visions: 7 departments (departements, singular -
departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez,
Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence: 3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution: the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national
referendum on 12 May 1996

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ibrahim BARE Mainassara (since 28 January
1996); note - President is chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ibraham BARE Mainassara (since 28
January 1996); note - President is chief of state and head of
government; Prime Minister Amadou Boubacar CISSE (since 21 December
1996) was appointed by the president
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by President BARE
elections : the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; last election 7-8 July 1996 (next election NA 2001); note -
Ibrahim BARE Mainassara initially became president when he ousted
President Mahamane OUSMANE in a coup on 27 January 1996 and
subsequently defeated him in the flawed election of July 1996
election results: percent of total vote - Ibrahim BARE Mainassara
52.22%, Mahamane OUSMANE 19.75%, Tandja MAMADOU 15.65%, Mahamadou
ISSOUFOU 7.60%, Moumouni AMADOU Djermakoye 4.77%

Legislative branch: two chamber National Assembly; one chamber with 83
seats directly elected by proportional representation for five-year
terms; selection process for second chamber not established
elections: last held 23 November1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UNIRD 59, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 8, UDPS-Amana 3, coalition of
independents 3, MDP-Alkwali 1, UPDP-Shamuwa 4, DARAJA 3, PMT-Albarka 2

Judicial branch: State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour
d'Apel

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy and Progress or
ADP-AUMUNCI [Issoufou BACHARD, chairman]; DARAJA [Ali TALBA,
chairman]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama
[Mahamane OUSMANE]; Movement for Development and Pan-Africanism or
MDP-Alkwali [Mai Manga BOUCAR, chairman]; National Movement of the
Development Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Tandja MAMADOU,
chairman]; National Union of Independents for Democratic Rev