Chapter XCVII: Section 3: , Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: 886 (2) 2162-2000, FAX (32)

Senegal
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
had 140 seats
elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia and Montenegro
unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian,
35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for
the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls
for direct elections
elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS
8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Seychelles
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional
basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
percentage that each party won of the total vote

Sierra Leone
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by
popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate
elections; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore
unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate
who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a
"nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Slovakia
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or
Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on
the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
15.1%, Smer 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
5, and independents 10)

Slovenia
bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or
Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected
on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
five-year terms by an electoral college)
elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
held October 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Solomon Islands
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
December 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
18

Somalia
unicameral National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal
Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each
of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)
with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

South Africa
bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and
the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by
each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has
special powers to protect regional interests, including the
safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic
minorities); note - following the implementation of the new
constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and
replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no
change in membership and party affiliations, although the new
institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new
constitution
elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - NA

Spain
bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March
2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be
held March 2008)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE
38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC
1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress
12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by
party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,
CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU
2, CC 3, other 8

Sri Lanka
unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation
system by district to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
EPDP 1

Sudan
unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly
elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as
National Congress; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
election results: NCP 355, others 5

Suriname
unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%,
VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23,
NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3

Swaziland
bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of
Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year
terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the
monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
held October 2008)
election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held September
2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Switzerland
bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in
Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),
Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)
(46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council
or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held
October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;
National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,
FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
other small parties 14

Syria
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Taiwan
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by
popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes
received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas
Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes
received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular
vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)
and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body;
delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional
representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to
amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)
note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the
National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the
legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the
election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National
Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature
elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be
held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005
election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;
seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,
independents 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP
42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP
127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)

Tajikistan
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the
Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon
(63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy
(33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2000 for the Assembly
of Representatives (next to be held NA 2010) and 23 March 2000 for
the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - PDPT 74%, CPT 13%, Islamic Revival Party 8%, other 5%; seats
by party - PDPT 49, CPT 4, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5,
vacant 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NA

Tanzania
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the
president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives;
members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws
that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly
enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own
House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the
Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by
universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held 30 October
2005)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Thailand
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the
Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha
Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of
Representatives - last held 6 February 2005 (next to be held in
February 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Togo
unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau
unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional
representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to
serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,
Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers
limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)

Tonga
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
vote; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)
election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT
70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Trinidad and Tobago
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31
seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President,
6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the
House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
to be held by October 2007)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
serving four-year terms

Tunisia
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Turkey
unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
- a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on
14 March 2003
election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
- AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as
of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,
vacant 1

Turkmenistan
under the 1992 constitution, there are two
parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk
Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some
of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed;
meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last
held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -
all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of
Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV
note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of
the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative
organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and
the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its
supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the
constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the
president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and
the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of
making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative
branches of government

Turks and Caicos Islands
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of
which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
has 5

Tuvalu
unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of
Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Uganda
unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly
elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special
interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8
ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006);
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Ukraine
unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;
under recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats
are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3%
or more of the national electoral vote; members serve five-year
terms beginning with the next election in 2006)
elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%,
CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%,
United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc -
Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14,
United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya
Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic
Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15,
Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004)
note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since
undergone a number of changes

United Arab Emirates
unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or
Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the
rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none
note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom
bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords
(consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and
26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless
the House is dissolved earlier)
elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May
2005 (next to be held by May 2010)
election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;
seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62,
other 31; note - as of 30 September 2005 the seats by party - Labor
354, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 62, other 34
note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
(because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in
October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States
bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from
each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
(next to be held November 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Uruguay
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Uzbekistan
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an
Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
held December 2009)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
unaffiliated 10
note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu
unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
note - political party associations are fluid
note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
and language

Venezuela
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Vietnam
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands
unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.
CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September
2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (now
UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002
(next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen
a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001
created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111
seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of
Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
six-year terms)
elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia
unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Zimbabwe
unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by
popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10
occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied
by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC
39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents
1

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan
total population: 42.9 years
male: 42.71 years
female: 43.1 years (2005 est.)

Albania
total population: 77.24 years
male: 74.6 years
female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)

Algeria
total population: 73 years
male: 71.45 years
female: 74.63 years (2005 est.)

American Samoa
total population: 75.84 years
male: 72.27 years
female: 79.62 years (2005 est.)

Andorra
total population: 83.51 years
male: 80.6 years
female: 86.6 years (2005 est.)

Angola
total population: 38.43 years
male: 37.28 years
female: 39.64 years (2005 est.)

Anguilla
total population: 77.11 years
male: 74.18 years
female: 80.12 years (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
total population: 71.9 years
male: 69.53 years
female: 74.38 years (2005 est.)

Argentina
total population: 75.91 years
male: 72.17 years
female: 79.85 years (2005 est.)

Armenia
total population: 71.55 years
male: 67.97 years
female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)

Aruba
total population: 79.14 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 82.65 years (2005 est.)

Australia
total population: 80.39 years
male: 77.52 years
female: 83.4 years (2005 est.)

Austria
total population: 78.92 years
male: 76.03 years
female: 81.96 years (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
total population: 63.35 years
male: 59.24 years
female: 67.66 years (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
total population: 65.54 years
male: 62.11 years
female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)

Bahrain
total population: 74.23 years
male: 71.76 years
female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
total population: 62.08 years
male: 62.13 years
female: 62.02 years (2005 est.)

Barbados
total population: 72.59 years
male: 70.6 years
female: 74.6 years (2005 est.)

Belarus
total population: 68.72 years
male: 63.03 years
female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)

Belgium
total population: 78.62 years
male: 75.44 years
female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)

Belize
total population: 68.44 years
male: 66.54 years
female: 70.44 years (2005 est.)

Benin
total population: 52.66 years
male: 51.53 years
female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)

Bermuda
total population: 77.79 years
male: 75.7 years
female: 79.91 years (2005 est.)

Bhutan
total population: 54.39 years
male: 54.65 years
female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)

Bolivia
total population: 65.5 years
male: 62.89 years
female: 68.25 years (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
total population: 77.83 years
male: 74.21 years
female: 81.72 years (2005 est.)

Botswana
total population: 33.87 years
male: 33.89 years
female: 33.84 years (2005 est.)

Brazil
total population: 71.69 years
male: 67.74 years
female: 75.85 years (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
total population: 76.49 years
male: 75.41 years
female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)

Brunei
total population: 74.8 years
male: 72.36 years
female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
total population: 72.03 years
male: 68.41 years
female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
total population: 48.45 years
male: 46.96 years
female: 49.99 years (2005 est.)

Burma
total population: 60.7 years
male: 57.8 years
female: 63.78 years (2005 est.)

Burundi
total population: 50.29 years
male: 49.61 years
female: 50.99 years (2005 est.)

Cambodia
total population: 58.92 years
male: 56.98 years
female: 60.95 years (2005 est.)

Cameroon
total population: 50.89 years
male: 50.71 years
female: 51.08 years (2005 est.)

Canada
total population: 80.1 years
male: 76.73 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
total population: 70.45 years
male: 67.13 years
female: 73.86 years (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
total population: 79.95 years
male: 77.33 years
female: 82.6 years (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
total population: 43.39 years
male: 43.27 years
female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Chad
total population: 47.18 years
male: 45.55 years
female: 48.87 years (2005 est.)

Chile
total population: 76.58 years
male: 73.3 years
female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

China
total population: 72.27 years
male: 70.65 years
female: 74.09 years (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Colombia
total population: 71.72 years
male: 67.88 years
female: 75.7 years (2005 est.)

Comoros
total population: 61.96 years
male: 59.65 years
female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total population: 51.1 years
male: 49.68 years
female: 52.56 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
total population: 52.26 years
male: 51.17 years
female: 53.39 years (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Costa Rica
total population: 76.84 years
male: 74.26 years
female: 79.55 years (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
total population: 48.62 years
male: 46.05 years
female: 51.27 years (2005 est.)

Croatia
total population: 74.45 years
male: 70.79 years
female: 78.31 years (2005 est.)

Cuba
total population: 77.23 years
male: 74.94 years
female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)

Cyprus
total population: 77.65 years
male: 75.29 years
female: 80.13 years (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
total population: 76.02 years
male: 72.74 years
female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)

Denmark
total population: 77.62 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

Djibouti
total population: 43.1 years
male: 41.84 years
female: 44.39 years (2005 est.)

Dominica
total population: 74.65 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 77.71 years (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
total population: 71.44 years
male: 69.94 years
female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

East Timor
total population: 65.9 years
male: 63.63 years
female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Ecuador
total population: 76.21 years
male: 73.35 years
female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Egypt
total population: 71 years
male: 68.5 years
female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

El Salvador
total population: 71.22 years
male: 67.61 years
female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
total population: 49.7 years
male: 48.01 years
female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)

Eritrea
total population: 58.47 years
male: 56.96 years
female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

Estonia
total population: 71.77 years
male: 66.28 years
female: 77.6 years (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
total population: 48.83 years
male: 47.67 years
female: 50.03 years (2005 est.)

European Union
total population: 78.3 years
male: 75.1 years
female: 81.6 years (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
total population: 79.21 years
male: 75.77 years
female: 82.67 years (2005 est.)

Fiji
total population: 69.53 years
male: 67.05 years
female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Finland
total population: 78.35 years
male: 74.82 years
female: 82.02 years (2005 est.)

France
total population: 79.6 years
male: 75.96 years
female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)

French Guiana
total population: 77.09 years
male: 73.77 years
female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
total population: 75.9 years
male: 73.5 years
female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)

Gabon
total population: 55.02 years
male: 53.63 years
female: 56.45 years (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
total population: 53.75 years
male: 51.91 years
female: 55.64 years (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
total population: 71.79 years
male: 70.5 years
female: 73.15 years (2005 est.)

Georgia
total population: 75.88 years
male: 72.59 years
female: 79.67 years (2005 est.)

Germany
total population: 78.65 years
male: 75.66 years
female: 81.81 years (2005 est.)

Ghana
total population: 58.47 years
male: 57.7 years
female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
total population: 79.67 years
male: 76.8 years
female: 82.7 years (2005 est.)

Greece
total population: 79.09 years
male: 76.59 years
female: 81.76 years (2005 est.)

Greenland
total population: 69.65 years
male: 66.07 years
female: 73.31 years (2005 est.)

Grenada
total population: 64.53 years
male: 62.74 years
female: 66.31 years (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
total population: 77.9 years
male: 74.74 years
female: 81.21 years (2005 est.)

Guam
total population: 78.4 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)

Guatemala
total population: 69.06 years
male: 67.37 years
female: 70.84 years (2005 est.)

Guernsey
total population: 80.3 years
male: 77.3 years
female: 83.41 years (2005 est.)

Guinea
total population: 49.36 years
male: 48.19 years
female: 50.57 years (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
total population: 46.61 years
male: 44.77 years
female: 48.52 years (2005 est.)

Guyana
total population: 65.5 years
male: 62.86 years
female: 68.28 years (2005 est.)

Haiti
total population: 52.92 years
male: 51.58 years
female: 54.31 years (2005 est.)

Honduras
total population: 69.3 years
male: 67.71 years
female: 70.97 years (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
total population: 81.5 years
male: 78.81 years
female: 84.41 years (2005 est.)

Hungary
total population: 72.4 years
male: 68.18 years
female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

Iceland
total population: 80.19 years
male: 78.13 years
female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)

India
total population: 64.35 years
male: 63.57 years
female: 65.16 years (2005 est.)

Indonesia
total population: 69.57 years
male: 67.13 years
female: 72.13 years (2005 est.)

Iran
total population: 69.96 years
male: 68.58 years
female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)

Iraq
total population: 68.7 years
male: 67.49 years
female: 69.97 years (2005 est.)

Ireland
total population: 77.56 years
male: 74.95 years
female: 80.34 years (2005 est.)

Israel
total population: 79.32 years
male: 77.21 years
female: 81.55 years (2005 est.)

Italy
total population: 79.68 years
male: 76.75 years
female: 82.81 years (2005 est.)

Jamaica
total population: 73.33 years
male: 71.63 years
female: 75.12 years (2005 est.)

Japan
total population: 81.15 years
male: 77.86 years
female: 84.61 years (2005 est.)

Jersey
total population: 79.24 years
male: 76.77 years
female: 81.91 years (2005 est.)

Jordan
total population: 78.24 years
male: 75.75 years
female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
total population: 66.55 years
male: 61.21 years
female: 72.2 years (2005 est.)

Kenya
total population: 47.99 years
male: 48.87 years
female: 47.09 years (2005 est.)

Kiribati
total population: 61.71 years
male: 58.71 years
female: 64.86 years (2005 est.)

Korea, North
total population: 71.37 years
male: 68.65 years
female: 74.22 years (2005 est.)

Korea, South
total population: 76.85 years
male: 73.42 years
female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)

Kuwait
total population: 77.03 years
male: 76.01 years
female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
total population: 68.16 years
male: 64.16 years
female: 72.38 years (2005 est.)

Laos
total population: 55.08 years
male: 53.07 years
female: 57.17 years (2005 est.)

Latvia
total population: 71.05 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)

Lebanon
total population: 72.63 years
male: 70.17 years
female: 75.21 years (2005 est.)

Lesotho
total population: 34.47 years
male: 35.49 years
female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)

Liberia
total population: 38.89 years
male: 37.03 years
female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Libya
total population: 76.5 years
male: 74.29 years
female: 78.82 years (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
total population: 79.55 years
male: 75.96 years
female: 83.16 years (2005 est.)

Lithuania
total population: 73.97 years
male: 68.94 years
female: 79.28 years (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
total population: 78.74 years
male: 75.45 years
female: 82.24 years (2005 est.)

Macau
total population: 82.12 years
male: 79.29 years
female: 85.09 years (2005 est.)

Macedonia
total population: 73.73 years
male: 71.28 years
female: 76.37 years (2005 est.)

Madagascar
total population: 56.95 years
male: 54.57 years
female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)

Malawi
total population: 41.43 years
male: 41.66 years
female: 41.2 years (2005 est.)

Malaysia
total population: 72.24 years
male: 69.56 years
female: 75.11 years (2005 est.)

Maldives
total population: 64.06 years
male: 62.76 years
female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)

Mali
total population: 48.64 years
male: 46.68 years
female: 50.66 years (2005 est.)

Malta
total population: 78.86 years
male: 76.7 years
female: 81.15 years (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
total population: 78.34 years
male: 74.98 years
female: 81.87 years (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
total population: 70.01 years
male: 68.05 years
female: 72.06 years (2005 est.)

Martinique
total population: 79.04 years
male: 79.43 years
female: 78.64 years (2005 est.)

Mauritania
total population: 52.73 years
male: 50.52 years
female: 55 years (2005 est.)

Mauritius
total population: 72.38 years
male: 68.4 years
female: 76.41 years (2005 est.)

Mayotte
total population: 61.39 years
male: 59.22 years
female: 63.62 years (2005 est.)

Mexico
total population: 75.19 years
male: 72.42 years
female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
total population: 69.75 years
male: 67.96 years
female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

Moldova
total population: 65.18 years
male: 61.12 years
female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)

Monaco
total population: 79.57 years
male: 75.7 years
female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Mongolia
total population: 64.52 years
male: 62.3 years
female: 66.86 years (2005 est.)

Montserrat
total population: 78.71 years
male: 76.54 years
female: 80.98 years (2005 est.)

Morocco
total population: 70.66 years
male: 68.35 years
female: 73.07 years (2005 est.)

Mozambique
total population: 40.32 years
male: 39.9 years
female: 40.75 years (2005 est.)

Namibia
total population: 43.93 years
male: 44.71 years
female: 43.13 years (2005 est.)

Nauru
total population: 62.73 years
male: 59.16 years
female: 66.48 years (2005 est.)

Nepal
total population: 59.8 years
male: 60.09 years
female: 59.5 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands
total population: 78.81 years
male: 76.25 years
female: 81.51 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
total population: 75.83 years
male: 73.58 years
female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
total population: 74.04 years
male: 71.07 years
female: 77.16 years (2005 est.)

New Zealand
total population: 78.66 years
male: 75.67 years
female: 81.78 years (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
total population: 70.33 years
male: 68.27 years
female: 72.49 years (2005 est.)

Niger
total population: 43.5 years
male: 43.54 years
female: 43.45 years (2005 est.)

Nigeria
total population: 46.74 years
male: 46.21 years
female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)

Niue
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Norfolk Island
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
total population: 75.88 years
male: 73.31 years
female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)

Norway
total population: 79.4 years
male: 76.78 years
female: 82.17 years (2005 est.)

Oman
total population: 73.13 years
male: 70.92 years
female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)

Pakistan
total population: 63 years
male: 62.04 years
female: 64.01 years (2005 est.)

Palau
total population: 70.14 years
male: 66.98 years
female: 73.48 years (2005 est.)

Panama
total population: 75.25 years
male: 72.68 years
female: 77.93 years (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
total population: 64.93 years
male: 62.76 years
female: 67.21 years (2005 est.)

Paraguay
total population: 74.89 years
male: 72.35 years
female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Peru
total population: 69.53 years
male: 67.77 years
female: 71.37 years (2005 est.)

Philippines
total population: 69.91 years
male: 67.03 years
female: 72.92 years (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA

Poland
total population: 74.74 years
male: 70.71 years
female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)

Portugal
total population: 77.53 years
male: 74.25 years
female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
total population: 78.29 years
male: 74.35 years
female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

Qatar
total population: 73.67 years
male: 71.15 years
female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)

Reunion
total population: 73.95 years
male: 70.55 years
female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)

Romania
total population: 71.35 years
male: 67.86 years
female: 75.06 years (2005 est.)

Russia
total population: 67.1 years
male: 60.55 years
female: 74.04 years (2005 est.)

Rwanda
total population: 46.96 years
male: 45.92 years
female: 48.03 years (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
total population: 77.76 years
male: 74.86 years
female: 80.81 years (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
total population: 72.15 years
male: 69.31 years
female: 75.16 years (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
total population: 73.61 years
male: 70.05 years
female: 77.42 years (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total population: 78.46 years
male: 76.13 years
female: 80.9 years (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total population: 73.62 years
male: 71.78 years
female: 75.51 years (2005 est.)

Samoa
total population: 70.72 years
male: 67.93 years
female: 73.65 years (2005 est.)

San Marino
total population: 81.62 years
male: 78.13 years
female: 85.43 years (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
total population: 66.99 years
male: 65.43 years
female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
total population: 75.46 years
male: 73.46 years
female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Senegal
total population: 58.9 years
male: 57.37 years
female: 60.47 years (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
total population: 74.73 years
male: 72.15 years
female: 77.51 years (2005 est.)

Seychelles
total population: 71.82 years
male: 66.41 years
female: 77.4 years (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
total population: 39.87 years
male: 37.74 years
female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)

Singapore
total population: 81.62 years
male: 79.05 years
female: 84.39 years (2005 est.)

Slovakia
total population: 74.5 years
male: 70.52 years
female: 78.68 years (2005 est.)

Slovenia
total population: 76.14 years
male: 72.42 years
female: 80.1 years (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
total population: 72.66 years
male: 70.16 years
female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)

Somalia
total population: 48.09 years
male: 46.36 years
female: 49.87 years (2005 est.)

South Africa
total population: 43.27 years
male: 43.47 years
female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)

Spain
total population: 79.52 years
male: 76.18 years
female: 83.08 years (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
total population: 73.17 years
male: 70.6 years
female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)

Sudan
total population: 58.54 years
male: 57.33 years
female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)

Suriname
total population: 68.96 years
male: 66.75 years
female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

Svalbard
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

Swaziland
total population: 33.22 years
male: 32.49 years
female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)

Sweden
total population: 80.4 years
male: 78.19 years
female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

Switzerland
total population: 80.39 years
male: 77.58 years
female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)

Syria
total population: 70.03 years
male: 68.75 years
female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)

Taiwan
total population: 77.26 years
male: 74.49 years
female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
total population: 64.56 years
male: 61.68 years
female: 67.59 years (2005 est.)

Tanzania
total population: 45.24 years
male: 44.56 years
female: 45.94 years (2005 est.)

Thailand
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.65 years
female: 74.37 years (2005 est.)

Togo
total population: 57.01 years
male: 55.02 years
female: 59.06 years (2005 est.)

Tokelau
total population: NA
male: -9 years
female: -9 years (2005 est.)

Tonga
total population: 69.53 years
male: 67.05 years
female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
total population: 66.73 years
male: 65.6 years
female: 67.91 years (2005 est.)

Tunisia
total population: 74.89 years
male: 73.2 years
female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)

Turkey
total population: 72.36 years
male: 69.94 years
female: 74.91 years (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
total population: 61.39 years
male: 58.02 years
female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
total population: 74.51 years
male: 72.28 years
female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
total population: 68.01 years
male: 65.79 years
female: 70.33 years (2005 est.)

Uganda
total population: 51.59 years
male: 50.74 years
female: 52.46 years (2005 est.)

Ukraine
total population: 69.68 years
male: 64.39 years
female: 75.31 years (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
total population: 75.24 years
male: 72.73 years
female: 77.87 years (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
total population: 78.38 years
male: 75.94 years
female: 80.96 years (2005 est.)

United States
total population: 77.71 years
male: 74.89 years
female: 80.67 years (2005 est.)

Uruguay
total population: 76.13 years
male: 72.92 years
female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
total population: 64.19 years
male: 60.82 years
female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
total population: 62.49 years
male: 61 years
female: 64.05 years (2005 est.)

Venezuela
total population: 74.31 years
male: 71.27 years
female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)

Vietnam
total population: 70.61 years
male: 67.82 years
female: 73.6 years (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
total population: 78.91 years
male: 75.08 years
female: 82.96 years (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

West Bank
total population: 73.08 years
male: 71.33 years
female: 74.95 years (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years

World
total population: 64.33 years
male: 62.73 years
female: 66.04 years (2005 est.)

Yemen
total population: 61.75 years
male: 59.89 years
female: 63.71 years (2005 est.)

Zambia
total population: 39.7 years
male: 39.43 years
female: 39.98 years (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
total population: 39.13 years
male: 40.2 years
female: 38.03 years (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 36%
male: 51%
female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra
definition: NA
total population: 100%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Angola
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 66.8%
male: 82.1%
female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
definition: age 15 and over has completed five
or more years of schooling
total population: 89%
male: 90%
female: 88% (1960 est.)

Argentina
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.1%
male: 97.1%
female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.4%
female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba
definition:
total population: 97%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Australia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100%
male: 100%
female: 100% (1980 est.)

Austria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Azerbaijan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.8%
male: 99.5%
female: 98.2% (1999 est.)

Bahamas, The
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.6%
male: 94.7%
female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.1%
male: 91.9%
female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 43.1%
male: 53.9%
female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.7%
female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Belarus
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.6%
male: 99.8%
female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Belize
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.1%
male: 94.1%
female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 33.6%
male: 46.4%
female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Bermuda
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1970 est.)

Bhutan
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 42.2%
male: 56.2%
female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Bolivia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 87.2%
male: 93.1%
female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.6%
male: 98.4%
female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Botswana
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.8%
male: 76.9%
female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 86.4%
male: 86.1%
female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Brunei
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)

Bulgaria
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.6%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 26.6%
male: 36.9%
female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85.3%
male: 89.2%
female: 81.4% (2002)

Burundi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.6%
male: 58.5%
female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 73.6%
male: 84.7%
female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79%
male: 84.7%
female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% (1986 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

Cape Verde
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 76.6%
male: 85.8%
female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic
definition: age 15 and over can read and
write
total population: 51%
male: 63.3%
female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad
definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
total population: 47.5%
male: 56%
female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.4%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.9%
male: 95.1%
female: 86.5% (2002)

Christmas Island
NA

Colombia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 92.4%
female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 56.5%
male: 63.6%
female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can
read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
total population: 65.5%
male: 76.2%
female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8%
male: 89.6%
female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
definition: NA
total population: 95%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Costa Rica
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96%
male: 95.9%
female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50.9%
male: 57.9%
female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.4%
female: 97.8% (2003 est.)