Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991)
head of government: Prime Minister Raul Wagner BRAGANCA NETO (since 20
November 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 30 June and 15 July 1996 (next to be held in 2001);
prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
president
election results: Miguel TROVOADA reelected president in Sao Tome's
second multiparty presidential election; percent of vote-NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: parliament dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994;
early elections held 2 October 1994 (next to be held October 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party-MLSTP 49%, PCD-GR 25.5%,
ADI 25.5%; seats by party-MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the National
Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic
Convergence-Reflection Group or PCD-GR [Armindo AGUIAR, secretary
general]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe or
MLSTP [Francisco Fortunas PIRES]; Christian Democratic Front or FDC
[Alphonse Dos SANTOS]; Democratic Opposition Coalition or CODO;
Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; other small
parties

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US: Sao Tome and Principe does not
have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the
UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at
122 East 42nd Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1]
(212) 697-4211

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Sao Tome and Prin