<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Argentina<nl>Government</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Argentine Republic
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Argentina
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica Argentina
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Argentina
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<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> AR
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Buenos Aires
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 23 provinces (provincias, singular—provincia), and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires; Catamarca; Chaco; Chubut; Cordoba; Corrientes; Distrito Federal*; 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
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica or Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands
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<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 9 July 1816 (from Spain)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 1 May 1853
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> President Carlos Saul MENEM (since 8 July 1989); Vice President (position vacant); election last held 14 May 1989 (next to be held summer 1995); results—Carlos Saul MENEM was elected
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Cabinet; appointed by the president
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<item><hi format=bold>Legislative branch:</hi> bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
<item><hi format=bold>Senate:</hi> elections last held May 1989, but provincial elections in late 1991 set the stage for indirect elections by provincial senators for one-third of 48 seats in the national senate in May 1992; seats (48 total)—PJ 30, UCR 11, others 7
<item><hi format=bold>Chamber of Deputies:</hi> elections last held NA October 1993 ( next to be held October 1995); elections are held every two years and half of the total membership is elected each time for four year terms; seats—(257 total) PJ 128, UCR 81, MODIN 7, UCD 5, other 36
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Justicialist Party (PJ), Carlos Saul MENEM, Peronist umbrella political organization; Radical Civic Union (UCR),Raul ALFONSIN, moderately left-of-center party; Union of the Democratic Center (UCD), Jorge AGUADO, conservative party; Intransigent Party (PI), Dr. Oscar ALENDE, leftist party; Dignity and Independence Political Party (MODIN), Aldo RICO, right-wing party; Grand Front (Frente Grande), Carlos ALVAREZ, center-left coalition; several provincial parties
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> Peronist-dominated labor movement; General Confederation of Labor (CGT; Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; students; the Roman Catholic Church; the Armed Forces
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador Raul Enrique GRANILLO OCAMPO
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
<item>• <hi format=ital>telephone:</hi> (202) 939-6400 through 6403
<item>• <hi format=ital>consulate(s) general:</hi> Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May