rative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini,
Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo
Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam,
Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

_#_Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK; formerly British Guiana)

_#_Constitution: 6 October 1980

_#_Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures
of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

_#_National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

_#_Executive branch: executive president, first vice president,
prime minister, first deputy prime minister, Cabinet

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly

_#_Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--Executive President Hugh Desmond HOYTE (since 6
August 1985); First Vice President Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985);

Head of Government--Prime Minister Hamilton GREEN (since
NA August 1985)

_#_Political parties and leaders:
People's National Congress (PNC), Hugh Desmond HOYTE;
People's Progressive Party (PPP), Cheddi JAGAN;
Working People's Alliance (WPA), Eusi KWAYANA, Rupert ROOPNARINE, Moses
BHAGWAN;
Democratic Labor Movement (DLM), Paul TENNASSEE;
People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Llewellyn JOHN;
National Democratic Front (NDF), Joseph BACCHUS;
United Force (UF), Marcellus Feilden SINGH;
United Republican Party (URP), Leslie RAMSAMMY;
National Republican Party (NRP), Robert GANGADEEN

_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18

_#_Elections:

Executive President--last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be
held mid-1991); Hugh Desmond HOYTE was elected president (the
leader of the party with the most votes in the National Assembly
elections);

National Assembly--last held on 9 December 1985 (next to be held
mid-1991);
results--PNC 78%, PPP 16%, UF 4%, WPA 2%;
seats--(65 total, 53 elected) PNC 42, PPP 8, UF 2, WPA 1

_#_Communists: 100 (est.) hardcore within PPP; top echelons of PPP
and PYO (Progressive Youth Organization, militant wing of the PPP)
include many Communists; small but unknown number of orthodox
Marxist-Leninists within PNC, some of whom formerly belonged to the PPP

_#_Other political or pressure groups: Trades Union Congress (TUC);
Guyanese Action for Reform and Democracy (GUARD) includes various labor
groups as well as several of the smaller parties; Guyana Council of
Indian Organizations