August 1996; reestablished in
January 1997

Legal system: based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 12 October
1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
1996); Vice President Isaton Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997);
note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet is appointed by the president
elections: the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year
term; the number of terms is not restricted; election last held 26
September 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results: percent of vote-President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH
55.5%, Ousinou DARBOE 35.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly; 49 seats (45
elected, 4 appointed by the president)
elections: last popular election held 2 January 1997 (next to be held
NA)
election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-APRC 33,
UDP 7, NRP 2, PDOIS 1, independents 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation
and Construction or APRC [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; National
Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic
Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA];
United Democratic Party or UDP [Ousainou DARBOE]; note-in August 1996
the government banned the following from participation in the
elections of 1996: People's Progressive Party or PPP [former President
Dawda K. JAWARA (in exile)], and two opposition parties-the National
Convention Party or NCP [former vice president Sheriff DIBBA] and the
Gambian People's Party or GPP [Hassan Musa CAMARA]

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Crispin GREY-JOHNSON
chancery: Suite 1000, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 785-1399, 1379,