re (legal capital
and seat of judiciary)

Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos, singular -
departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando,
Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution: 2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system: based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
chief of state : President Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamente (since
6 August 1993); Vice President Victor Hugo CARDENAS Conde (since 6
August 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: President Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamente
(since 6 August 1993); Vice President Victor Hugo CARDENAS Conde
(since 6 August 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from a panel of candidates
proposed by the Senate
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 June 1993 (next
to be held June 1997); Constitutional reforms extend presidential and
vice presidential terms to 5 years beginning in 1997
election results: Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA elected president; percent
of vote - Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA (MNR) 34%, Hugo BANZER Suarez
(ADN/MIR alliance) 20%, Carlos PALENQUE Aviles (CONDEPA) 14%, Max
FERNANDEZ Rojas (UCS) 13%, Antonio ARANIBAR Quiroga (MBL) 5%; no
candidate received a majority of the popular vote; Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE
LOZADA won a congressional runoff election on 4 August 1993 after
forming a coalition with Max FERNANDEZ and Antonio ARANIBAR; FERNANDEZ
died in a plane crash 26 November 1995

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats;
members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130 seats; members are
directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held 6
June 1993 (next to be held June 1997); Constitutional reforms extend
congressional terms to 5 years beginning in 1997
election result