Capital: Grand Turk
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Martin BOURKE (since NA February 1993)
head of government: Chief Minister Washington MISSICK (since NA March 1991)
cabinet: Executive Council; consists of three ex-officio members and five appointed by the governor from the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Council: elections last held on 3 April 1991 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total, 13 elected) PNP 8, PDM 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Progressive National Party (PNP), Washington MISSICK; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Oswald SKIPPINGS; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel MISSICK
Member of: CARICOM (associate), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau)

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

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 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Turks and Caicos Islands Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Turks and Caicos Islands Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.