Capital: Bissau
Administrative divisions: 9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali

Independence: 10 September 1974 (from Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 10 September (1974)

Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991 (currently undergoing revision to liberalize popular participation in the government)

Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President of the Council of State Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980 and was elected President of Council of State on 16 May 1984); election last held 19 June 1989 (next to be held 3 July 1994); results - Gen. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA was reelected without opposition by the National People's Assembly
Council of State: this body is elected by the National People's Assembly from among its own members to legislate between sessions of the National People's Assembly
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 15 June 1989 (next to be held 3 July 1994); results - PAIGC was the only party; seats - (150 total) PAIGC 150

Judicial branch: none; there is a Ministry of Justice in the Council of Ministers

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, leader; Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader; Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES, leader
note: PAIGC is still the major party (of 10 parties) and controls all aspects of the government
Member of: ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfredo Lopes CABRAL
chancery: 918 16th Street NW, Mezzanine Suite, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: (202) 872-4222
FAX: (202) 872-4226
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roger A. McGUIRE
embassy: Barrio de Penha, Bissau
mailing address: C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
telephone: [245] 25-2273, 25-2274, 25-2275, 25-2276
FAX: [245] 25-2282

Flag: 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; similar to the flag of Cape Verde, which has the black star raised above the center of the red band and is framed by two corn stalks and a yellow clam shell

NOTE: The information regarding Guinea-Bissau on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Guinea-Bissau Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Guinea-Bissau Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.