Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (initially assumed
power 14 November 1980 in a coup d'etat)
head of government: Prime Minister Francisco FADUL (since NA
November 1998); note—named in an agreement between President VIEIRA
and a military-led junta which rebelled against the President
FADUL's administration in June 1998
cabinet: none; an interim National Unity Government was provided for
in the agreement between President VIEIRA and the military junta and
was scheduled be inaugurated in February 1999
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held NA July
1999); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation
with party leaders in the legislature
election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of
vote—Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Koumba YALLA 48%
Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly or
Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve a maximum of four years)
elections: last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held by NA)
election results: percent of vote by party—PAIGC 46.0%, RGB-MB
19.2%, PRS 10.3%, UM 12.8%, FLING 2.5%, PCD 5.3%, PUSD 2.9%, FCG
0.2%, others 0.8%; seats by party—PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, UM 6,
FLING 1
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica,
consists of 9 justices who are appointed by the president and serve
at his pleasure, final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases;
Regional Courts, one in each of nine regions, first court of appeals
for sectoral court decisions, hear all felony cases and civil cases
valued at over $1,000; 24 Sectoral Courts, judges are not
necessarily trained lawyers, hear civil cases under $1,000 and
misdemeanor criminal cases
Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence
secretary general]; Front for the Liberation and Independence of
president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Social
International organization participation: ACCT (associate), ACP,
AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
Adriano DA SILVA
chancery: Suite 519, 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to President VIEIRA and military-led junta
Flag description: 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