Constitution: 6 January 1986
Legal system: dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August
1997); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (since 2 August
1997); note—the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term
(renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held NA
July 2001)
election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
of vote—Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
(UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly consists of the
Senate (26 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) and the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate—last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held in NA
2001); House of Representatives—last held 19 July 1997 (next to be
held in NA 2001)
election results: Senate—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by
party—NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives—percent of
vote by party—NA; seats by party—NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3, Alliance of
Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1; note—the Alliance of Political
Parties was a coalition of the LAP and the LUP
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
TAYLOR]
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rachel DIGGS
chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Donald
PETTERSON
embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, Mamba Point, Monrovia
mailing address: use embassy street address