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Capital: Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat)
and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
Badakhshon* (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd
(Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence: 9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution: 6 November 1994

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of
legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since
6 November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
November 1992) head of
Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January 1999) cabinet: Assembly
election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2% elections: president elected
by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 6 November 1999
(next to be held NA 2006); prime minister appointed by the president

Legislative branch: bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of
the Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon
(63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33 seats;
members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local deputies, 8 appointed
by the president; all serve five-year terms) election results: Assembly
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDPT 65%, Communist
Party 20%, Islamic Rebirth Party 7.5%, other 7.5%; seats by party - NA;
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
NA elections: last held 27 February and 12 March 2000 for the Assembly
of Representatives (next to be held NA 2005) and 23 March 2000 for the
National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of People's Unity of Tajikistan
[Saiffidin TURAYEV]; Democratic Party or TDP [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV,
chairman]; Islamic Rebirth Party [Muhammadsharif HIMMAT-ZODA, chairman];
Party of Justice and Development [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; People's Democratic
Party of Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Socialist Party [leader
NA]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]; Adolatho "Justic