Labor force: 2,200,000; very few are skilled laborers; 70% pastoral nomad,
30% agriculture, government, trading, fishing, handicrafts, and other; 53% of
population of working age (1985)

Organized labor: General Federation of Somali Trade Unions is controlled
by the government

- Government
Long-form name: Somali Democratic Republic

Type: republic

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 16 regions (plural--NA, singular--gobolka);
Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose,
Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland,
which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 21 October (1969)

Executive branch: president, two vice presidents, prime minister,
Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State--President and Commander in Chief of the Army
Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre (since 21 October 1969);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali SAMANTAR
(since 1 February 1987)

Political parties and leaders: only party--Somali Revolutionary
Socialist Party (SRSP), Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre, general secretary

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
President--last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held
December 1993);
results--President Siad was reelected without opposition;

People's Assembly--last held 31 December 1984 (next scheduled for
December 1989 was postponed);
results--SRSP is the only party;
seats--(177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171

Communists: probably some Communist sympathizers in the government
hierarchy

Member of: ACP, AfDB, Arab League, EAMA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador ABDIKARIM Ali Omar; Chancery at
Suite 710, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037;
telephone (202) 342-1575; there is a Somali Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador T. Frank CRIGLER; Embassy at Corso Primo Lug