In a political context, countries and borders define the units of sovereign authority in the international system. Borders determine which government has jurisdiction over a territory, its people, and its resources. Read more
Which country was the first to give women the right to vote?
MediumNew Zealand was the first country to grant women the right to vote in national elections, in 1893. The campaign was led by Kate Sheppard, who gathered a petition of 25,000 signatures - nearly 25% of New Zealand's adult female population. New Zealand women voted for the first time in the election of November 28, 1893.
Despite being the first country to grant women the right to vote, New Zealand did not allow women to stand as candidates for Parliament until 1919 - 26 years after granting the vote. The first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament was Elizabeth McCombs, who won a by-election in 1933, four decades after women first voted. Other early adopters include Australia (1902, though Indigenous women were excluded), Finland (1906), and Norway (1913). The United States granted women the vote nationally in 1920, and the UK in 1928 (though limited suffrage was granted in 1918).
Which country is the largest contributor to the UN budget?
EasyThe United States is the largest contributor to the UN budget, paying for approximately 22% of the regular budget and about 27% of the peacekeeping budget. The scale of assessments is based on each country's gross national income, adjusted for external debt and low per capita income. The UN budget is funded by member states through assessed contributions. The largest contributors after the US are China, Japan, Germany, and the UK. The regular budget for 2023 was about 3.4 billion. The US has often used its funding leverage to push for reforms in the UN system.
Which country has the most UN peacekeeping troops deployed?
MediumIndia has the most UN peacekeeping troops deployed. It has contributed over 250,000 troops to more than 50 missions since 1950. As of 2024, about 6,000 Indian personnel serve in various operations, primarily in Africa and the Middle East. India was a founding member of the UN and has consistently supported peacekeeping efforts. It has lost over 170 peacekeepers in the line of duty. Other major contributors include Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Rwanda. Western nations contribute far fewer troops but provide significant financial support. India advocates for greater representation in UN decision-making, reflecting its major contributions.
Which country has the Majlis al-Dawla as its upper house?
HardOman's upper house of parliament is called the Majlis al-Dawla (Council of State), which forms the upper chamber of Oman's bicameral Council of Oman. The Majlis al-Dawla consists of appointed members chosen by the Sultan of Oman, and it reviews legislation passed by the lower house (Majlis al-Dawla) and advises on policy matters. Oman operates as an absolute monarchy under Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, who succeeded Sultan Qaboos bin Said in 2020 after his 49-year reign.
Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who ruled Oman from 1970 until his death in 2020, transformed Oman from a largely medieval state with almost no modern infrastructure into a relatively prosperous nation in just a few decades. When he came to power in 1970, Oman had only three schools, one hospital, and about 10 kilometers of paved road. His modernization program was one of the most rapid national transformations of the 20th century.
Which country abolished its monarchy and became a republic in 1974?
MediumGreece abolished its monarchy and became a republic following a referendum held on December 8, 1974. The referendum asked Greek citizens to choose between a monarchy and a republic - 69.2% voted for a republic. This came shortly after the fall of a military junta that had ruled Greece since 1967, and King Constantine II had been living in exile since a failed counter-coup against the junta in 1967. The transition to democracy, known in Greece as the 'Metapolitefsi,' also included the trial and imprisonment of the junta's leaders.
King Constantine II of Greece was the last monarch to be deposed in Western Europe. He lived in exile for decades - first in Rome, then London - and was stripped of his Greek citizenship and property by the Greek government. He was not allowed to return to Greece as a private citizen until 2013, nearly four decades after the referendum.
Which South American country has a unicameral legislature?
MediumVenezuela has a unicameral legislature called the National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional), with a single chamber of elected representatives. This makes it one of the few South American countries with a unicameral national legislature. Venezuela adopted its current unicameral system under the 1999 constitution introduced by President Hugo Ch?vez, replacing the former bicameral Congress. The National Assembly has been at the center of Venezuela's severe political crisis, particularly after the government of Nicol?s Maduro created a parallel constituent assembly in 2017 that critics called unconstitutional.
Venezuela's political crisis produced one of the most bizarre constitutional standoffs in modern history. In 2019, opposition leader Juan Guaid? declared himself interim president, invoking the constitution after disputed elections, and was recognized by over 50 countries - while Nicol?s Maduro retained control of the military and continued to govern, creating two internationally recognized claimants to the presidency simultaneously.
Which country has a system where the president is also head of government AND state?
MediumFrance has a semi-presidential system in which the President is both head of state and, in practice, the dominant head of government - giving the president enormous executive power compared to most other democracies. The French President appoints the Prime Minister, chairs cabinet meetings, controls foreign and defense policy, and can dissolve the National Assembly. This system was designed by Charles de Gaulle for the Fifth Republic in 1958 to create strong executive leadership. However, when the president and parliament are from opposing parties - a situation called 'cohabitation' - the Prime Minister takes on more governing power.
France has experienced three periods of 'cohabitation' - in 1986?88, 1993?95, and 1997?2002 - during which a president of one party was forced to share power with a prime minister from the opposing party. These periods were awkward and often tense, leading to a 2000 constitutional reform that aligned presidential and parliamentary terms to reduce the likelihood of future cohabitation.
Which US President said 'Ask not what your country can do for you'?
EasyJohn F. Kennedy delivered the iconic line 'Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country' in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961. The speech called on Americans to commit to public service and civic responsibility, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest inaugural addresses in US history. Kennedy's words helped define the spirit of his administration and inspired a generation to enter public service. The Peace Corps, established weeks later, was a direct embodiment of this call to action.
Kennedy's speechwriter Ted Sorensen is often credited as the primary author of the inaugural address, though Kennedy edited it heavily. The famous line itself may have been inspired by a similar passage in a speech by Warren G. Harding from 1916, and another by Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. Kennedy transformed existing ideas into one of the most memorable sentences in American political history.
Which country has a system called 'Westminster model'?
EasyThe Westminster model refers to the parliamentary system of government that originated in the United Kingdom and was exported to many former British colonies. Its key features include a constitutional monarch or head of state separate from the head of government, a Prime Minister who is the leader of the party commanding a majority in parliament, collective cabinet responsibility, an independent civil service, and a loyal opposition. Countries following the Westminster model include Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and many others.
Despite being the model for parliamentary systems worldwide, the UK's Westminster system is itself unwritten and largely based on conventions rather than codified rules. This means that much of how the British government works rests on informal agreements and traditions rather than legally enforceable rules - making it simultaneously one of the world's most stable and most constitutionally unusual systems of government.
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