<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> NA
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
<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> Somalia has no functioning government; presidential elections last held 23 December 1986 (next to be held NA); results—President SIAD was reelected without opposition
<item><hi format=bold>People's Assembly (Golaha Shacbiga):</hi> elections last held 31 December 1984 (next to be held NA); results—SRSP was the only party; seats—(177 total, 171 elected) SRSP 171; note—the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the regime of Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre on 27 January 1991; the provisional government has promised that a democratically elected government will be established
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> the United Somali Congress (USC) ousted the former regime on 27 January 1991; formerly the only party was the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), headed by former President and Commander in Chief of the Army Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi> Somalian Embassy ceased operations on 8 May 1991
<item><hi format=bold>US diplomatic representation:</hi> the US Embassy in Mogadishu was evacuated and closed indefinitely in January 1991; United States Liaison Office (USLO) opened in December 1992
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)