESA) ...... 60 EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY (EAC) ...... 61 EAST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (EADB) ...... 61 ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES (CEEAC) ...... 61 ECONOMIC COMMUNITY OF WEST AFRICAN STATES (ECOWAS) ...... 61 INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT ...... 61 LAKE COMMISSION ...... 61 NIGER BASIN AUTHORITY ...... 62 SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC)...... 62 WEST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (BOAD) ...... 62 WEST AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION (UEMOA) ...... 62

Americas AGENCY FOR THE PROHIBITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN AND THE (OPANAL)...... 63 ANDEAN COMMUNITY ...... 63 ASSOCIATION OF CARIBBEAN STATES (ACS)...... 63 CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY (CARICOM) ...... 64 CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (CDB) ...... 64 CENTRAL AMERICAN BANK FOR ECONOMIC INTEGRATION (CABEI)...... 65 CENTRAL AMERICAN COMMON MARKET (CACM) ...... 65 EASTERN CARIBBEAN CENTRAL BANK (ECCB) ...... 65 INTER-AMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB)...... 65 LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM (SELA)...... 66 LATIN AMERICAN INTEGRATION ASSOCIATION (ALADI/LAIA) ...... 66 LATIN AMERICAN RESERVE FUND ...... 66 ORGANISATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES (OECS) ...... 66 ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES (OAS) ...... 67 SECRETARIAT FOR CENTRAL AMERICAN ECONOMIC INTEGRATION (SIECA) ...... 68 SOUTH AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF NATIONS (CSN/SACN) ...... 68 SOUTHERN COMMON MARKET (MERCOSUR) ...... 68

Asia/Pacific ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK...... 68 ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION (APEC) ...... 69 ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN)...... 69 ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Co-operation (Mekong Group)...... 69 COLOMBO PLAN ...... 70 ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION ORGANIZATION (ECO) ...... 70 PACIFIC FORUM (PIF) ...... 70 SECRETARIAT OF THE PACIFIC COMMUNITY (SPC)...... 71 SOUTH ASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION (SAARC) ...... 71 x CONTENTS

Middle East ARAB FUND FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (AFESD)...... 72 ARAB UNION ...... 72 ARAB MONETARY FUND (AMF) ...... 72 ARAB ORGANIZATION FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (AOAD)...... 72 GULF CO-OPERATION COUNCIL (GCC)...... 73 LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES ...... 73 ORGANIZATION OF ARAB PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES (OAPEC)...... 73 ORGANIZATION OF THE PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES (OPEC) ...... 74 OPEC Fund for International Development ...... 74

Treaties TREATY ...... 74 KYOTO PROTOCOL ...... 75

Part II: Countries of the World A–Z

AFGHANISTAN ...... 79 BURUNDI ...... 243 ALBANIA...... 84 CAMBODIA ...... 247 ALGERIA ...... 90 CAMEROON...... 252 ANDORRA ...... 96 ...... 257 ANGOLA ...... 98 Provinces ...... 268 ...... 103 Alberta ...... 269 ARGENTINA...... 106 British Columbia ...... 271 ARMENIA ...... 113 Manitoba ...... 274 ...... 117 New Brunswick ...... 275 Territories and Labrador...... 277 Australian Capital Territory ...... 131 Nova Scotia ...... 279 ...... 132 Ontario...... 281 States Prince Edward ...... 283 ...... 134 Quebec...... 284 ...... 138 Saskatchewan ...... 286 ...... 140 Territories ...... 142 ...... 288 ...... 145 ...... 289 ...... 148 Territory ...... 291 Australian External Territories CAPE VERDE ...... 294 Australian Antarctic Territory ...... 150 ...... 298 Cocos (Keeling) Islands ...... 151 CHAD ...... 302 Christmas Island ...... 151 ...... 306 Norfolk Island...... 152 CHINA, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF ...... 313 Heard and McDonald Islands ...... 153 Hong Kong ...... 326 Ashmore and Cartier Islands...... 153 Macao...... 331 Islands ...... 153 Taiwan ...... 332 AUSTRIA ...... 154 ...... 337 ...... 162 ...... 343 Nakhichevan ...... 166 CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF. . . 346 Nagorno-Karabakh ...... 166 CONGO, REPUBLIC OF ...... 351 BAHAMAS...... 167 ...... 355 BAHRAIN ...... 171 CÔTE D’IVOIRE ...... 359 BANGLADESH ...... 175 CROATIA...... 364 ...... 180 ...... 369 BELARUS ...... 184 CYPRUS ...... 375 BELGIUM ...... 188 ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ . . . . 379 BELIZE ...... 197 CZECH REPUBLIC ...... 381 BENIN ...... 200 DENMARK ...... 390 BHUTAN ...... 204 ...... 398 BOLIVIA ...... 207 ...... 399 BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA ...... 212 DJIBOUTI ...... 401 BOTSWANA ...... 216 ...... 404 BRAZIL...... 221 ...... 407 BRUNEI ...... 230 EAST ...... 411 BULGARIA ...... 233 ...... 414 BURKINA FASO...... 239 EGYPT ...... 419 contents xi

EL SALVADOR ...... 425 INDIA ...... 597 EQUATORIAL ...... 429 States and Territories ERITREA ...... 433 Andhra Pradesh ...... 612 ESTONIA ...... 437 Arunachal Pradesh...... 613 ETHIOPIA ...... 443 Assam...... 614 ISLANDS ...... 448 Bihar...... 615 FINLAND...... 453 Chhattisgarh ...... 617 ...... 463 Goa ...... 617 Departments and Territories Overseas. . . . . 477 Gujarat ...... 618 Overseas Departments Haryana ...... 620 ...... 477 Himachal Pradesh ...... 621 ...... 479 Jammu and ...... 622 ...... 480 Jharkhand ...... 624 Réunion ...... 481 Karnataka ...... 624 Departmental Collectivities Kerala ...... 626 ...... 483 Madhya Pradesh...... 627 Territorial Collectivities Maharashtra ...... 629 ...... 484 Manipur ...... 630 St Pierre and Miquelon...... 486 Meghalaya ...... 631 Overseas Countries Mizoram ...... 632 French ...... 487 Nagaland ...... 633 Overseas Territories Orissa ...... 634 Southern and Antarctic Territories...... 489 (India)...... 635 ...... 490 Rajasthan ...... 637 Dependencies Sikkim ...... 638 ...... 491 Tamil Nadu ...... 639 Clipperton Island ...... 491 Tripura ...... 640 ...... 491 Uttar Pradesh ...... 641 Glorieuses Islands ...... 491 Uttarakhand ...... 642 ...... 492 West ...... 643 ...... 492 Union Territories GABON ...... 493 Andaman and ...... 645 THE GAMBIA...... 498 Chandigarh ...... 646 GEORGIA ...... 501 Dadra and Nagar Haveli ...... 646 Abkhazia ...... 505 Daman and Diu ...... 647 Adjaria ...... 506 Delhi...... 648 South Ossetia ...... 506 ...... 649 GERMANY ...... 507 Puducherry ...... 649 Bundesländer INDONESIA ...... 651 Baden-Württemberg ...... 523 IRAN...... 658 Bavaria ...... 525 IRAQ...... 665 Berlin ...... 526 IRELAND...... 673 Brandenburg ...... 527 ISRAEL ...... 687 Bremen...... 528 Palestinian-Administered Territories ...... 694 Hamburg ...... 529 ...... 697 Hessen ...... 530 ...... 710 Lower Saxony ...... 532 JAPAN...... 714 Mecklenburg-West ...... 533 JORDAN...... 725 North Rhine-...... 534 ...... 730 Rhineland-Palatinate ...... 535 ...... 735 Saarland ...... 536 ...... 740 Saxony ...... 538 SOUTH ...... 743 Saxony-Anhalt ...... 539 NORTH KOREA...... 752 Schleswig-Holstein...... 539 KUWAIT ...... 759 Thuringia ...... 540 KYRGYZSTAN ...... 763 GHANA ...... 542 ...... 767 GREECE ...... 547 LATVIA ...... 771 ...... 555 LEBANON ...... 777 ...... 558 LESOTHO ...... 782 GUINEA...... 562 LIBERIA ...... 786 GUINEA-BISSAU ...... 566 LIBYA ...... 790 GUYANA ...... 569 LIECHTENSTEIN ...... 795 ...... 573 LITHUANIA ...... 798 ...... 577 LUXEMBOURG ...... 804 HUNGARY ...... 581 MACEDONIA...... 810 ...... 590 ...... 814 xii CONTENTS

MALAŴI ...... 818 Mari-El...... 1047 MALAYSIA ...... 822 Mordovia ...... 1047 ...... 830 North Ossetia ...... 1047 MALI...... 833 ...... 1048 MALTA...... 837 ...... 1048 ...... 843 Tuva ...... 1048 ...... 846 Udmurtia ...... 1048 ...... 850 Autonomous Districts and Provinces . . . . . 1048 ...... 854 RWANDA...... 1050 ...... 861 ST KITTS AND NEVIS ...... 1055 MOLDOVA ...... 864 ST LUCIA...... 1058 MONACO ...... 869 ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES . . . 1061 MONGOLIA ...... 872 ...... 1064 MONTENEGRO...... 876 SAN MARINO ...... 1067 MOROCCO ...... 880 SÃO TOMÉ E PRÍNCIPE ...... 1070 Western ...... 884 SAUDI ARABIA ...... 1073 MOZAMBIQUE ...... 885 SENEGAL...... 1080 MYANMAR ...... 889 SERBIA ...... 1085 NAMIBIA...... 894 Kosovo and Metohija ...... 1088 ...... 898 Vojvodina ...... 1090 NEPAL ...... 901 SEYCHELLES ...... 1091 NETHERLANDS ...... 906 SIERRA LEONE ...... 1095 ...... 916 SINGAPORE ...... 1099 Netherlands ...... 917 SLOVAKIA...... 1105 ...... 920 SLOVENIA...... 1111 Territories Overseas...... 930 ...... 1116 ...... 931 SOMALIA...... 1120 ...... 932 SOUTH AFRICA ...... 1124 ...... 934 Provinces ...... 1135 NIGER ...... 938 Eastern Cape ...... 1135 ...... 942 Free State ...... 1136 NORWAY ...... 949 Gauteng ...... 1137 Dependencies KwaZulu-Natal ...... 1138 Svalbard ...... 957 Limpopo ...... 1139 Jan Mayen ...... 957 Mpumalanga ...... 1140 ...... 957 Northern Cape ...... 1140 ...... 958 North-West ...... 1141 ...... 958 Western Cape ...... 1142 OMAN ...... 959 SPAIN ...... 1144 PAKISTAN ...... 963 SRI LANKA ...... 1155 ...... 971 ...... 1161 PANAMA ...... 973 SURINAME ...... 1168 PAPUA ...... 978 SWAZILAND...... 1172 PARAGUAY ...... 983 SWEDEN ...... 1176 PERU...... 987 SWITZERLAND ...... 1186 ...... 993 ...... 1194 POLAND ...... 999 ...... 1199 PORTUGAL...... 1010 Gorno- Autonomous Region . 1202 QATAR ...... 1019 TANZANIA ...... 1203 ROMANIA...... 1023 THAILAND ...... 1208 RUSSIA ...... 1030 TOGO...... 1213 Republics ...... 1043 ...... 1217 Adygeya ...... 1043 ...... 1220 Altai ...... 1043 TUNISIA ...... 1225 Bashkortostan ...... 1043 TURKEY...... 1230 Buryatia ...... 1044 TURKMENISTAN ...... 1238 Chechnya...... 1044 ...... 1242 Chuvashia ...... 1045 UGANDA...... 1244 Dagestan ...... 1045 UKRAINE ...... 1250 Ingushetia ...... 1045 ...... 1256 Kabardino-Balkaria ...... 1045 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES...... 1257 Kalmykia ...... 1046 UNITED KINGDOM...... 1262 Karachai-Cherkessia ...... 1046 ...... 1295 ...... 1046 Scotland ...... 1299 Khakassia...... 1046 Wales ...... 1304 Komi...... 1047 Northern Ireland ...... 1307 CONTENTS xiii

Isle of Man...... 1312 Michigan ...... 1405 ...... 1314 Minnesota ...... 1407 Jersey ...... 1315 Mississippi ...... 1409 Guernsey ...... 1316 Missouri...... 1411 Alderney ...... 1317 Montana...... 1413 Sark...... 1317 Nebraska ...... 1414 UK Overseas Territories ...... 1317 Nevada ...... 1416 ...... 1318 New Hampshire ...... 1418 ...... 1319 New Jersey ...... 1419 British Antarctic Territory ...... 1321 New Mexico...... 1421 British Indian Territory...... 1321 New York ...... 1423 British ...... 1321 North Carolina ...... 1425 ...... 1323 North Dakota ...... 1427 ...... 1324 Ohio ...... 1429 Gibraltar...... 1326 Oklahoma ...... 1431 ...... 1328 Oregon ...... 1433 Pitcairn Island...... 1330 Pennsylvania ...... 1435 St Helena ...... 1330 Rhode Island ...... 1437 South Georgia and the South Sandwich South Carolina ...... 1439 Islands ...... 1331 South Dakota ...... 1440 Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Tennessee...... 1442 Dhekelia in Cyprus...... 1332 Texas...... 1444 ...... 1332 Utah ...... 1446 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ...... 1334 Vermont...... 1448 States and Territories ...... 1364 Virginia ...... 1449 Alabama...... 1365 Washington ...... 1451 ...... 1366 West Virginia...... 1453 Arizona ...... 1368 Wisconsin ...... 1455 Arkansas ...... 1370 Wyoming ...... 1458 California...... 1372 Outlying Territories...... 1460 Colorado ...... 1375 Northern ...... 1460 Connecticut...... 1377 ...... 1461 Delaware ...... 1378 ...... 1463 District of Columbia ...... 1380 ...... 1464 Florida ...... 1381 US Virgin Islands ...... 1466 Georgia...... 1384 Other Unincorporated Territories ...... 1468 Hawaii ...... 1385 URUGUAY...... 1469 Idaho ...... 1387 ...... 1474 Illinois ...... 1389 Karakalpak Autonomous Republic Indiana...... 1391 (Karakalpakstan) ...... 1478 Iowa ...... 1393 ...... 1479 Kansas ...... 1395 VATICAN CITY STATE ...... 1482 Kentucky ...... 1396 VENEZUELA ...... 1485 Louisiana ...... 1398 VIETNAM ...... 1491 Maine ...... 1400 YEMEN...... 1497 Maryland ...... 1402 ZAMBIA...... 1502 Massachusetts ...... 1404 ZIMBABWE...... 1506 ISO COUNTRY CODES 1512 ABBREVIATIONS 1514 SOURCES 1515 CURRENT LEADERS INDEX 1519 PLACE AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS INDEX 1525 KEY WORLD FACTS

• World population in 2007 6,671 million (3,361 million males and 3,310 million females) • World population under 30 in 2007 3,563 million • World population over 60 in 2007 710 million • World population over 100 in 2007 327,000 • Number of births worldwide every day 373,000 • Number of deaths worldwide every day 159,000 • World economic growth rate in 2006 5·4% • Number of illiterate adults 771 million • Number of unemployed people 185 million • Average world life expectancy 69·3 years for females; 64·8 years for males • Annual world population increase 78·33 million people • Number of people living outside 185 million, or nearly 3% of the world’s country of birth population • Fertility rate 2·7 births per woman • Urban population 50·0% of total population • World defence expenditure US$1,001 billion • Number of TV sets 1·36 billion • Number of radio receivers 2·18 billion • Number of cigarettes smoked 5,600 billion a year • Number of Internet users 1·11 billion • Number of mobile phone users 2·19 billion • Number of motor vehicles on the road 647 million • Number of people who cross international borders every day 2 million • Number of people living in extreme poverty 1·1 billion • Number of people living in urban slums 924 million • Number of malnourished people 852 million • Number of overweight adults 1·6 billion • Number of obese adults 400 million • Number of people dying of starvation 24,000 every day • Number of people lacking clean drinking water 1 billion • Number of people lacking adequate sanitation 3 billion • Number of reported executions in 2006 1,591 • Number of people worldwide exposed to indoor air pollution that exceeds WHO guidelines 1 billion • Annual carbon dioxide emissions 7·4 billion tonnes of carbon equivalent

xv DEFENCE FACT SHEET

‘Insecurity linked to armed conflict remains one of the greatest obstacles to human development. It is both a cause and a consequence of mass poverty.’ UNDP Human Development Report.

• Total global military expenditure in 2005 US$1,001bn. • US military expenditure as % of world total, 2004 41% • Value of sales of top 100 arms-producing companies US$268·3bn. in the world (excluding China), 2004 • US companies’ share of world arms sales, 2004 53·4% • World’s largest arms producing company Boeing (USA) (excluding China), 2004 • Biggest recipient of major conventional weapons, 2005 China • Biggest supplier of major conventional weapons, 2005 USA • Total number of nuclear warheads, 2006 12,100 • Number of landmine victims, 2006 15–20,000 • Largest armed forces in the world China (2·2m. regular personnel) • Highest military expenditure as % of GDP North Korea (25%) • Number of UN peacekeeping operations, 2006 15 • Number of non-signatories of the Nuclear 3 (India, Israel and Pakistan) Non-Proliferation Treaty • Number of non-members of the Nuclear 4 (India, Israel, Pakistan Non-Proliferation Treaty and North Korea) • Nuclear states recognized by the Nuclear China, France, Russia, Non-Proliferation Treaty UK and USA • Country of origin of most refugees, 2005 Afghanistan (1·9m.) • Estimated number of dead in conflict, 400,000 July 2003–Sept. 2006 • Estimated number of child soldiers around the world 300,000 • Number of ‘major wars’ (claiming at least 1,000 lives 8 per year), 2005

Sources: UNDP Human Development Report; SIPRI Yearbook; Barron’s Countries of the World; UN High Commission for Refugees; UN News Service; Human Rights Watch; www.globalsecurity.org

xvi EDUCATION FACT SHEET

‘One of the most significant divides between the world’s richest and poorest countries relates to the amount of schooling a child can expect to receive.’ UNESCO Institute for Statistics Fact Sheet: The Haves and Have-nots in Tertiary Education.

• 82% of the world’s population is literate—87% of men and 77% of women. • There are about 771m. illiterate adults—two-thirds of them women and one-third living in India. • There are about 137m. illiterate young people (aged from 15–24), 61% of whom are female. • 57% of the 103·5m. children not attending school are girls. • 96% of children not in school live in developing countries, 75% of whom are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia. • In the Arab states 8m. children of primary-education age are not in school—5m. are girls. • Globally, 673m. children were enrolled in school at primary level in 2002. • Africa has the lowest primary schooling completion ratios—50% or lower in 19 countries on the continent. • An additional investment of US$5·6bn. annually is required to achieve universal primary education by 2015. • 492m. children were enrolled in school at secondary level in 2002 (up from 321m. in 1990). • Tertiary students worldwide in 2004 numbered 132m. • Tertiary students from sub-Saharan Africa represent one in every 16 students studying overseas (or 5·6%), compared to one in every 250 North American students. • China sends the greatest number of students abroad—14% of the global total. • Six countries host 67% of the world’s overseas students—the United States (23%), United Kingdom (12%), Germany (11%), France (10%), Australia (7%) and Japan (5%). • According to an annual survey of academics, Harvard was the world’s top university in 2006, followed by Cambridge and Oxford. US and British institutions dominate the top ten, but Chinese, Australian, French, Singaporean and Japanese universities are included in the top twenty. • Annual worldwide education spending is estimated at US$1,000bn.

Sources: UNESCO: Institute for Statistics, Education for All Monitoring Report, Arab States Regional Report, Global Education Digest, Teachers for Tomorrow’s Schools; Times Higher Education Supplement

xvii HEALTH FACT SHEET

‘The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.’ Constitution of the World Health Organization.

• Highest death rate per 1,000 of population (2006) 29·74 (Swaziland) • Lowest death rate per 1,000 of population (2006) 2·41 (Kuwait) • Highest life expectancy (2003) 82·0 years (Japan) • Lowest life expectancy (2003) 32·5 years (Swaziland) • Highest health expenditure as % of GDP (2003) 15·2% (USA) • Lowest health expenditure as % of GDP (2003) 1·5% (Equatorial Guinea) • Highest health expenditure per capita (2002) $5,274 (USA) • Lowest health expenditure per capita (2002) $15 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) • Deaths from heart disease (2002) 16·7m. (29% of all deaths) • Deaths from cancer (2002) 7·1m. (12% of all deaths) • Deaths from HIV/AIDS-related illnesses (2006) 2·9m. • Deaths from tuberculosis (2004) 1·7m. • Deaths from malaria (2002) 1·3m. • Number of cases of malaria (2002) 408·4m. (90% in Africa) • Number of people living with HIV/AIDS (2006) 39·5m. (60% in Africa) • Country with highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS Swaziland • Number of people living with tuberculosis (2004) 14·6m. • Number of people living with diabetes (2006) 180m. • Number of polio-endemic countries (2006) 4 (Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan—the lowest number in history) • Human deaths from avian influenza (H5N1 ‘bird flu’) 167 (from 274 confirmed cases as at Feb. 2007) • Number of overweight and obese adults 1·6bn. and 400m. respectively • Leading preventable cause of death Tobacco smoking

Sources: World Health Organization; www.globalhealthfacts.org; UNDP Human Development Report

xviii WORLD POPULATION DEVELOPMENTS

1950 2005 1. China 554,760,000 1. China 1,315,844,000 2. India 357,561,000 2. India 1,103,371,000 3. USSR 180,980,000 3. USA 298,213,000 4. USA 157,813,000 4. Indonesia 222,781,000 5. Japan 83,625,000 5. Brazil 186,405,000 6. Indonesia 79,538,000 6. Pakistan 157,935,000 7. Brazil 53,975,000 7. Russia 143,202,000 8. West Germany 49,989,000 8. Bangladesh 141,822,000 9. UK 49,816,000 9. Nigeria 131,530,000 10. Italy 47,104,000 10. Japan 128,085,000

2050 1. India 1,592,704,000 2. China 1,392,307,000 3. USA 394,976,000 4. Pakistan 304,700,000 5. Indonesia 284,640,000 6. Nigeria 258,108,000 7. Brazil 253,105,000 8. Bangladesh 242,937,000 9. Congo (Democratic Republic of) 177,271,000 10. Ethiopia 170,190,000

Source: United Nations World Population Prospects (2004 Revision)

LARGEST URBAN AGGLOMERATIONS

1950 2005 1. New York-Newark, USA 12,338,000 1. Tokyo, Japan 35,327,000 2. Tokyo, Japan 11,275,000 2. Mexico City, Mexico 19,013,000 3. London, United Kingdom 8,361,000 3. New York-Newark, USA 18,498,000 4. , France 5,424,000 4. Mumbai (Bombay), India 18,336,000 5. , USSR 5,356,000 5. São Paulo, Brazil 18,333,000 6. Shanghai, China 5,333,000 6. Delhi, India 15,334,000 7. Rhein-Ruhr North, West 5,295,000 7. Calcutta, India 14,299,000 Germany 8. Buenos Aires, Argentina 13,349,000 8. Buenos Aires, Argentina 5,041,000 9. Jakarta, Indonesia 13,194,000 9. Chicago, USA 4,999,000 10. Shanghai, China 12,665,000 10. Calcutta, India 4,446,000

2015 1 Tokyo, Japan 35,494,000 2. Mumbai (Bombay), India 21,869,000 3. Mexico City, Mexico 21,568,000 4. São Paulo, Brazil 20,535,000 5. New York-Newark, USA 19,876,000 6. Delhi, India 18,604,000 7. Shanghai, China 17,225,000 8. Calcutta, India 16,980,000 9. Dhaka, Bangladesh 16,842,000 10. Jakarta, Indonesia 16,822,000

Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division, World Urbanization Prospects (2005 Revision)

xix CHRONOLOGY CHRONOLOGY April 2006–March 2007

Week beginning 2 April 2006 In São Tomé e Príncipe a new government was formed which In parliamentary the Thai Rak Thai Party included Tomé Soares da Vera Cruz as prime minister, Carlos (TRT) gained 460 seats. The election had been boycotted by the Gustavo dos Anjos as foreign minister and Maria Tebus as three opposition parties after prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra finance minister. Óscar Sacramento e Sousa remained defence refused to sign a pledge to implement constitutional reforms. As and interior minister. a result Thaksin stepped down temporarily. The Constitutional Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, was re-elected with Tariq al- Court subsequently ruled that the elections were invalid. Hashemi and Adil Abdel-Mahdi as vice-presidents. Nouri al- In the Solomon Islands’ parliamentary elections the National Maliki subsequently became prime minister. Party won 4 seats, the Rural Advancement Party 4, the People’s Alliance Party 3, the 3 and independents Week beginning 23 April 2006 30. Deputy prime minister Synder Rini succeeded in gaining The second round of parliamentary elections in Hungary resulted the support of enough independent members of parliament to in the Socialist Party winning 186 of 386 seats with 48·2% of votes form a government. After rioting in Honiara, Rini resigned cast, followed by the Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Union with 164 and shortly before a motion of no-confidence was scheduled and was 42·5%, the Alliance of Free Democrats with 18 and 4·7%, and the succeeded by Manasseh Sogavare, a former prime minister. Hungarian Democratic Forum (MDF) with 11 seats and 2·8%. Benin’s new president, Yayi Boni, named Mariam Aladji Boni Jan Eliasson became Sweden’s foreign minister. foreign minister, Issifou Kogui N’Douro defence minister, Pascal Koukpaki finance minister and Edgar Alia security minister. King Gyanendra appointed Girija Prasad Koirala as prime minister of Nepal. The new cabinet included Khadka Prasad Aigars Kalvītis, Latvia’s prime minister, accepted the resignations Sharma Oli as foreign minister, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat as finance of ministers from the New Era party including defence minister minister and Krishna Sitaula as interior minister. Linda Murniece. Atis Slakteris was subsequently appointed defence minister. Week beginning 30 April 2006 In a cabinet reshuffle in Spain, interior minister José Antonio In parliamentary elections in Laos the ruling Lao People’s Alonso replaced José Bono Martínez as defence minister. Alfredo Revolutionary Party won 113 of 115 seats with independents Pérez Rubalcaba replaced Alonso as interior minister. taking the other two seats.

Week beginning 9 April 2006 In presidential incumbent Idriss Déby won re- election with 64·7% of the vote, against Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye In Peru’s presidential elections Ollanta Humala Tasso won with 15·1% and Albert Pahimi Padacké with 7·8%. 30·6% of the vote, followed by Alan García Pérez with 24·3% and Lourdes Flores Nano with 23·8%. In the subsequent run-off In Israel, prime minister Ehud Olmert’s new cabinet was sworn election Alan García Pérez won 52·6% against Ollanta Humala in with Amir Peretz as defence minister, Avraham Hirschson as Tasso with 47·4%. In the parliamentary elections Union for Peru finance minister and Roni Bar-On as interior minister. won 45 of the 120 seats with 21·1% of votes cast, followed by the Peruvian Aprista Party with 36 seats and 20·6%, and the National In the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare took office as prime Unity Party with 17 and 15·3%. minister. His cabinet included Patteson Oti as foreign minister, Bartholomew Ulufa’alu as finance minister and Bernard Ghiro In parliamentary elections in Italy, ’s Union as interior minister. coalition won 348 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 158 in the Senate, against prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s House In a cabinet shuffle in the United Kingdom, Margaret Beckett of Freedoms Alliance with 281 and 156 seats respectively. became foreign secretary, John Reid home secretary and Des Berlusconi subsequently resigned. Browne defence secretary.

Week beginning 16 April 2006 In parliamentary , the People’s Action Party won 82 of 84 available seats with 66·6% of the vote, followed by In the first round of Comoros’ presidential elections on , the Workers’ Party and the Singapore Democratic Alliance with Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi won 23·7% of the vote, one seat each and 16·3% and 13·0% of the vote respectively. Mohamed Djaanfari 13·1%, Ibrahim Halidi 10·4% and Caabi El-Yachroutu 9·6%. In the subsequent run-off Ahmed Abdallah Week beginning 7 May 2006 Mohamed Sambi won 58·0% ahead of Ibrahim Halidi with 28·3%. Óscar Arias Sánchez took office as , with The new cabinet included Ahmed Ben Saïd Djaffar as foreign Laura Chinchilla as vice-president. The new cabinet included minister, Hassani Hamadi as finance minister and Mohamed Bruno Stagno Ugarte as foreign minister, Guillermo Zúñiga as Abdoulwahabi as defence minister. finance minister and Fernando Berrocal as security minister. The Bulgarian government survived a vote of no-confidence by 166 votes to 61. Giorgio Napolitano was elected president of Italy in the fourth round of voting and subsequently asked Romano Prodi to form As a result of the second round of parliamentary elections in a government. Prodi’s cabinet included Massimo D’Alema as Haiti Lespwa held 23 of the 87 seats, followed by the Fusion foreign minister, Arturo Parisi as defence minister, Giuliano Social and Democratic Party with 17 and the Christian National Amato as interior minister and Tommaso Padoa Schioppa as Union with 12. economy and finance minister.

xxiii xxiv chronology In parliamentary elections in the Fiji Islands, prime minister Bouphavanh became prime minister and Thongloun Sisoulit Laisenia Qarase’s United Fiji Party won 36 of 71 seats, ahead of the foreign minister. Fiji Labour Party with 31 and the United People’s Party with 2. Week beginning 11 June 2006 Week beginning 14 May 2006 Following the resignation of Iceland’s prime minister, Halldór In parliamentary elections in the Dominican Republic, the Ásgrímsson, foreign minister Geir H. Haarde was appointed Dominican Liberation Party alliance won 96 of 178 seats with as his replacement and Valgerður Sverrisdóttir became foreign 52·4% of votes cast, followed by the Dominican Revolutionary minister. Party alliance with 60 and 21·9%, and the Social Christian Reformist Party alliance with 22 and 23·3%. In parliamentary elections in Slovakia, the Direction Party won 50 of 150 seats with 29·1% of votes cast, ahead of prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was sworn in as Iraq’s prime minister with a Mikulás Dzurinda’s Slovak Democratic and Christian Union- cabinet in which he became acting interior minister, Salam al- Democratic Party with 31 and 18·4%, the Slovak National Party Zobaie acting defence minister and Bayan Jabr finance minister. with 20 and 11·7%, and the Party of Hungarian Coalition with Hoshyar Zebari retained the post of foreign minister. 20 and 11·7%.

Week beginning 21 May 2006 Week beginning 18 June 2006 In parliamentary , the Communist Progressive In Poland, prime minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz dismissed Party of Working People won 18 of 59 seats with 31·2% of votes finance minister Zyta Gilowska and appointed Pawel cast, followed by the Democratic Rally with 18 and 30·3%, the Wojciechowski as her successor. Democratic Party 11 with 17·9% and the Socialist Party 5 with 8·9%. Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez appointed Gen. Raúl Baduel as defence minister. In a referendum in Montenegro 55·5% voted for independence from Serbia. In Vietnam, president Tran Duc Luong and prime minister Phan Van Khai resigned. The National Assembly subsequently The director-general of the World Health Organization, Dr Lee approved Nguyen Minh Triet as president and Nguyen Tan Dung Jong-wook, died. as prime minister. The new cabinet included Pham Gia Khiem as Algerian prime minister Ahmed Ouyahia resigned and was foreign minister, Phung Quang Thanh as defence minister and replaced by Abdelaziz Belkhadem. Vu Van Ninh as finance minister. In the USA, Dirk Kempthorne was sworn in as interior Week beginning 25 June 2006 secretary. Montenegro became the 192nd member state of the United Week beginning 28 May 2006 Nations. In presidential elections in Colombia, incumbent Álvaro Uribe In Romania, prime minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu’s Vélez won 62·3% of votes cast followed by Carlos Gaviria Díaz government defeated a no-confidence motion in parliament by with 22·0% and Horacio Serpa with 11·8%. 235 votes to 145. Lithuanian prime minister Algirdas Brazauskas resigned. Portuguese foreign minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral was In Nigeria, internal affairs minister Magaji Mohamed resigned replaced by defence minister Luís Amado. Nuno Severiano and was replaced by foreign minister Oluyemi Adeniji. Finance Teixeira subsequently became defence minister. minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala subsequently became foreign affairs minister and Nenadi Esther Usman finance minister. Week beginning 2 July 2006 In presidential elections in Mexico, Felipe Calderón won 35·9% of A new cabinet was named in Hungary, including Kinga Göncz as the vote, followed by Andrés Manuel López Obrador with 35·3% foreign minister and Imre Szekeres as defence minister. and Roberto Madrazo with 22·3%. In parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, the Civic In Lithuania, the parliament approved Gediminas Kirkilas as Democratic Party won 81 of 200 seats with 35·4% of votes cast, prime minister. The new cabinet included Petras Vaitiekūnas ahead of the Social Democratic Party with 74 and 32·3%, the as foreign minister, Juozas Olekas as defence minister and Communist Party of and with 26 and 12·8%, Raimondas Šukys as interior minister. and the Christian Democratic Union-People’s Party with 13 and 7·2%. Robert Fico took office as prime minister of Slovakia with a cabinet which included Ján Kubiš as foreign minister, František Kašický Montenegro declared its independence and was subsequently as defence minister and Ján Pociatek as finance minister. recognized by Serbia as an independent nation. In parliamentary elections in Macedonia, the Internal Macedonian Week beginning 4 June 2006 Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian In parliamentary elections in San Marino, the Christian National Unity won 45 of 120 seats with 32·5% of votes cast, Democratic Party won 21 of 60 seats with 32·9% of votes cast, followed by prime minister Vlado Buckovski’s Social Democratic followed by the Party of Socialists and Democrats with 20 and League of Macedonia with 32 and 23·3%, the Democratic Union 31·8% and the Popular Alliance with 7 and 12·1%. for Integration with 17 and 12·2%, and the Democratic Party of Albanians with 11 and 7·5%. Following a cabinet reshuffle in Cyprus, Yiorgos Lillikas became foreign minister and Phivos Klokkaris defence minister. Jarosław Kaczyński became prime minister of Poland following In Iraq, Gen. Abdul-Qader al-Mifraji became defence minister the resignation of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz. and Jawad Polani interior minister. Week beginning 9 July 2006 The National Assembly of Laos elected Choummaly Sayasone In the USA, Henry M. Paulson was sworn in as treasury president and Boungnang Volachit vice-president. Bouasone secretary. CHRONOLOGY xxv

María Consuelo Araújo was appointed foreign minister of Week beginning 20 August 2006 Colombia. In Paraguay, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano took office as foreign In a cross-border raid by Hizbollah fighters based in southern minister. Lebanon two Israeli soldiers were seized. After Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert described the capture as ‘an act of war’ Week beginning 27 August 2006 Israeli planes bombed Hizbollah positions while ground troops Shaukat Aziz, the prime minister of Pakistan, survived a no- crossed into southern Lebanon. Fighting continued until a confidence vote in the national assembly. ceasefire was announced a month later. In presidential and parliamentary elections in Guyana, incumbent Oil prices reached a record high of US$78·40 per barrel. president Bharrat Jagdeo’s People’s Progressive Party/Civic won 36 of the 65 available seats with 54·3% of votes cast, followed Week beginning 16 July 2006 by the People’s National Congress with 22 seats and 34·0%, and Juan Manuel Santos became Colombia’s new defence minister. Alliance for Change with 5 and 8·3%. The new cabinet included Clement Rohee as home affairs minister and Ashni Kumar Singh Gen. Rául Baduel was sworn in as defence minister of as finance minister. Venezuela. In a government reshuffle in the Central African Republic, prime Week beginning 23 July 2006 minister Élie Doté also became finance minister and Côme Gert Rosenthal was named Guatemala’s foreign minister Zoumara became foreign minister. following the resignation of Jorge Briz Abularach. Week beginning 3 September 2006 A new cabinet in San Marino included Fiorenzo Stolfi as foreign minister, Stefano Macina as finance minister and Valeria Ciavatta In the Czech Republic, the new government of Mirek Topolánek as interior minister. included Alexandr Vondra as foreign minister, Jiří Šedivý as defence minister, Vlastimil Tlustý as finance minister and Ivan In Peru, Alan García was sworn in as president. The new Langer as interior minister. government included Luis Giampietri as vice-president, Jorge del Castillo as prime minister, José Antonio García Belaúnde as Foreign minister Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuck took office as foreign minister, Allan Wagner Tizón as defence minister and prime minister of Bhutan. Luis Carranza as finance minister. Week beginning 10 September 2006 Week beginning 30 July 2006 In parliamentary elections in Montenegro, prime minister Milo In presidential elections in São Tomé e Príncipe, incumbent Ðukanović’s Coalition for European Montenegro won 41 of 81 Fradique de Menezes won 60·6% of the vote ahead of former seats with 48·6% of votes cast, followed by the Serbian List with foreign minister Patrice Trovoada with 38·8%. 12 seats and 14·7%, the Socialist People’s Party with 11 and 14·1%, and the Movement for Change Party with 11 and 13·1%. In the Seychelles’ presidential elections, incumbent James Michel won 53·7% of the vote ahead of Wavel Ramkalawan with 45·7%. The king of Tonga, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, died in New Zealand Following intestinal surgery, Fidel Castro ceded power in Cuba and was succeeded by his son George Tupou V. to his brother Raúl. President Faure Gnassingbé named Yawovi Agboyibo the new In parliamentary elections in Tuvalu, seven of the 15 sitting prime minister of Togo. members were returned and eight new members were elected. The parliament subsequently elected Apisai Ielemia as prime Week beginning 17 September 2006 minister and foreign affairs minister. The new cabinet also In parliamentary elections in Sweden, prime minister Göran included Lotoala Metia as finance minister and Willy Telavi as Persson’s Swedish Social Democratic Labour Party won 130 of home affairs minister. the 349 available seats with 35·2% of votes cast, followed by Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko nominated Viktor the New Moderates with 97 and 26·1%, the Centre Party with Yanukovich as prime minister. His appointment was subsequently 29 and 7·9%, and the Liberal Party with 28 and 7·5%. Persson approved by parliament. subsequently resigned and Fredrik Reinfeldt was asked to form a coalition government. Week beginning 6 August 2006 A military coup overthrew the government of prime minister The Somali government was dissolved and prime minister Ali Thaksin Shinawatra in Thailand. Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratkalin Muhammad Ghedi was asked to form a new administration. The became head of the Council for Democratic Reform. new cabinet included Ismail Mahmud Hurre as foreign minister, Barre Adan Shire as defence minister and Hassan Muhammad In presidential , incumbent Ali Abdullah Nur ‘Shatigadud’ as finance minister. Saleh was re-elected with 77·2% of votes cast, ahead of Faisal Bin Shamlan with 21·8%. In Equatorial Guinea, Ricardo Mangue Obama Nfubea was named prime minister following the resignation of Miguel Abia Incumbent Yahya Jammeh won the presidential election in The Biteo Borico’s government. Gambia with 67·3% of votes cast, followed by Ousainou Darboe with 26·7% and Halifa Sallah with 6·0%. Week beginning 13 August 2006 Toomas Hendrik Ilves was elected president of Estonia by an In Macedonia, the new government of Nikola Gruevski included electoral college with 174 votes of the 345 available, ahead of Antonio Milososki as foreign minister, Lazar Elenovski as defence incumbent Arnold Rüütel with 162. minister, Gordana Jankulovska as interior minister and Trajko Slavevski as finance minister. Week beginning 24 September 2006 In the Czech Republic, prime minister Jirí Paroubek’s government Shinzo Abe was elected prime minister of Japan. The new resigned and Mirek Topolánek was designated his successor. government included Koji Omi as finance minister, Yoshihide xxvi chronology Suga as internal affairs minister and Fumio Kyuma as minister with 13 and 15·3%, and the Democratic Left-Ethical Democratic of state for defence. Network with 13 and 10·6%. Arnold Piggott was sworn in as foreign minister of Trinidad and The European Union accepted Romania and Bulgaria for member- Tobago following the resignation of Knowlson Gift. ship as from Jan. 2007. In presidential , incumbent Levy Mwanawasa José Jouvín was sworn in as economy and finance minister of won 43·0% of votes cast, followed by Michael Sata with 29·4% Ecuador following the resignation of Armando Rodas. and Hakainde Hichilema with 25·3%. In parliamentary elections, the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy won 72 of the 150 Week beginning 22 October 2006 available seats ahead of the Patriotic Front with 44 and the United In the first round of presidential elections in Bulgaria, incumbent Democratic Alliance with 27. Georgi Parvanov won 64·0% of the vote, followed by Volen Siderov with 21·5% and Nedelcho Beronov with 9·8%. In the second round Week beginning 1 October 2006 Parvanov won 75·9% of votes cast against Siderov with 24·1%. In parliamentary elections in Austria, the Social Democratic Party won 68 of the 183 available seats with 35·7% of votes cast, Yoon Kwang-ung resigned as defence minister of . followed by the Austrian People’s Party with 66 and 34·2%, and the Freedom Party with 21 seats and 11·2% of the votes. In a cabinet reshuffle in India, Pranab Mukherjee became foreign minister and A. K. Antony replaced him as defence minister. In elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina the three presidential seats were won by Nebojša Radmanović for the Serb seat, Željko Sorin Frunzăverde was named defence minister of Romania Komšić for the Croat seat and Haris Silajdžić for the Muslim following the resignation of Teodor Atanasiu. seat. In a cabinet reshuffle in The Gambia, Bala Garba Jahumpa was In presidential elections in Brazil, incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula appointed foreign minister. da Silva won 48·6% of the vote, followed by Geraldo Alckmin with 41·6% and Heloísa Helena with 6·9%. In parliamentary Week beginning 29 October 2006 elections for the Chamber of Deputies, the Brazilian Democratic The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the Movement Party won 89 of the 513 available seats with 14·6% of World Confederation of Labour merged to form the International the vote, followed by the Workers’ Party with 83 seats and 15·0%, Trade Union Confederation. the Brazilian Social Democracy Party with 65 and 13·6%, and the Liberal Front Party with 65 and 10·9%. In a cabinet reshuffle in South Korea, Song Min-soon became foreign minister and Kim Jang-soo defence minister. Surayud Chulanont was sworn in as interim prime minister of Thailand. The new government included Nit Piboonsongkram Week beginning 5 November 2006 as foreign minister, Gen. Boonrawd Somtas as defence minister, In presidential elections in Nicaragua, former president Daniel Pridiyathorn Devakula as finance minister and Aree Wong-araya Ortega won 38·1% of the vote, followed by Eduardo Montealegre as interior minister. with 29·0% and José Rizo with 26·2%. In parliamentary elections the Sandinista National Liberation Front won 38 of the 90 Fredrik Reinfeldt was endorsed as Sweden’s prime minister. available seats, followed by the Constitutional Liberal Party with The new government included Carl Bildt as foreign minister, 25, the Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance with 22 and the Sandinista Mikael Odenberg as defence minister and Anders Borg as finance Renewal Movement with 5. minister. Nebojša Radmanović was inaugurated as president of Bosnia- In parliamentary elections in Latvia, the People’s Party won 23 Herzegovina for an eight-month term as part of a four-year of the 100 available seats with 19·6% of votes cast, followed by rotating presidency representing the three major ethnic groups. of Greens and Farmers with 18 and 16·7%, the New Era Party with 18 and 16·4%, and the Harmony Centre with 17 In presidential elections in Tajikistan, incumbent Emomali and 14·4%. Rakhmonov won 79% of the vote. Week beginning 8 October 2006 In US mid-term elections won control of both North Korea successfully tested its first nuclear weapon. houses, with 233 of 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 51 of 100 seats (including two aligned independents) in the Toomas Hendrik Ilves took office as president of Estonia. Senate. In Zambia, president Levy Mwanawasa named Rupiah Banda Robert M. Gates was nominated US defence secretary following as vice-president. The new cabinet included Mundia Sikatana the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld. as foreign minister, George Mpombo as defence minister and Ronnie Shikapwasha as home affairs minister. In Montenegro, the parliament approved Željko Šturanović as prime minister by a 44 to 26 vote. The new cabinet included The Czech Republic’s president, Václav Klaus, accepted the Milan Roćen as foreign minister and Boro Vučinić as defence resignation of the government. minister; Jusuf Kalamperović remained interior minister and Igor Lukšić remained finance minister. Week beginning 15 October 2006 In the first round of presidential elections in Ecuador, Álvaro Week beginning 12 November 2006 Noboa won 26·8% of the vote, followed by Rafael Correa with Milan Parivodić became co-ordinator of the finance ministry in 22·8% and Gilmar Gutiérrez with 17·4%. In parliamentary Serbia following the resignation of Mlađan Dinkić. elections the Institutional Renewal Party won 28 of the 100 available seats with 27·8% of votes cast, followed by the Patriotic In Papua New Guinea, prime minister Sir Michael Somare Society January 21 with 23 and 18·6%, the Social Christian Party appointed Paul Tiensten foreign minister. CHRONOLOGY xxvii

Week beginning 19 November 2006 Saparmurad Niyazov, president of Turkmenistan, died in office. In parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, the Christian The deputy prime minister Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov Democratic Appeal won 41 of the 150 available seats with 26·5% was named acting . of the vote, followed by the Labour Party with 33 and 21·2% and the Socialist Party with 25 and 16·6%. Week beginning 24 December 2006 In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, president Joseph In the first round of , the Shia grouping Al Kabila named Antoine Gizenga prime minister. Wefaq won 16 of the 40 available seats while the Sunni groupings Al Menbar and Al Asala won four seats each. Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein was executed for war crimes. Week beginning 26 November 2006 In the presidential run-off in Ecuador, Rafael Correa won 56·7% Week beginning 31 December 2006 of the vote against Álvaro Noboa with 43·3%. Bulgaria and Romania joined the European Union. Felipe Calderón was sworn in as president of Mexico. The new Ban Ki-moon took office as secretary-general of the United cabinet included Patricia Espinosa as foreign minister, Gen. Nations. Guillermo Galván Galván as defence minister and Francisco Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, appointed Jorge Rodríguez Ramírez Acuña as interior minister. as his vice-president. Pedro Carreño became interior minister In Tajikistan, Khamrokhon Zaripov became foreign minister and and Rodrigo Cabezas finance minister. Makhmadnazar Salikhov interior minister. Dr Margaret Chan took office as director-general of the World Vasyl Tsushko was appointed interior minister of Ukraine after Health Organization. parliament dismissed Yuriy Lutsenko. In the Fiji Islands, the army commander Frank Bainimarama In the second round of parliamentary elections in Bahrain, returned power to the president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Bainimarama Al Wefaq won two more seats for a total of 18 (including an was subsequently named interim prime minister. allied independent), Al Menbar three for a total of seven and Al Week beginning 7 January 2007 Asala one for a total of five. The prime minister and key cabinet portfolios remained unchanged. Nikola Špirić was appointed prime minister of Bosnia- Herzegovina. Week beginning 3 December 2006 Daniyal Akhmetov, the prime minister of Kazakhstan, resigned In presidential , incumbent Marc and was replaced by . Akhmetov became Ravalomanana won 54·8% of the vote, followed by Jean Lahiniriko defence minister. with 11·7% and Roland Ratsiraka with 10·1%. In the Czech Republic, president Václav Klaus appointed In Venezuelan presidential elections, Hugo Chávez was re-elected a new government headed by Mirek Topolánek, with Karel with 62·9% of votes cast. Schwarzenberg as foreign minister, Vlasta Parkanová defence minister and Miroslav Kalousek finance minister. After a military coup in the Fiji Islands, the army commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama appointed himself acting Daniel Ortega was sworn in as president of Nicaragua. Jaime president. The government of Laisenia Qarase was dismissed, Morales became vice-president. and Jona Senilagakali was appointed interim prime minister. Alfred Gusenbauer became chancellor of Austria. The new cabinet Week beginning 10 December 2006 included Norbert Darabos as defence minister, Günther Platter as Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet died. interior minister and Wilhelm Molterer as finance minister. In parliamentary elections in St Lucia, the United Workers’ Party Week beginning 14 January 2007 won 11 of the available 17 seats with 51·4% of the vote, against In Ecuador, Rafael Correa was sworn in as president with Lenín the Labour Party’s six seats and 48·2%. Sir John Compton became Moreno as vice-president. prime minister. Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana named the interior In Malaysia, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin became the new head minister, Gen. Charles Rabemananjara, as prime minister. of state. Week beginning 21 January 2007 In Switzerland, parliament elected Micheline Calmy-Rey as president for 2007. Pascal Couchepin was elected vice- In parliamentary elections in Serbia, the Serb Radical Party won president. 81 of the 250 available seats with 28·6% of votes cast, followed by the Democratic Party with 64 seats and 22·7%, and the coalition King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan stepped down to be led by the Democratic Party of Serbia with 47 seats and 16·5%. succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel In Israel, Knesset speaker Dalia Itzik became acting president for Wangchuck. three months while president Moshe Katsav faced allegations of Week beginning 17 December 2006 criminal offences. In parliamentary elections in Gabon, the Democratic Party won In parliamentary , the ruling Alliance 82 of 120 available seats, followed by the Gabonese People’s for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction won 42 of the Union with eight seats and the National Woodcutters’ Rally available 48 seats with 59·8% of the vote, followed by the United with seven. Democratic Party with four seats and 21·9%. Robert M. Gates was sworn in as US defence secretary. Azim Isabekov was appointed prime minister of Kyrgyzstan. xxviii CHRONOLOGY

Week beginning 28 January 2007 Week beginning 4 March 2007 In Sri Lanka, Rohitha Bogollagama became foreign minister and In Chad the new prime minister Delwa Kassiré Koumakoye Karu Jayasuriya home affairs minister. appointed his cabinet, including Gen. Mahamat Nour Abdelkerim as defence minister. Lorena Escudero took office as Ecuador’s defence minister, replacing Guadalupe Larriva who had died in a helicopter In parliamentary elections in Estonia, the Reform Party of prime crash. minister Andrus Ansip won 31 of the 101 available seats with 27·8% of the vote, followed by the Centre Party with 29 seats and 26·1% Week beginning 4 February 2007 and the Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica with 19 and 17·9%. Antoine Gizenga, the prime minister of the Democratic Republic South Korean prime minister Han Myeong-sook resigned; Han of the Congo, announced his new cabinet including Antipas Duck-soo was nominated as her successor. Mbusa Nyamwisi as foreign minister, Chikez Diemu defence minister and Athanase Matenda Kyelu finance minister. Parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland resulted in the Democratic Unionist Party winning 36 of the available 108 seats The president of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, dismissed the with 30·1% of votes cast. Sinn Féin won 28 seats with 26·2%. second vice-president, Marina Barampama. Gabriel Ntisezerana was appointed to the post. Week beginning 11 March 2007 In presidential , Sidi Mohamed Ould In Bosnia-Herzegovina, the new government of prime minister Cheikh Abdellahi won 24·8% of the vote, ahead of Ahmed Ould Nikola Špirić took office. The cabinet included Sven Alkalaj as Daddah with 20·7% and Zein Ould Zeidane with 15·3%. In the foreign minister, Dragan Vrankić finance minister and Marina subsequent run-off election Abdellahi won 52·9% against Daddah Pendeš acting defence minister. with 47·1%. Eugène Camara was named prime minister of Guinea by president Bujar Nishani was named interior minister in a cabinet reshuffle Lansana Conté. in Albania. In the Palestinian-Administered Territories, president Mahmoud Week beginning 11 February 2007 Abbas and prime minister Ismail Haniya announced a new In presidential elections in Turkmenistan, acting president cabinet with Ziad Abu Amr as foreign minister, Hani al-Qawasmi Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov won 89·2% of the vote against as interior minister and Salam Fayyad as finance minister. five opponents. Week beginning 18 March 2007 Russian defence minister Sergei Ivanov became first deputy In parliamentary elections in Finland, the Centre Party won 51 of prime minister. He was succeeded as defence minister by Anatoly the 200 available seats with 23·1%, followed by the National Rally Serdyukov. Party with 50 seats and 22·3%, the Social Democratic Party with In parliamentary the Lesotho Congress 45 and 21·4%, and the Left Alliance with 17 and 8·8%. for Democracy won 61 of 120 seats, followed by the National Aristides Gomes, the prime minister of Guinea-Bissau, resigned Independent Party with 21 and the All Basotho Convention after parliament passed a censure motion against him. with 17. In Ukraine, Arseniy Yatseniuk became foreign minister. Week beginning 18 February 2007 In Comoros, Mohamed Ali Solihi became finance minister after Romano Prodi, the Italian prime minister, resigned after losing a cabinet reshuffle. a vote on foreign policy. President Giorgio Napolitano refused Prodi’s resignation and the prime minister subsequently won Week beginning 25 March 2007 confidence votes in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. Andranik Markayan, the Armenian prime minister, died in office. In the Netherlands, prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende named his new cabinet including Maxime Verhagen as foreign minister, In France, Nicolas Sarkozy stood down as interior minister to Wouter Bos as finance minister and Eimert van Middelkoop as concentrate on his presidential campaign. He was replaced by defence minister. François Baroin.

Pascal Yoadimnadji, prime minister of Chad, died in office. Carlos Vielmann resigned as interior minister of Guatemala. He A week later, president Idriss Déby appointed Delwa Kassiré was succeeded by Adela de Torrebiarte. Koumakoye as prime minister. In a cabinet reshuffle in Chile, José Goñi Carrasco became Week beginning 25 February 2007 defence minister and Carlos Maldonado Curti justice minister. In presidential , the incumbent Abdoulaye In Côte d’Ivoire, president Laurent Gbagbo named Guillaume Wade won 55·9% of votes cast against Idrissa Seck with 14·9%, Soro as prime minister. Ousmane Tanor Dieng with 13·6% and Moustapha Niasse with 5·9%. Almazbek Atambayev became prime minister of Kyrgyzstan after the resignation of Azim Isabekov. After public protests, Eugène Camara was dismissed as prime minister of Guinea. He was succeeded by Lansana Kouyaté. In parliamentary , Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin won 35 of the 83 available seats with 22·5% of votes cast, Sir Michael Somare, prime minister of Papua New Guinea, took followed by the Alliance for Dynamism and Democracy with on the post of minister of defence following the dismissal of 20 seats and 16·9%, and the Democratic Renewal Party with 10 Martin Aini. and 9·8%. ADDENDA ADDENDA All dates are 2007

AFGHANISTAN. On 12 May Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar JAPAN. On 14 May parliament approved a national referendum Spanta was dismissed by parliament after failing to do enough on changing the country’s pacifist constitution, introduced after to prevent the forced deportation of 52,000 Afghan refugees the Second World War. The bill allows Prime Minister Shinzo from Iran. Abe’s government to hold the referendum as early as 2010. ALBANIA. The Foreign Minister, Besnik Mustafaj, submitted his KOREA. Kim Jong-Min was appointed Deputy Prime Minister resignation on 24 April. He was subsequently replaced by Luzlim and Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Basha, the Transportation and Telecommunications Minister. on 8 May. ALGERIA. In parliamentary elections held on 17 May the National NORTH KOREA. On 18 May Pak Ui Chun was appointed Liberation Front won 136 of the available 389 seats, followed Foreign Minister. by the National Rally for Democracy 61, the Movement of the LITHUANIA. Rimantas Sadzius became Finance Minister on Society for Peace 52 and the Workers’ Party 26. Independents 17 May. won 33 seats. Turnout was 35·7%. MYANMAR. According to reports on 18 May, Thein Sein was ANDORRA. In a cabinet reshuffle on 2 May, Meritxell Mateu Pi named Acting Prime Minister while Soe Win received treatment was named Foreign Minister and Antoni Riberaygua Sasplugas for a serious illness. Interior Minister. NICARAGUA. On 8 May Ruth Tapia Roa was appointed General CANADA. On 18 May Pierre Duchesne was appointed Lieutenant Secretary of the Defence Ministry. Governor of Quebec. PALESTINIAN-ADMINISTERED TERRITORIES. Interior CYPRUS. Defence Minister Nikos Symeonides died in office on 3 Minister Hani al-Qawasami resigned on 14 May. Prime Minister May. He was succeeded by Christodoulos Pashiardis on 14 May. Ismail Haniya became the acting minister. ROMANIA. In a referendum on President Traian Băsescu’s DENMARK. Crown Princess Mary, the wife of Crown Prince future held on 20 May, 74% of the electorate voted against Frederik, gave birth to a daughter on 21 April. impeaching him. ERITREA. Osman Saleh was appointed Foreign Minister on 18 SOMALIA. Minister of Planning Husayn Elabe Fahiye was April. He was previously the Education Minister. appointed Foreign Minister on 18 April. GERMANY. In legislative elections in Bremen held on 13 May the SPAIN. On 30 April Prince Felipe and Crown Princess Letizia Social Democratic Party won 33 seats, followed by the Christian had a second daughter, Sofia. Democratic Union with 23, the Greens 14, the Left Party 7, the Free Democratic Party 5 and the German People’s Union 1. TAIWAN. On 12 May Prime Minister Su Tseng-chang resigned. President Chen Shui-bian named Chang Chun-hsiung his GRENADA. Prime Minister Keith Mitchell took over the role of successor. Finance and Planning Minister on 15 May, replacing Anthony TURKEY. On 10 May, after failing to elect a new president, Boatswain. the National Assembly resolved to amend the constitution to GUINEA. On 12 May Gen. Mamadou Baïlo Diallo was named allow direct election by the people. However, at the time of Defence Minister. going to press President Ahmet Necdet Sezer had yet to sign the amendment into law. INDIA. In Uttar Pradesh’s legislative elections held between On 8 May Abdülkadir Aksu resigned as Interior Minister. He 7 April and 8 May the Bahujan Samaj Party won 206 of the was replaced by Osman Günes. 403 available seats, followed by the Samajwadi Party 97, the Bharatiya Janata Party 50, the Indian National Congress 22 and UNITED KINGDOM. Amicus and the Transport and General the Rashtriya Lok Dal 10. Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav Workers’ Union merged on 1 May to form Unite, the UK’s biggest subsequently resigned and was replaced by Mayawati. trade union. IRAQ. Six ministers aligned with the cleric Muqtada al-Sadr resigned from the cabinet on 16 April. International Relations ISRAEL. Finance Minister Avraham Hirschson stepped down for three months on 22 April while police investigated embezzlement NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA. Two passenger trains crossed allegations made against him. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert the border between North and South Korea on 17 May, the first temporarily replaced him. cross-border journey in more than 50 years. On the same day, a Knesset committee approved President . Paul Wolfowitz announced his resignation as Moshe Katsav’s request to extend his own suspension by three President of the World Bank on 18 May. He was scheduled to months. leave office on 30 June.

See www.statesmansyearbook.com for more recent developments.

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