National capital: Port Louis
Administrative divisions: 9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega
Islands*, Black River, Cargados Carajos*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,
Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
Rodrigues*, Savanne
Independence: 12 March 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 March (1968)
Constitution: 12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992
Legal system: based on French civil law system with elements of
English common law in certain areas
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Cassam UTEEM (since 1 July 1992) and Vice President Rabindranath GHURBURRUN (since 1 July 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM (since 27 December 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president and vice president elected by the National Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 28 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president and are responsible to the National Assembly election results: Cassam UTEEM elected president and Rabindranath GHURBURRUN elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly-NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (66 seats-62 popularly elected, 4 appointed; members serve five-year terms); note-the election commission appoints four members from the losing political parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities elections: last held on 20 December 1995 (next to be held by December 2000) election results: percent of vote by party-MLP/MMM 65%, MSM/MMR 20%, other 15%; seats by party-MLP 35, MMM 25, allies of MLP and MMM on Rodrigues Island 2; appointed were Rodrigues Movement 2, PMSD 1, Hizbullah 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court