Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 12 October 1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October 1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the president elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26 September 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote-President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE 35.8%
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45 elected, 4 appointed by the president) elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held NA) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-APRC 33, UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1, independents 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]; note-in August 1996 the government banned the following from participation in the elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties-the National Convention Party or NCP [former vice president Sheriff DIBBA] and the Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399, 1379, 1425 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald Wesley SCOTT embassy: Fajara, Kairaba Avenue, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391970, 391971 FAX: [220] 392475
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges, and green
@Gambia, The:Economy