oncelhos, singular -
concelho); Principe, Sao Tome

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990

Legal system: based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has
not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Miguel TROVOADA (since 4 April 1991);
election last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996);
results - Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's
first multiparty presidential election
head of government: Prime Minister Carlos da GRACA (since 25 October
1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president on the
proposal of the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
National People's Assembly: (Assembleia Popular Nacional) parliament
dissolved by President TROVOADA in July 1994; early elections held 2
October 1994; results - MLSTP 27%, PCD-GR 25.5%, ADI 25.5%; seats -
(55 total) MLSTP 27, PCD-GR 14, ADI 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Party for Democratic
Convergence-Reflection Group (PCD-GR), Daniel Lima Dos Santos DAIO,
secretary general; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
Principe (MLSTP), Carlos da GRACA; Christian Democratic Front (FDC),
Alphonse Dos SANTOS; Democratic Opposition Coalition (CODO), leader
NA; Independent Democratic Action (ADI), Gabriel COSTA; other small
parties

Member of: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US: Sao Tome and Principe has no embassy
in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by
First Secretary Domingos AUGUSTO Ferreira, located at 122 East 42nd
Street, Suite 1604, New York, NY 10168, telephone [1] (212) 697-4211

US diplomatic representation: ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao
Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to
the islands

Flag: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width),
and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the
center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the
hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of