| Turks and Caicos Islands (overseas territory of the UK) |  | Click to enlarge
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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| Introduction | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Background: | The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory.

| Geography | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Location: | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic coordinates: | 21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 389 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain: | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources: | spiny lobster, conch
Land use: | arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
Natural hazards: | frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note: | about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

| People | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Population: | 20,556 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277) 15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 27.35 years male: 28.08 years female: 26.62 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | 11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.51 years male: 72.28 years female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups: | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Religions: | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
Languages: | English (official)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)
People - note: | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

| Government | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK
Government type: | NA
Capital: | Grand Turk
Administrative divisions: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution: | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
Legal system: | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005) head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor
Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

| Economy | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $216 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 4.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: | 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Unemployment rate: | 10% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4% (1995)
Budget: | revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.)
Agriculture - products: | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries: | tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 5 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption: | 4.65 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day
Oil - consumption: | 0 bbl/day
Oil - exports: | NA
Oil - imports: | NA
Exports: | $169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities: | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners: | US, UK
Imports: | $175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities: | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners: | US, UK
Debt - external: | NA
Economic aid - recipient: | $4.1 million (1997)
Currency (code): | US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 5,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,700 (1999)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing domestic: full range of services available international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations: | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)
Internet country code: | .tc
Internet users: | NA

| Transportation | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Highways: | total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Ports and harbors: | Grand Turk, Providenciales
Airports: | 8 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

| Military | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

| Transnational Issues | Turks and Caicos Islands | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005