21 March (1990)

Constitution: ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA (since
21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government head of government: President Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA
(since 21 March 1990); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from
among the members of the National Assembly elections: president elected
by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 30 November-1
December 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: Sam Shafishuna
NUJOMA elected president; percent of vote - Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA 77%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the National
Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to
serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: National
Council - elections for regional councils, to determine members of the
National Council, held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held by
December 2004); National Assembly - last held 30 November-1 December 1999
(next to be held by December 2004) note: the National Council is primarily
an advisory body election results: National Council - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 21, DTA 4, UDF 1; National Assembly -
percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76%, COD 10%, DTA 9%, UDF 3%, MAG 1%,
other 1%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 7, DTA 7, UDF 2, MAG 1,

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on
the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders: Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA];
Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA,
president]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West
Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United
Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU,
OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL,