Country name:conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI

Dependency status:overseas territory of the UK

Capital:name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W

Administrative divisions:none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)

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

Suffrage:18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005) headof government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003);note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution cabinet:Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointedby the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, andthe attorney general elections:the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; followinglegislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointedpremier by the governor

Legislative branch:unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2

Judicial branch:Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

International organization participation:Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:blue,with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and thecolonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield isyellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus