Government
type: republic

Capital: Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions: 23 provinces (provincias, singular -
provincia), and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires,
Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba,
Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza,
Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz,
Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
Atlantico Sur, Tucuman note: Independence: 9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday: Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution: 1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Legal system: mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Executive branch: chief of state: President Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE
(since 2 January 2002); note - selected by National Congress in aftermath
of resignation of former President DE LA RUA on 20 December 2001 and
resignations of others who briefly held the office following DE LA RUA's
departure; Vice President Carlos "Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October
2000 and the post remains vacant; note - the president is both the
chief of state and head of government head of government: President
Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE (since 2 January 2002); note - selected by
National Congress in aftermath of resignation of former President
DE LA RUA on 20 December 2001 and resignations of others who briefly
held the office following DE LA RUA's departure; Vice President Carlos
"Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October 2000 and the post remains vacant;
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results: Fernando
DE LA RUA elected president; percent of vote - 48.5% ; Vice President
Carlos "Chacho" ALVAREZ resigned 6 October 2000 and a replacement was
not named; DE LA RUA resigned 20 December 2001; following a series of
interim presidents, Eduardo Alberto DUHALDE was selected president by
the National Congress on 1 January 2002 elections: for four-year terms;
election last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003)

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
consists of the Senate (72 seats; formerly, three members appointed
by each of the provincial legislatures; presently transitioning to
one-third of the members being elected every two years to six