e*, Cuvette, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux,
Pool, Sangha
Independence:
15 August 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Congolese National Day, 15 August (1960)
Constitution:
new constitution approved by referendum March 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Pascal LISSOUBA (since August 1992); election last held 2-16
August 1992 (next to be held August 1997); results - President Pascal
LISSOUBA won with 61% of the vote
head of government:
Prime Minister Jacques Joachim YHOMBI-OPANGO (since 23 June 1993)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; named by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral
National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale):
election last held 3 October 1993; results - percentage vote by party
NA; seats - (125 total) UPADS 64, URD/PCT 58, others 3
Senate:
election last held 26 July 1992 (next to be held July 1998); results -
percentage vote by party NA; seats - (60 total) UPADS 23, MCDDI 14,
RDD 8, RDPS 5, PCT 2, others 8
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders:
Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president;
Pan-African Union for Social Development (UPADS), Pascal LISSOUBA,
leader; Association for Democracy and Development (RDD) - Joachim
Yhombi OPANGO, president; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
Integral Development (MCDDI), Bernard KOLELAS, leader; Association for
Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
president; Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), David Charles GANAO,
leader; Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS), Jean-Michael
BOKAMBA-YANGOUMA, leader
note:
Congo has many political parties of which these are among the most
important
Other political or pressure groups:
Union of Congolese Socialist Youth (UJSC); Congolese Trade Union
Congress (CSC); Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women (URFC); General
Union of Congolese Pupils and Students (UGEEC)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, BDEAC, CCC, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IBRD,
ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
LORCS, NAM, OAU, UDEAC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Pierre Damien BOUSSOUKOU-BOUMBA
chancery:
4891 Colorado Avenue