Which countries have authoritarian regimes? What political systems replaced communism in the ex-Soviet republics? What are the origins of parliamentary government? Can a country have a Bill of Rights without a constitution? How do pressure groups affect government? Here, in the first single-volume study of its kind, is the definitive guide to world political systems, covering both political ideologies and the political system of every country in the world.

This edition includes a wealth of additional material with up-to-date facts and figures for social and economic data - such as human rights indexes, comparative growth rates, literacy rates, ethnic and religious composition - as well as regional maps and locator maps for every country.