Facts about the elections...

• More than half of the voters are under 35 years old.
• There are 7 presediential contenders.
• There are 566 parliamentary candidates for 112 parliamentary seats.
• Ballots have been transported by trucks, canoes and porters to some 6,176 polling stations in savannah, jungles and mountains.
• Results will be released progressively with final tallies within 12 days of voting, according to the national electoral commission.
• The presidential winner must take more than 55 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off.
• About 2.6 million of the nation's 5 million people are registered to vote.