eppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:
9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:
6 November 1994

Legal system:
based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;
head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
1999)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
by the Supreme Assembly
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
set a term limit of two seven-year terms for the president

Legislative branch:
bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly
of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33
seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
party - PDPT 65%, Communist Party 20%, Islamic Revival Party 7.5%,
other 7.5%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - NA; seats by party - NA
elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for
the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV]; Islamic Revival
Party [Said Abdullo NURI]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan
or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT
[Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV];
Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pr