Terms to know.The following definitions will help you understand terms used in this issue. Communist: A system of government that calls for government ownership of land, factories, and businesses. Usually, a single party controls the government and the economy, as in Cuba. Constitutional monarchy constitutional monarchy System of government in which a monarch (see monarchy) shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader. : A government headed by a royal family member whose power is limited by a constitution and an elected parliament, as in Liechtenstein. Dominant party: A system in which one party rules, but other parties exist, as in Cameroon. Military: A system in which the leader of a country's armed forces controls the government, as in Myanmar. One-party: A government in which a single political party has all the power, as in Libya. Parliamentary democracy parliamentary democracy Democratic form of government in which the party (or a coalition of parties) with the greatest representation in the parliament (legislature) forms the government, its leader becoming prime minister or chancellor. : A government in which an elected parliament (lawmaking body) chooses the government's leader, as in New Zealand New Zealand (zē`lənd), island country (2005 est. pop. 4,035,000), 104,454 sq mi (270,534 sq km), in the S Pacific Ocean, over 1,000 mi (1,600 km) SE of Australia. The capital is Wellington; the largest city and leading port is Auckland. . Presidential dictatorship: A government in which the President has complete power, as in Belarus. Presidential-legislative democracy: A government in which an elected President heads the government and shares power with an elected legislature (lawmaking body), as in the United States. Presidential-parliamentary democracy: A government headed by an elected President as well as a Prime Minister who is usually appointed. Power is shared with an elected parliament, as in Ghana. Traditional chiefs: A body of tribal leaders who continue to play a part in a constitutional government, as in Palau. Notes to the World in Focus Date of origin: The year in which a country won control of its internal and external affairs, or when smaller areas joined to form a larger nation. Form of government and head: Most countries have two heads: a head of government and a head of state. These tables list only the more powerful of the two. For example, Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state in the United Kingdom, but Tony Blair, the head of government, is listed in the table. Human Development Index (HDI HDI Human Development Index (UNDP yardstick of human welfare) HDI Help Desk Institute HDI Humpty Dumpty Institute (New York, New York) HDI High Density Interconnect ): A number from 0 to I, based on how a country's people fare in terms of life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. , adult literacy, and purchasing power Purchasing Power 1. The value of a currency expressed in terms of the amount of goods or services that one unit of money can buy. Purchasing power is important because, all else being equal, inflation decreases the amount of goods or services you'd be able to purchase. 2. (a person's ability to buy food, clothing, and other necessities). The higher the number, the better the rating. Literacy rate: Experts doubt some estimates. NA: Means that the figure was not available. Per capita [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. gross domestic product: This figure is given in U.S. dollars. |
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