er multiparty democratic rule
Capital: Dakar
Administrative divisions: 10 regions (regions, singular--region);
Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda,
Thies, Ziguinchor
Independence: 4 April 1960 (from France); The Gambia and Senegal signed
an agreement on 12 December 1981 (effective 1 February 1982) that called for
the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the
agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989
Constitution: 3 March 1963, last revised in 1984
Legal system: based on French civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts in Supreme Court, which also audits the government's accounting
office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Executive branch: president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government--President Abdou
DIOUF (since 1 January 1981)
Political parties and leaders: Socialist Party (PS), Abdou Diouf;
Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), Abdoulaye Wade; 13 other small uninfluential
parties
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President--last held 28 February 1988 (next to be held February
1993);
results--Abdou Diouf (PS) 73%, Abdoulaye Wade (PDS) 26%, others 1%;
National Assembly--last held 28 February 1988 (next to be
held February 1993);
results--PS 71%, PDS 25%, others 4%;
seats--(120 total) PS 103, PDS 17
Communists: small number of Communists and sympathizers
Other political or pressure groups: students, teachers, labor, Muslim
Brotherhoods
Member of: ACP, AfDB, APC, CCC, CEAO, EAMA, ECA, ECOWAS, EIB (associate),
FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD,
IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OCAM, OIC, OMVS
(Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Ibra Deguene KA; Chancery at
2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 234-0540 or 0541;
US--Ambassador George E. MOOSE; Embassy on Avenue Jean XXIII at the
corner of Avenue Kleber, Dakar (mailing address is B. P. 49, Dakar);
telephone p221o 21-42-96
Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
with a small green five-pointed star centere
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