Independence: 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 September (1974)
Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to liberalize popular participation in the government)
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau Joao
Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980); election last held
August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA
52%, Kumba YALLA 48%
head of government: Prime Minister Manuel SATURNINO, since 5 November
1994
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, Union for Change Coalition 6, FLING 1
Judicial branch: none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council
of Ministers
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of
Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA,
leader; Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB); Democratic Front (FD),
Aristides MENEZES, leader; Social Renovation Party (PRS); Union for
Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea
(FLING); Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata
Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader; Guinea-Bissau Resistance
(RGB); Union for Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and
Independence of Guinea (FLING)
Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT,
IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT
(nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO