National holiday: Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution: unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system: English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Vice-Admiral Sir John COWARD (since NA 1994) and Bailiff Mr. Graham Martyn DOREY (since February 1992) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee (other committees) appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the queen is a hereditary monarch; lieutenant governor appointed by the queen; bailiff appointed by the queen

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly of the States (60 seats, 33 popularly elected; members serve six-year terms) elections: last held 20 April 1994 (next to be held NA 2000) election results: percent of vote-NA; seats-all independents

Judicial branch: Royal Court

Political parties and leaders: none; all independents

International organization participation: none

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (British crown dependency)