Legal system: based on English common law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Silas ATOPARE (since 13 November
1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bill SKATE (since 22 July 1997);
Deputy Prime Minister Iairo LASARO (since 20 October 1998)
cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
general on the recommendation of the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
appointed by the National Executive Council; prime minister and
deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general for up to
five years on the basis of majority support in National Parliament
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament—sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats—89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 14-28 June 1997 (next to be held NA June 2002) election results: percent of vote by party—PPP 15%, Pangu Pati 14%, NA 14%, PDM 8%, PNC 6%, PAP 5%, UP 3%, NP 1%, PUP 1%, independents 33%; seats by party—PPP 16, Pangu Pati 15, NA 15, PDM 9, PNC 7, PAP 5, UP 3, NP 1, PUP 1, independents 37; note—association with political parties is very fluid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice, other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission
Political parties and leaders: Bougainville Unity Alliance or BUA
MUMURIK]
International organization participation: ACP, APEC, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), C, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nagora Y. BOGAN chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Arma Jane KARAER
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
mailing address: P. O. Box 1492, Port Moresby
Flag description: divided diagonally from upper hoist-side
corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of
paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five white
five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered