World

GDP per capita is a country's gross domestic product divided by its population. Here is how it is calculated, what it shows, and where it falls short.

A tariff is a tax on imported goods. Here is how tariffs work, why governments use them, and the debate over who actually bears the cost.

Diplomatic immunity is a principle of international law that shields diplomats from prosecution in a host state. Here is what the Vienna Convention actually says.

A referendum is a direct popular vote on a single question or proposal. Here is how referendums work, the types that exist, and what makes them binding.

A ceasefire suspends fighting. It does not end a war, settle what caused it, or bind anyone who did not sign it — distinctions that decide whether one holds.

Sanctions are restrictions imposed to change a government's behaviour without going to war. Who can impose them, and what the evidence says about whether they work.

When no party wins a majority, governing requires an agreement between several. How coalitions are negotiated, how they hold together, and how they fall apart.

The Security Council is the UN's most powerful body, where any one of five permanent members can block a major decision on its own with the veto.

These three words are often used interchangeably, but in international law they mean different things — and the difference affects people's protection.

Joining the EU is a long, structured process built around democratic standards and adopting the bloc's entire body of law, chapter by chapter.