Independence: 24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution: 16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Koumba YALLA (since 18
February 2000)

head of government: Prime Minister Faustino IMBALI (since 20 March
2001)

cabinet: NA

elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
held NA 2004); prime minister appointed by the president after
consultation with party leaders in the legislature

election results: Koumba YALLA elected president; percent of vote,
second ballot - Koumba YALLA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly or
Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve a maximum of four years)

elections: last held 28 November 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
PRS 37, RGB 27, PAIGC 25, 11 remaining seats went to 5 of the
remaining 10 parties that fielded candidates

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica
(consists of nine justices who are appointed by the president and
serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil
cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of
appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and
civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are
not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000
and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders: African Party for the Independence of
Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Francisco BENANTE]; Front for
the Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY];
Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz
LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje
Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress
or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic
Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS
[Koumba YALLA]; Union for Chang