The United States has elected Donald Trump as its next president, prompting scenes of joy from ecstatic Republican voters.
But the controversial tycoon will have to wait until the new year before he can move into the White House.
The Republican will not take his place in the Oval Office until January and in the meantime the president-elect will prepare his administration and appoint officials.
By law, the president must take his oath of office by noon on January 20. This has been scheduled as the date of the inauguration ceremony traditionally conducted by the Chief Justice.
Mr Trump will then deliver an address, a key event in US politics where he is expected to set out the vision and tone for the first four years of his administration.
However many formalities will have to be completed before he is sworn in.
On December 19, the electors – the members of the Electoral College – meet in their state HQs and vote for a president and vice president on separate ballots. They will sign, seal and certify six sets of electoral votes.
The votes must be received by the president of the Senate and the archivist no later than nine days after the meeting, according to the website of the National Archives and Records Administration.
On January 6, Congress will meet and and count the electoral votes, before the president of the Senate declares who has been elected president and vice president.
Only after these steps have been followed will Mr Trump be sworn in as the new president of the United States.
