This yearbook marks the twelfth year of the Comparative Survey and is the sixth edition in the Freedom House series of annual publications. In addition to the material on the Comparative Survey, the 1984-1985 yearbook considers aspects of the current UNESCO controversy and includes reports on elections in El Salvador and Panama. The contributors return to the overall themes of the first yearbook--the definition of democracy and freedom and a consideration of their development--with particular reference to problems of democracy in Central America and the general history and diffusion of democracy. For the first time, the country summaries are augmented by summaries for the related territories.