<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Cape Verde<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Cape Verde
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Cape Verde
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica de Cabo Verde
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Cabo Verde
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> CV
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Praia
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 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
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 5 July 1975 (from Portugal)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 5 July (1975)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> new constitution came into force 25 September 1992
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> NA
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Antonio MASCARENHAS Monteiro (since 22 March 1991) election last held 17 February 1991 (next to be held February 1996); results—Antonio Monteiro MASCARENHAS (independent) received 72.6% of vote
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Carlos Alberto Wahnon de Carvalho VEIGA (since 13 January 1991);
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Ministers; appointed by prime minister from members of the Assembly
<item><hi format=bold>People's National Assembly (Assembleia Nacional Popular):</hi> elections 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
<item><hi format=bold>Judicial branch:</hi> Supreme Tribunal of Justice (Supremo Tribunal de Justia)
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Movement for Democracy (MPD), Prime Minister Carlos VEIGA, founder and chairman; African Party for Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), Pedro Verona Rodrigues PIRES, chairman
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOM (observer), ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN (Cape Verde assumed a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council on 1 January 1992), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UPU, WCL, WHO, WMO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador Carlos Alberto Santos SILVA
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador Joseph M. SEGARS
<item>• <hi format=ital>embassy:</hi> Rua Hoji Ya Henda 81, Praia
<item>• <hi format=ital>mailing address:</hi> C. P. 201, Praia
<item>• <hi format=ital>telephone:</hi> [238] 61-56-16 or 61-56-17
<item>• <hi format=ital>FAX:</hi> [238] 61-13-55
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three horozontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white (with a horozontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue; a circle of 10 yellow five pointed stars is centered on the hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands