Gibraltar: Government#
| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar etymology: from the Spanish derivation of the Arabic "Jabal Tariq," which means "Mountain of Tariq" and which refers to the Rock of Gibraltar |
|---|---|
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (Parliament); self-governing overseas territory of the UK |
| Capital | Gibraltar
Gibraltar
geographic coordinates: 36 08 N, 5 21 W time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday | National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or join Spain |
| Constitution | history: previous 1969; latest passed by referendum 30 November 2006, entered into effect 14 December 2006, entered into force 2 January 2007 amendments: proposed by Parliament and require prior consent of the British monarch (through the Secretary of State); passage requires three-quarters majority vote in Parliament followed by simple majority vote in a referendum; note – only sections 1 through 15 in Chapter 1 (Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms) can be amended by Parliament (2016) |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply |
| Citizenship | see United Kingdom |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; and British citizens with six months residence or more |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Lt. Gen. Edward DAVIS (since 19 January 2016) head of government: Chief Minister Fabian PICARDO (since 9 December 2011) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 17 elected members of Parliament by the governor in consultation with the chief minister elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament (18 seats; 17 members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by majority vote and 1 appointed by Parliament as speaker; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 26 November 2015 (next to be held not later than December 2019) election results: percent of vote by party - GSLP 68.4%, GSD 31.6%; seats by party - GSLP 10, GSD 7 |
| Judicial branch | highest resident court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of at least 3 judges, including the court president); Supreme Court of Gibraltar (consists of the chief justice and 3 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London) judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Supreme Court judges appointed by the governor upon the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, a 7-member body of judges and appointees of the governor; tenure of the Court of Appeal president based on terms of appointment; Supreme Court chief justice and judge normally appointed until retirement at age 67, but can be extended 3 years subordinate courts: Court of First Instance; Magistrates' Court; specialized tribunals for issues relating to social security, taxes, and employment |
| Political parties and leaders | Gibraltar Liberal Party (Joseph GARCIA) Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD (Daniel FEETHAM) Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP (Fabian PICARDO) Progressive Democratic Party (Nick CRUZ) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Chamber of Commerce Gibraltar Representatives Organization Women's Association |
| International organization participation | ICC (NGOs), Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
| 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; the design is that of Gibraltar's coat of arms granted on 10 July 1502 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain; the castle symbolizes Gibraltar as a fortress, while the key represents Gibraltar's strategic importance - the key to the Mediterranean |
| National symbol(s) | Barbary macaque; national colors: red, white, yellow |
| National anthem | name: "Gibraltar Anthem" lyrics/music: Peter EMBERLEY note: adopted 1994; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" remains official (see United Kingdom) |