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, with most articles reinstated March 1989; in October 1991, government claimed to be observing the constitution; return to constitutional rule, October 1994
Legal system: based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Rene Garcia PREVAL (since 7 February 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Rosny SMARTH resigned June 1997;
currently no prime minister; ratification of a new prime minister
held up in political gridlock stemming from controversy over the 6
April 1997 elections
cabinet: Cabinet; chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 17 December 1995 (next to be held by December
2000); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
Congress
election results: Rene Garcia PREVAL elected president; percent of
vote—Rene Garcia PREVAL 88%, Leon JEUNE 2.5%, Victor BENOIT 2.3%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale consists of the Senate (27 seats; members serve six-year
terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August
and runoffs on 17 September (election held for nine seats 6 April
1997; results disputed and runoffs postponed indefinitely); Chamber
of Deputies—last held 25 June 1995, with reruns on 13 August and
runoffs on 17 September (next Senate and Chamber of Deputies
elections due November 1998 but delayed indefinitely)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—OPL 7, FL-leaning 7, independents 3, vacant 10; Chamber of
Deputies—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—OPL 32,
antineoliberal bloc 24, minor parties and independents 22, vacant 5
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation)
Political parties and leaders: Lavalas Family or FL
ROUMAIN]; Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or