eing eliminated)

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Col. Maaouya Ould
Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984); election last held NA January
1992 (next to be held NA January 1998); results - President Col.
Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected
cabinet: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature
Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh): elections last held 15 April 1994 (nex to
be held NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (56
total, with 17 up for election every two years) PRDS 16, UFD/NE 1
National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani): elections last held 6 and 13
March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); results - percent of vote
by party NA; seats - (79 total) UFD/NE 67, PMR 1, RDU 1, independents
10

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: legalized by constitution passed 12
July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based; emerging
parties include Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by
President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic
Forces-New Era (UFD/NE), headed by Ahmed Ould DADDAH; Assembly for
Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and
Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party
for Renewal (PMR), Hameida BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party
(PAN), Khattry Ould JIDDOU; Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center
(PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI BADI

Other political or pressure groups: Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)

Member of: ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU,
CAEU, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU,
NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ismail Ould IYAHI (since 22 September
1994)
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothy Myers SAMPAS
embassy: address NA, Nouakchott
mailing address: B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone: [222] (2) 526-60, 526-63
FAX: [222] (2) 515-92

Flag: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star,
and color green are traditio