Country name:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Turks and Caicos Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Cockburn Town (on Grand Turk)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution:
introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
Legal system:
based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000)
head of government:
Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995)
cabinet:
Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results:
percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description:
blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
NOTE: The information regarding Turks and Caicos Islands on this page is re-published from the 2001 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Turks and Caicos Islands Government 2001 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Turks and Caicos Islands Government 2001 should be addressed to the CIA.
