tal territory*; Central,
Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita,
Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western

Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution: 7 July 1978

Legal system: English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of
a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament;
deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice
of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament cabinet:
Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the
advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament head
of government: Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)

Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%,
SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1,
independents 18 elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held
by December 2005)

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Association of Independents [Snyder RINI];
People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive
Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance
for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands
Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU] note: in general, Solomon Islands
politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jeremiah MANELE
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone:
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy
in Solomon Islands (embas