Long-form name: Somali Democratic Republic

Type: republic

Capital: Mogadishu

Administrative divisions: 16 regions (plural--NA, singular--gobolka); Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence: 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

Constitution: 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 21 October (1969)

Branches: president dominates political system; Cabinet carries out day-to-day government functions; unicameral legislature (National People's Assembly) exists but has little power

Leader: @m5Chief of State President and Commander in Chief of the Army Maj. Gen. Mohamed SIAD Barre (since 21 October 1969); @m5Head of Government Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali SAMANTAR (since 1 February 1987)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: parliamentary election held 31 December 1984; presidential election held December 1986, when President Siad won 99.92% of the votes in yes-no-style election for another seven-year term

Political party and leader: the Somali Revolutionary Socialist Party (SRSP), created on 1 July 1976, is the sole legal party; Maj. Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre is general secretary of the SRSP

Communists: probably some Communist sympathizers in the government hierarchy

Member of: AfDB, Arab League, EAMA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Abdullahi Ahmed ADDOU; Chancery at Suite 710, 600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-1575; there is a Somali Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador T. Frank CRIGLER; Embassy at Corso Primo Luglio, Mogadishu (mailing address is P. O. Box 574, Mogadishu); telephone Õ252å (01) 20811

Flag: light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; design based on the flag of the UN (Italian Somaliland was a UN trust territory)

NOTE: The information regarding Somalia on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Somalia Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Somalia Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.