| Country name: |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
| Government type: |
NA |
| Capital: |
name: Gibraltar
geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday: |
National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain |
| Constitution: |
30 May 1969 |
| Legal system: |
the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Sir Robert FULTON (since 27 October 2006)
head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats; 15 members elected by popular vote, 1 appointed for the Speaker, and 2 ex officio members; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later than February 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
| Political parties and leaders: |
Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
| International organization participation: |
Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Flag description: |
two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
