isions: 22 departments (departamentos, singular
- departamento); Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango,
Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango,
Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu,
Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez,
Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence: 15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution: 31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986
note: suspended 25 May 1993 by President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June
1993 following ouster of president

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative
acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Alvaro Enrique ARZU
Irigoyen (since 14 January 1996); Vice President Luis Alberto FLORES
Asturias (since 14 January 1996); results - Alvaro Enrique ARZU
Irigoyen (PAN) 51.2%, Jorge PORTILLO Cabrera (FRG) 48.8%; ARZU was
elected for a four-year term by universal suffrage; election runoff
held on 14 January 1996 (next to be held November 2000)
cabinet: Council of Ministers was named by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica): elections were
held on 12 November 1995 to select 80 new congressmen (next election
will be held in November 2000); results - seats (80 total) PAN 43,
FRG 21, FDNG 6, DCG 4, UCN 3, UD 2, MLN 1
note: on 11 November 1993 the congress approved a procedure that
reduced its number from 116 seats to 80; the procedure provided for
a special election in mid-1994 to elect an interim congress of 80
members to serve until replaced in the November 1995 general
election; the plan was approved in a general referendum in January
1994 and the special election was held on 14 August 1994

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de
Justicia); additionally the Court of Constitutionality is presided
over by the President of the Supreme Court, judges are elected for a
five-year term by Congress

Political parties and leaders: National Centrist Union (UCN),
(vacant); Solidarity Action Movement (MAS), Oliverio GARCIA Rodas;
Christian Democratic Party (DCG), Alfonso CABRERA Hidalgo; National
Advancement Party (PAN), Alvaro ARZU Irigoyen; National Liberation
Movement (MLN), Mario SANDOVAL Ala