| International Country Code: |
JM |
| Type of Government: |
Parliamentary Democracy |
| Capital: |
Kingston |
| Administrative Divisions: |
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, St. Andrew, St. Ann, St. Catherine, St. Elizabeth, St. James, St. Mary, St. Thomas, Trelawny, and Westmoreland. |
| Independence: |
6 August 1962 (from UK) |
| Legal System: |
Based on English Common Law. |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal. |
| Executive Branch: |
Head of State: QUEEN ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), |
| represented by a Governor General. Sir Howard Cooke, the current holder has held this office since 1991. |
| Head of Government: Prime Minister. The Rt. Hon. P.J. Patterson has held this office since March 30, 1992. |
| Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. |
| Legislative Branch: |
Bi-cameral Parliament |
| Senate: Consists of a 21-member body appointed by the Governor General. 13 persons on the advice of the Prime Minister and 8 persons on the recommendation of the Leader of The Opposition. |
| House of Representatives: Consists of 60 elected officials from a General Election. (last held 18 December 1997.) |
| Judicial Branch: |
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (Great Britain) Court of Appealof Jamaica. The Supreme Court of Jamaica, Resident Magistrates Courts, Petty Sessions Courts. |
