Government of Falkland Islands
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) |
| Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina |
| Government type: | NA |
| 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: | 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998 |
| Legal system: | English common law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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: | none |
| International organization participation: | ICFTU, UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina) |
| 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 |