government: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
state of civil and political rights: Partly free
constitution: 7 July 1978; amended several times, last in 2018; in February 2023, new federal constitution draft was with the Constitutional Review Unit in the prime minister's office
legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration
legislative system: Unicameral National Parliament
judicial system: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including the High Court chief justice and its puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges, as prescribed by the National Parliament); Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts
religion: Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.)
death row:
year of last executions: 0-0-0
death sentences: 0
executions: 0
international treaties on human rights and the death penalty:Convention on the Rights of the Child
situation:
