| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
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| Government type | NA |
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| Capital | name: Stanley
geographic coordinates: 51 42 S, 57 41 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 |
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| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
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| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
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| National holiday | Liberation Day, 14 June (1982) |
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| Constitution | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 |
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| Legal system | English common law |
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| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
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Political parties
and leaders | none; all independents |
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Political pressure
groups and leaders | none |
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International organization
participation | ICFTU, UPU |
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| 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 |
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