Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

United States
federal court system based on English common law; each
state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one
(Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges
the laws of the US,
where applicable, apply

Uruguay
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Uzbekistan
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Vanuatu
unified system being created from former dual French and
British systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Venezuela
open, adversarial court system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Vietnam
based on communist legal theory and French civil law system;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Virgin Islands
based on US laws

Wake Island
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna
the laws of France, where applicable, apply

World
all members of the UN are parties to the statute that
established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Yemen
based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Zambia
based on English common law and customary law; judicial
review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe
mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

This page was last updated on 18 December 2008

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@2101 Legislative branch

Afghanistan
the bicameral National Assembly consists of the Wolesi
Jirga or House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected
for five-year terms, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102
seats, one-third elected from provincial councils for four-year
terms, one-third elected from local district councils for three-year
terms, and one-third nominated by the president for five-year terms)
note: on rare occasions the government may convene a Loya Jirga
(Grand Council) on issues of independence, nation