into force

Reunion
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Romania
8 December 1991; revision came into force 29 October 2003

Russia
adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda
a new constitution was adopted 26 May 2003

Saint Helena
1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis
19 September 1983

Saint Lucia
22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
27 October 1979

Samoa
1 January 1962

San Marino
8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe
approved March 1990; effective 10 September
1990

Saudi Arabia
governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic
Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities
was introduced in 1993

Senegal
a new constitution was adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia and Montenegro
4 February 2003

Seychelles
18 June 1993

Sierra Leone
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia
ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993;
changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
membership

Slovenia
adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands
7 July 1978

Somalia
25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 had
a three-year mandate to create a new constitution and hold
elections, this goal was not achieved but the process is ongoing

South Africa
10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified
by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
adopted 3 October 1985

Spain
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka
adopted 16 August 1978

Sudan
12 April 1973, suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of
30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Suriname
ratified 30 September 19