Long-form name: none

Type: colony of the UK

Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions: none (colony of the UK)

Independence: none (colony of the UK)

Constitution: constitution introduced on 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, and at present a Constitutional Commission is reviewing its contents

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Branches: executive, bicameral legislature (Executive Council, 14-member Legislative Council), judicial (Supreme Court)

Leaders: @m5Chief of State Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1989); @m5Head of Government Governor Michael J. BRADLEY (since 1987); Chief Minister Oswald SKIPPINGS (since 1988)

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections: last held on 3 March 1988 for 13 Legislative Council seats

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Oswald Skippings; Progressive National Party (PNP), Dan Malcolm and Norman Saunders; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel Missick

Voting strength: PDM 11 seats, PNP 2 seats

Communists: none

Diplomatic representation: as a British colony, the interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands are represented in the US by the UK; US--none

Flag: 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 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Turks and Caicos Islands Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Turks and Caicos Islands Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.