amed 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power
18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council;
the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed
power upon resignation of the former prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw
(485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened election
results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392,
SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60

Judicial branch: remnants of the British-era legal system are in place,
but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD
[AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National
Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League
for Democracy or SNLD [U KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development
Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization)
[THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front
or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU;
National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN
WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly
but not recognized by the military regime (the group fled to a border
area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel
government); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA

International organization participation: ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador U
LINN MYAING consulate(s) general: New
[1] (202) 332-9044 chancery:
Diplomatic representation from the US: Permanent Charge d'Affaires
Priscilla A. CLAPP embassy: 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 282055, 282182 FAX:
[95] (1) 280409

Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative
divisions

Economy Burma

Economy - overview: Bu