Turks and Caicos Islands - Government

Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational Issues

Turks and Caicos Islands is located Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti. The climate is tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry. The terrain is low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps.

Country name

This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)
Country name - conventional long form : none
Country name - conventional short form : Turks and Caicos Islands
Country name - abbreviation : TCI

Dependency status

This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
Dependency status : overseas territory of the UK

Government type

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)
Government type : NA

Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Capital - name : Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Capital - geographic coordinates : 21 28 N, 71 08 W
Capital - time difference : UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Capital - daylight saving time : +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions

This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.
Administrative divisions : none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence

For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Independence : none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday

This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
National holiday : Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution

This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Constitution : Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)

Legal system

This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legal system : based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
Executive branch - chief of state : Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008)
Executive branch - head of government : Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (chief minister since 15 August 2003, sworn in as premier on 9 August 2006); note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution
Executive branch - cabinet : Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general
Executive branch - elections : the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch

This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Legislative branch - elections : last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Legislative branch - election results : percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2

Judicial branch

This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Judicial branch : Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political parties and leaders : People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Political pressure groups and leaders : NA

International organization participation

This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organization participation : Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation in the US : none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US

This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.
Diplomatic representation from the US : none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description

This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
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

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