conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cayman Islands

6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009) (2013)

English common law and local statutes

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Helen KILPATRICK (since 6 September 2013)

head of government: Premier Alden MCLAUGHLIN (since 29 May 2013)

cabinet: The Cabinet (six members are appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier, selected from among the elected members of the Legislative Assembly)

elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition appointed by the governor as premier

Unicameral Legislative Assembly (21 seats; 18 members elected by popular vote, Speaker, and 2 ex officio members - Deputy Governor and Attorney General; to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 22 May 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: percent of vote by party - PPM 36.1%, UDP 27.8%, C4C 18.6%, independents 11.9%, PNA 5.7%; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 3, C4C 3, independent 2, PNA 1

highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); Grand Court (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges)

Note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (: undefined

judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Grand Court judges appointed by the governor on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an 8-member independent body consisting of governor appointees, Court of Appeal president, and attorneys; Court of Appeal judges' tenure based on their individual instruments of appointment; Grand Court judges normally appointed until retirement at age 65 but can be extended until age 70

subordinate courts: Summary Court

People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]

A blue field, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

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