| Country name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
| Government type: |
NA |
| Capital: |
name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 51 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends third Sunday in April |
| Administrative divisions: |
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Independence: |
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| National holiday: |
Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) |
| Constitution: |
3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 |
| Legal system: |
English common law |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor Alan HUCKLE (since 25 August 2006); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since March 2003)
cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections: last held 17 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 8 |
| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Political parties and leaders: |
none; all independents |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International organization participation: |
ICFTU, UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| Flag description: |
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT |
