| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Gibraltar |
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| Government type | NA |
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| Capital | name: Gibraltar
geographic coordinates: 39 11 N, 5 22 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 |
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| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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| 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 |
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| Constitution | 30 May 1969 |
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| Legal system | English law |
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| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
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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] |
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Political pressure
groups and leaders | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Women's Association |
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International organization
participation | Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
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| 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 |
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