ype:
republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital:
Dakar
Administrative divisions:
10 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack,
Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor
Independence:
20 August 1960 (from France); The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on
12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for the creation of
a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was
dissolved on 30 September 1989
Constitution:
3 March 1963, last revised in 1991
Legal system:
based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in
Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting office; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Abdou DIOUF (since 1 January 1981)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Habib THIAM (since 7 April 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
Socialist Party (PS), President Abdou DIOUF; Senegalese Democratic Party
(PDS), Abdoulaye WADE; 13 other small uninfluential parties
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
President:
last held 28 February 1988 (next to be held NA February 1993); results -
Abdou DIOUF (PS) 73%, Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 26%, other 1%
National Assembly:
last held 28 February 1988 (next to be held NA February 1993); results - PS
71%, PDS 25%, other 4%; seats - (120 total) PS 103, PDS 17
Other political or pressure groups:
students, teachers, labor, Muslim Brotherhoods
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNIIMOG, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Ibra Deguene KA; Chancery at 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-0540 or 0541
US:
Ambassador Katherine SHIRLEY; Embassy on Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of
Avenue Kleber, Dakar (mailing address is B. P. 49, Dakar); telephone [221]