Type: republic
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Administrative divisions: 9 departments, (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite, Centre, Grand'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est
Independence: 1 January 1804 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 1 January (1804)
Constitution: approved March 1987, suspended June 1988, most articles reinstated March 1989; October 1991, government claims to be observing the Constitution
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE (since 7 February
1991), ousted in a coup in September 1991 but, with US military
support, returned to power on 15 October 1994; election last held 16
December 1990 (next to be held by December 1995); results - Rev.
Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 67.5%, Marc BAZIN 14.2%, Louis DEJOIE 4.9%
head of government: Prime Minister Smarck MICHEL (since October 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by prime minister in consultation with the
president
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Senate: elections last held 18 January 1993, widely condemned as
illegitimate (next to be held 25 June 1994); results - percent of vote
by party NA; seats - (27 total) FNCD 12, MIDH-PANPRA 8, PAIN 2, MRN 1,
RDNP 1, PNT 1, independent 2
Chamber of Deputies: elections last held 16 December 1990, with runoff
held 20 January 1991 (next to be held 25 June 1995); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (83 total) FNCD 27, MIDH-PANPRA 17, PDCH
7, PAIN 6, RDNP 6, MDN 5, PNT 3, MKN 2, MODELH 2, MRN 1, independents
5, other 2