African Union (AU) An organization of 55 African countries, established in 2002 to promote unity and an end to war in Africa.

Arab League An organization formed in 1945 to promote co-operation between Arab countries.

Commonwealth of Nations Often called simply "the Commonwealth", a political association of 56 member states, most (but not all) of which are former territories of the British Empire. It was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1926. The modern Commonwealth was established in 1949.

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) An organization of states that were once members of the Soviet Union (Russia and the surrounding states before 1991). It was established with the aim of improving trade and security. After withdrawals, it currently has nine members (as of May 2026).

Constitution Documents that outline the powers of a government and how it should operate. Most democratic countries follow a constitution.

Country A geographical region with its own government.

Democracy A form of government where people have a say in how the government runs. In democracies, this is usually by electing a candidate from a choice of political parties.

Dictatorship A form of government where one person or party has absolute power, often taken and kept using force. An individual with complete power is called a dictator. Most dictators ban all political parties other than their own.

Election A system of voting for individuals to act in government. In a general election, voters choose who will govern their country. In some countries, such as the USA, voters also elect a president. In others, such as the UK, the head of the party with most votes becomes the leader of the government.

European Union (EU) An organization of 27 countries in Europe. EU policies promote trade between countries in Europe and aim to improve security. The EU is run by the Commission, a body that is accountable to the Council of Ministers. Currently, 18 countries in the EU use the euro (€) as currency.

Federation A country divided into states. Each state rules itself on local matters, such as education and highways. The USA, Russia and Brazil are all examples of federations.

Government A system by which authority is exercised over the people. It may control a city, state or country. Governments make decisions about public services, such as health, education and transport, and decide how to raise money to pay for them.

Head of state The main representative of a country. In a monarchy, this is a king or queen; in a republic the president is both the political leader and the head of state.

International organization A grouping of countries that exists to help co-operation between them on a number of different issues, including economic development, defence, peacekeeping, health, conservation and climate change.

Laws The rules of a country, made by its government. Laws control what people can and cannot do, in order to maintain order and stop people being harmed by others. People are punished if they break the law.

Legislature The part of a government responsible for making laws. In the UK, it is called Parliament. In the USA, it is known as Congress. In France and other countries, it is called the National Assembly.

Monarchy A government in which the head of state is a monarch, such as a king or queen, whose position is inherited. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has total power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch’s powers are limited in practice.

Nation A large group of people with a common culture or language, living in a particular region or country.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) A military alliance formed between countries in North America and Europe. Established in 1949, NATO currently (as of February 2025) has 32 members.

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) An international organization whose purpose is to co-ordinate the policies and protect the interests of the oil-producing countries. Founded in 1960, its 12 current members (as of May 2026) are: Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Some 80% of the world's known oil reserves are located within OPEC nations.

Policy A plan of action adopted by a government.

Political party A group of people with similar opinions working to achieve common political aims and seek power within a government.

Politics The study or practice of achieving and exercising government.

President The elected head of state and government in a republic.

Prime minister The head of the government in a parliamentary system. He or she is the leader of the political party that wins most votes in an election.

Republic A country that does not have a monarch. In a republic, the president is head of state. The USA, France, Ireland and India are all examples of republics.

State Another word for a country, or a small self-governed area that is part of a larger country, as in a federation.

Taxes Money paid to the government by individuals and businesses. Taxes are used to fund services such as health and education.

United Nations (UN) A worldwide organization formed to promote security and peace. Set up in 1945, today the UN has 193 members. Every member has a seat on the General Assembly, which discusses issues such as world poverty and the environment. A body of selected countries forms the UN Security Council, which takes decisions in times of crisis.

Consultant: Lloyd Jenkins