Government of Cocos Islands
Country name: | conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Dependency status: | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Government type: | NA |
Capital: | name: West Island geographic coordinates: 12 10 S, 96 50 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Administrative divisions: | none (territory of Australia) |
Independence: | none (territory of Australia) |
National holiday: | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Constitution: | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1955) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
Legal system: | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
Suffrage: | NA |
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Legislative branch: | unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats) elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held in May 2005 (next to be held in May 2007) |
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court |
Political parties and leaders: | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders: | none |
International organization participation: | none |
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (territory of Australia) |
Flag description: | the flag of Australia is used |