Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form:
Saint Barthelemy
local long form:
Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy
local short form:
Saint-Barthelemy
Dependency status:
overseas collectivity of France
Capital:
name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates:
17 53 N, 62 51 W
time difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age, universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government:
President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007)
cabinet:
Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council
elections:
French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term
election results:
Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1
note:
Saint Barthelemy elects one seat to the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1
Political parties and leaders:
Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
The Marine Reserve (protection of fish); Rotary Club
International organization participation:
UPU, WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas collectivity of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
