Country name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Jamaica
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Government type: |
constitutional parliamentary democracy
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Administrative divisions: |
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
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Independence: |
6 August 1962 (from UK)
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National holiday: |
Independence Day, first Monday in August (1962)
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Constitution: |
6 August 1962
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Legal system: |
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch: |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1 August 1991)
head of government:
Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since 30 March 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Seymour MULLINGS (since NA 1993)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general
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Legislative branch: |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 18 December 1997 (next to be held by March 2002)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PNP 50, JLP 10
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
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Political parties and leaders: |
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Edward SEAGA]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Bruce GOLDING]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]
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Political pressure groups and leaders: |
New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
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International organization participation: |
ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Richard Leighton BERNAL
chancery:
1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 452-0660
FAX:
[1] (202) 452-0081
consulate(s) general:
Miami and New York
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Stanley Louis MCLELLAND
embassy:
Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
FAX:
[1] (876) 926-6743
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Flag description: |
diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
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