Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: common law
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November
1994); Deputy Prime Minister Dennis LULEI (since 10 November 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the governor general on advice of the
prime minister from members of parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament: elections last held NA November 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) number of seats by party NA
Judicial branch: High Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Alliance Party (PAP); United
Party (UP), leader NA; Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP),
Bartholemew ULUFA'ALU; Nationalist Front for Progress (NFP), Andrew
NORI; Labor Party (LP), Joses TUHANUKU; National Action Party, leader
NA; Christian Fellowship, leader NA; National Unity Group, Solomon
MAMALONI
Member of: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC,
ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO