: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

note: the Transitional National Government formed in October 2000
has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within
three years

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26
August 2000); note - Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a
three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a
transitional government; the present political situation is still
unstable, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and
random banditry

head of government: ALI Khalifa Galaydh, appointed by the president
8 October 2000

cabinet: appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October
2000

election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of
an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace
Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali
clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly.

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga

note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National
Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta,
Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu

Judicial branch: following the breakdown of national government,
most regions have reverted to Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision
for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders: none

Political pressure groups and leaders: numerous clan and subclan
factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Somalia does not have an
embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991)

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an
embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy
in Nairobi at Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mail address: P.
O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254]
(2) 334141; FAX [254] (2) 340838

Flag description: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in
the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland
was a UN trust territory)

Government