Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form:
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
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:
1 January 2009
Legal system:
English common law and local statutes
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government:
Governor Nigel HAYWOOD (since 16 October 2010) is the Queen's representative; Chief Executive Keith PADGETT (since 1 February 2012)
cabinet:
Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor; the governor must obey the rulings of the Executive Council on domestic affairs
elections:
the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief executive appointed by the governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (10 seats; 2 members are ex officio and 8 are elected by popular vote; members to serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor
elections:
last held on 5 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2013)
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:
Falkland Islands Association (supports freedom of the people from external causes)
International organization participation:
UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
National anthem:
name: "Song of the Falklands""
lyrics/music:
Christopher LANHAM
note:
adopted 1930s; the song is the local unofficial anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)