Ethiopia
conventional short form: Ethiopia
local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
local short form: Ityop'iya
abbreviation: FDRE

Data code: ET

Government type: federal republic

Capital: Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions: 9 ethnically-based administrative regions
(astedader akababiwach, singular - astedader akabibi) and 2 chartered
cities*: Addis Ababa*; Afar; Amhara, Benishangul/Gumaz; Dire Dawa*;
Gambela; Harar; Oromia; Somali; Southern Nations, Nationalities, and
Peoples Region; Tigray

Independence: oldest independent country in Africa and one of the
oldest in the world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday: National Day, 28 May (1991) (defeat of MENGISTU
regime)

Constitution: ratified December 1994; effective 22 August 1995

Legal system: currently transitional mix of national and regional
courts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President NEGASSO Gidada (since 22 August 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
approved by the House of People's Representatives
elections: president elected by the House of People's Representatives
for a six-year term; election last held NA June 1995 (next to be held
NA May 2001); prime minister designated by the party in power
following legislative elections
election results: NEGASSO Gidada elected president; percent of vote by
the House of People's Representatives - NA

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of
Federation or upper chamber (117 seats; members are chosen by state
assemblies to serve five-year terms) and the House of People's
Representatives or lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly
elected by popular vote from single-member districts to serve
five-year terms)
elections: regional and national popular elections were held in May
and June 1995 (next to be held NA May 2000)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - EPRDF 483, regional
political groupings 46, independents 8; note - 11 seats unconfirmed
note: many opposition groups, including the Oromo Liberation Front,
boycotted the election

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court; the president and vice
president of the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime
minister and appointed by the House of People's Representativ