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) was elected for a
five-year term by universal suffrage; 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) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was 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), Helder Jorge VAZ
Gomes Lopes, leader; Democratic Front (FD); Social Renovation Party
(PRS), Koumba YALLA, leader; 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
International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP,
AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL
chancery: 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 872-4222
FAX: [1] (202) 872-4226
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Peggy BLACKFORD embassy: Bairro de Penha, Bissau mailing address: C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau telephone: [245] 252273, 252274, 252275, 252276 FAX: [245] 252282
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia