Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status overseas territory of the UK

Government type NA

Capital Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

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 few 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)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
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

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 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 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Turks and Caicos Islands Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Turks and Caicos Islands Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.