National holiday: Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March)

Constitution: 30 May 1969

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have
been residents six months or more

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief, the Right Honorable
Sir Richard LUCE (since 24 February 1997); note - a new governor has
been appointed and will arrive in March 2000
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
note: there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15
elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex
officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - SD 54%, GSLA 40%; seats
by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Gibraltar Labor Party/Association for
the Advancement of Civil Rights or GCL/AACR ; Gibraltar
Liberal Party or GLP (has become the Gibraltar National Party or NP)
; Gibraltar Social Democrats or SD ;
Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or SL ; Gibraltar
Socialist Liberal Alliance or GSLA (includes SL and GLP)

Political pressure groups and leaders: Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar
Representatives Organization; Housewives Association

International organization participation: Interpol (subbureau)

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

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

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

@Gibraltar:Economy

Economy - overview: Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping
trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international
conference center. The British military presence has been sharply
reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The
finan