entral, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland
North, Matabeleland South, Midlands

Independence: 18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution: 21 December 1979

Legal system: mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31
December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31
December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31
December 1987) and Joshua M. NKOMO (since 6 August 1990); note--the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
House of Assembly
elections: president nominated by the House of Assembly for a
six-year term (if more than one nomination, an electoral college
consisting of members of the House of Assembly elects the
president); election last held 26-27 March 1996 (next to be held NA
March 2002); co-vice presidents appointed by the president
election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
of electoral college vote--Robert Gabriel MUGABE 92.7%, Abel MUZOREWA
4.8%; Ndabaningi SITHOLE 2.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral parliament, called House of
Assembly (150 seats--120 elected by popular vote for six-year terms,
12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs
chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors)
elections: last held 8-9 April 1995 (next to be held NA April 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by
party--ZANU-PF 117, ZANU-Ndonga 2, independent 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Zimbabwe African National

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
MONUA, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Amos Bernard Muvengwa MIDZI
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire A