Government (Cape Verde)
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     Long-form name:
         Republic of Cape Verde
     Type:
         republic
     Capital:
         Praia
     Administrative divisions:
         14 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista, Brava, Fogo, Maio,
         Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz,
         Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal
     Independence:
         5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
     Constitution:
         7 September 1980; amended 12 February 1981, December 1988, and 28 September
         1990 (legalized opposition parties)
     National holiday:
         Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
     Executive branch:
         president, prime minister, deputy minister, secretaries of state, Council of
         Ministers (cabinet)
     Legislative branch:
         unicameral People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular)
     Judicial branch:
         Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         President Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (since 22 March 1991)
       Head of Government:
         Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA (since 13 January 1991)
     Political parties and leaders:
         Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and
         chairman; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona
         Rodrigues PIRES, chairman
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 18
     Elections:
       People's National Assembly:
         last held 13 January 1991 (next to be held January 1996); results - percent
         of vote by party NA; seats - (79 total) MPD 56, PAICV 23; note - this
         multiparty Assembly election ended 15 years of single-party rule
       President:
         last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results -
         Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (MPD) received 72.6% of vote
     Member of:
         ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
         INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
         UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
     Diplomatic representation:
         Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA; Chancery at 3415 Massachusetts
         Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone (202) 965-6820; there is a Cape
         Verdean Consulate General in Boston
       US:
         Ambassador Francis T. (Terry) McNAMARA; Embassy at Rua Hoji Ya Henda Yenna
         81, Praia (mailing address is C. P. 201, Praia); telephone [238] 61-43-63 or
         61-42-53; FAX [238] 61-13-55