Yesterday's nationwide elections were among the biggest in the world with almost 193 million eligible voters.

In the space of barely eleven weeks four of the five countries that exist in these isles have held nationwide elections.

Like in all nationwide elections, there were hot spots in which many people in the country could not tell who would emerge the winner.

Nationwide elections were to take place mid-2004.

Although the national federation was never realised, nationwide elections for provincial assemblies were held in 1937.