Yemen--Government
CIA FactbookThe World Factbook 1993: Yemen Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of Yemen conventional short form: Yemen local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah local short form: Al Yaman

Digraph: YM

Type: republic

Capital: Sanaa

Administrative divisions: 17 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz

note: there may be a new capital district of San'a'

Independence: 22 May 1990 Republic of Yemen was established on 22 May 1990 with the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic {Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen} and the Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen {Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen}; previously North Yemen had become independent on NA November 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Constitution: 16 April 1991

Legal system: based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local customary law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic, 22 May (1990)

Political parties and leaders: General People's Congress, 'Ali 'Abdallah SALIH; Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP; formerly South Yemen's ruling party - a coalition of National Front, Ba'th, and Communist Parties), Ali Salim al-BIDH; Yemen Grouping for Reform or Islaah, Abdallah Husayn AHMAR

Other political or pressure groups: conservative tribal groups; Muslim Brotherhood; Islamist parties; pro-Iraqi Ba'thists; Nasirists

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Elections:

House of Representatives: last held NA (next to be held 27 April 1993); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (301); number of seats by party NA; note - the 301 members of the new House of Representatives come from North Yemen's Consultative Assembly (159 members), South Yemen's Supreme People's Council (111 members), and appointments by the New Presidential Council (31 members)

Executive branch: five-member Presidential Council (president, vice president, two members from northern Yemen and one member from southern Yemen), prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government: President 'Ali 'Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990, the former president of North Yemen); Vice President Ali Salim al-BIDH (since 22 May 1990); Presidential Council Member Salim Salih MUHAMMED; Presidential Council Member Kadi Abdul-Karim al-ARASHI; Presidential Council Member Abdul-Aziz ABDUL-GHANI; Prime Minister Haydar Abu Bakr al-'ATTAS (since 22 May 1990, the former president of South Yemen)

Member of: ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Muhsin Ahmad al-AYNI chancery: Suite 840, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 965-4760 or 4761 consulate general: Detroit consulate: San Francisco US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Arthur H. HUGHES embassy: Dhahr Himyar Zone, Sheraton Hotel District, Sanaa mailing address: P. O. Box 22347 Sanaa or Sanaa, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-6330 telephone: [967] (2) 238-842 through 238-852 FAX: [967] (2) 251-563

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band