was succeeded by his son
Joseph KABILA

Congo, Republic of the:
chief of state: President Denis
SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in
which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25
October 1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected
president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 16 August 1992 (next was to be held 27 July 1997
but will be delayed for several years pending the drafting of a new
constitution)

election results: Pascal LISSOUBA elected president in 1992;
percent of vote - Pascal LISSOUBA 61.3%, Bernard KOLELAS 38.7%; note
- LISSOUBA was deposed in 1997, replaced by Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO

Cook Islands:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Apenera SHORT (since NA); New Zealand High
Commissioner Jon JONESSEN (since NA January 1998), representative of
New Zealand

head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Terepai MAOATE (since 18
November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Norman GEORGE (since NA)

cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
responsible to Parliament

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative
is appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats usually
becomes prime minister

note: ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party (CIP) came to an
end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe
WILLIAMS; WILLIAMS had led a minority government since October 1999
when the New Alliance Party (NAP) left the government coalition and
joined the main opposition Democratic Alliance Party (DAP); on 18
November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai MAOATE was sworn in as prime
minister

Coral Sea Islands:
administered from Canberra by the Department of
the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Costa Rica:
chief of state: President Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ (since
8 May 1998); First Vice President Astrid FISCHEL Volio (since