Compare Constitution (2005) - Constitution (2006)

Compare Constitution (2005) with Constitution (2006)

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	Constitution (2005)	Constitution (2006)
Afghanistan	new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004	new constitution drafted 14 December 2003-4 January 2004; signed 16 January 2004
Akrotiri	-	Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960
Algeria	19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996	8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
Angola	11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been approved	11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - a new constitution will likely be passed following the next legislative election
Armenia	adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995	adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005
Bhutan	no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers; now awaiting referendum	no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001, the king commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in March 2005 publicly unveiled it; is awaiting national referendum
British Virgin Islands	1 June 1977	1 June 1977, amended in 2000
Burundi	13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political system; supplanted on 20 October 2004 by a provisional constitution approved by the parliament which extended the transition; a 28 February 2005 popular referendum ratified the new constitution which set ethnic quotas for government positions, and tentatively scheduled general elections for April 2005	28 February 2005; ratified by popular referendum
Cape Verde	new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)	new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the powers of the president; a 1999 revision created the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)
Cayman Islands	1959; revised 1972 and 1992	1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994
Central African Republic	passed by referendum 5 December 2004	ratified by popular referendum 5 December 2004; effective 27 December 2004
Chad	passed by referendum 31 March 1996	passed by referendum 31 March 1996; a June 2005 referendum removed constitutional term limits
Chile	11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989, 1993, and 1997	11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 1989, 1991, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003, and 2005
Christmas Island	Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958)	Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1953)	Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992
Congo, Democratic Republic of the	new constitution adopted 17 July 2003	18 February 2006
Dhekelia	-	Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960
Egypt	11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980	11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 and 25 May 2005
Fiji	promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998	enacted on 25 July 1997 to encourage multiculturalism and make multiparty government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998
Guam	Organic Act of 1 August 1950	Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950
Guatemala	31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993	31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May 1993 by former President Jorge SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following ouster of president; amended November 1993
Guinea-Bissau	16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996	16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, NA 1996
Haiti	approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994	approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles reinstated March 1989; constitutional government ousted in a military coup in September 1991, although in October 1991, military government claimed to be observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in October 1994; constitution remains technically in force but has not been observed since Aristide's departure in 2004
Indonesia	August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959	August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959; series of amemdments concluded in 2002
Iraq	interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to govern the country until an elected Iraqi Government can draft and ratify a new constitution in 2005	ratified on 15 October 2005
Jordan	1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984	1 January 1952; amended 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1984
Kenya	12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001	12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001
Kyrgyzstan	adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature	adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President Askar AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature; following the spring 2005 demonstrations, a new Constitutional Council was appointed and the reform process is ongoing
Macedonia	adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights	adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary
Montenegro	-	12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly)
Netherlands	adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002	adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Northern Mariana Islands	Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986	Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986
Pakistan	12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002; amended 31 December 2003	12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored in stages in 2002; amended 31 December 2003
Qatar	ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005	ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005
Saudi Arabia	governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993	governed according to Shari'a law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
Serbia	-	28 September 1990; note - a new draft constitution approved by Parliament on 30 September 2006 stresses that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia; the draft must still be approved by a national referendum
Serbia and Montenegro	4 February 2003	-
Slovenia	adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991	adopted 23 December 1991
Sri Lanka	adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new constitution proposed in 2002	adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978
Sudan	12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR	12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA, Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan signed December 2005
Swaziland	a constitution was due to be adopted in November 2003 but was delayed and scheduled for early 2005	the first constitution was signed into law in July 2005 and is scheduled to be implemented in January 2006
Taiwan	25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000	25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2005
Thailand	new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997	constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promulgated on 1 October 2006; junta has promised new constitution by October 2007
Turks and Caicos Islands	introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988	Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)
Uganda	8 October 1995	8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system
United Arab Emirates	2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)	2 December 1971; made permanent in 1996
Zambia	24 August 1991	24 August 1991; amended in 1996 to establish presidential term limits