Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
head of government: Prime Minister Armen DARBINYAN (since 10 April
1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
special election last held 30 March 1998 (next election to be held
March 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Robert KOCHARIAN elected president; percent of
vote-Robert KOCHARIAN 59%, Karen DEMIRCHYAN 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or
Azgayin Zhoghov (190 seats; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 1999)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-Republican Bloc 159 (ANM 63, DLP-Hanrapetutyun Bloc 6, Republic
Party 4, CDU 3, Intellectual Armenia 3, Social Democratic Party 2,
independents 78), SWM 8, ACP 7, NDU 5, NSDU 3, DLP 1, ARF 1, other 4,
vacant 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders: Armenian National Movement or ANM [Vano
SIRADEGIAN, chairman]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen
MANUKIAN]; Intellectual Armenia [H. TOKMAJIAN]; Social Democratic
(Hnchakian) Party [Yeghia NACHARIAN]; Shamiram Women's Movement or SWM
[Maria NERSISSIAN]; Armenian Communist Party or ACP [Sergey BADALYAN];
Union of National Self-Determination or NSDU [Paruir HAIRIKIAN,
chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF;
Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Azat ARSHAKYN, chairman];
Democratic Liberal Party [Orthosis GYONJIAN, chairman]; Republican
Party [Andranik MARKARYAN]

International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CIS,
EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM (observer), OSCE,
PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
(applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Rouben SHUGARIAN
chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TOMSEN
embassy: 18 General Baghramian Avenue, Yerevan
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [374] (2)