, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
30 November 1990

Legal system:
based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
- Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
ballot to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
note: although the constitution provides for the creation of a
separate Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in
its absence the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
Mocambique) or Frelimo [Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO, president];
Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or Renamo-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
FRANCO, secretary general]

International organizat