Government and Politics of Guinea-Bissau

Government Type

republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Administrative Divisions

9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Legal System

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: Yes Citizenship by descent only: Yes Dual citizenship recognized: No Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Joao Bernardo 'Nino' VIEIRA (since 1 October 2005) head of government: Prime Minister Aristides GOMES (since 2 November 2005) cabinet: NA elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature election results: Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malan Bacai SANHA 47.6%

Legislative Branch

unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a maximum of four years) elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%, PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal cases)

Political Parties

African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Democratic Social Front or FDS [leader NA]; Electoral Union or UE [leader NA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Alberto NAMBEIA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Popular Alliance or APU [leader NA]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL]

Head of State

President Joao Bernardo Nino VIEIRA

Head of Government

Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior

Elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 24 July 2005 (next to be held in 2010); prime minister appointed by the president after consultation with party leaders in the legislature

Election Results

Joao Bernardo VIEIRA elected president; percent of vote, second ballot - Joao Bernardo VIEIRA 52.4%, Malam Bacai SANHA 47.6%

Constitution

16 May 1984, amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Independence

24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

International Organization Participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA; note - his address is 15929 Yukon Lane, Rockville, MD 20855 mailing address: P. O. Box 33813, Washington, DC 20033 telephone: [1] (301) 947-3958 FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and military-led junta; US Embassy Dakar is responsible for covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903

Capital City

Bissau

Location

11 51 N, 15 35 W

Time Difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

The meaning of Bissau is uncertain, it might be an alternative name for the Papel people who live in the area of the city of Bissau

U.S. Embassy Dakar Route des Almadies – B.P. 49 Dakar, Senegal Telephone: 221 33-879-4000 Emergency after-hours telephone: 221 33-879-4444 Regional Security Office: 221 33-879-4420 Facsimile: 221 33-879-4050

Military Branches

People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP): Army, Navy, National Air Force (Forca Aerea Nacional); Presidential Guard

Service Age and Obligation

18-25 years of age for selective compulsory military service (Air Force service is voluntary); 16 years of age or younger, with parental consent, for voluntary service