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Guinea-Bissau Government 1996

Names:

conventional long form:

Republic of Guinea-Bissau

conventional short form:

Guinea-Bissau

local long form:

Republica de Guine-Bissau

local short form:

Guine-Bissau

former:

Portuguese Guinea

Digraph:

Type:

republic, formerly highly centralized, multiparty since mid-1991

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:

Suffrage:

15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:

President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau Joao Bernardo VIEIRA (assumed power 14 November 1980); election last held August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52%, Kumba YALLA 48%

head of government:

Prime Minister Manuel SATURNINO, since 5 November 1994

cabinet:

Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch:

unicameral

National People's Assembly:

(Assembleia Nacional Popular) elections last held 3 July and 7 August 1994 (next to be held 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (100 total) PAIGC 62, RGB 19, PRS 12, Union for Change Coalition 6, FLING 1

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; Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB); Democratic Front (FD), Aristides MENEZES, leader; Social Renovation Party (PRS); Union for Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea (FLING); Democratic Social Front (FDS), Rafael BARBOSA, leader; Bafata Movement, Domingos Fernandes GARNER, leader; Guinea-Bissau Resistance (RGB); Union for Change Coalition; Front for the Liberation and Independence of Guinea (FLING)

Member of:

ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, 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:

[1] (202) 872-4222

FAX:

[1] (202) 872-4226

US diplomatic representation:

chief of mission:

Ambassador Roger A. McGUIRE

embassy:

Bairro de Penha, Bissau

mailing address:

C.P. 297, 1067 Bissau Codex, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau

telephone:

[245] 252273, 252274, 252275, 252276

FAX:

[245] 252282

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

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