Capital: Addis Ababa
Administrative divisions: 9 states and 2 chartered cities*: Addis
Ababa*; Afar; Amhara; Benshangul/Gumuz (Benishangul-Gumaz); Dire
Dawa*; Gambela (Gambella); Harari (Harar); Oromia (Oromiya); Somalia
(Somali); Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP);
Tigray (Tigre)
Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the
oldest in the world—at least 2,000 years
National holiday: National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of MENGISTU
regime)
Constitution: promulgated December 1994
Legal system: currently transitional mix of national and regional courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since 22 August 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since August 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the House of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the House of People's
Representatives for a six-year term; election last held June 1995
(next to be held NA 2001); prime minister designated by the party in
power following legislative elections
election results: NEGASSO Gidada elected president; percent of vote
by the House of People's Representatives—NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of
Federation or upper chamber (117 seats; members are chosen by state
assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's
Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve
five-year terms)
elections: regional and national popular elections were held in May
and June 1995 (next to be held NA 2000)
election results: percent of vote—NA; seats—NA; note—EPRDF won
nearly all seats
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court; the president and vice president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other federal judges, the prime minister submits candidates selected by the Federal Judicial Administrative Council to the House of People's Representatives for appointment