gions (regions, singular - region); Gao,
Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22
September (1960)

Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was
formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since March
1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of
vote - Alpha Oumar KONARE 95.9%, Mamadou DIABY 4.1%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held in two
rounds in 2002); note - much of the opposition boycotted the election
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ADEMA 130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA
; Block of Alternative for the
Renewal of Africa or BARA ; Democratic and Social
Convention or CDS ; Movement for the
Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed
Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for Democratic
Initiative or CNID ; Party for Democracy and
Progress or PDP ; Party for National Renewal or
PARENA ;
Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT ; Rally for
Democracy and Progress or RDP ; Sudanese
Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE,
secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP
; Union for Democracy and
Development or UDD

Political pressure groups and leaders: Patriotic Movement of the
Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA,
ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB