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Turks and Caicos Islands (overseas territory of the UK) |
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Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues Print This Frame Airports Hotels
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| Turks and Caicos Islands | Introduction | 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 are presently a British overseas territory. |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Geography | Top of Page |
| Location: | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas |
| 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: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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%
permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 98% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated land: | NA sq km |
| Natural hazards: | frequent hurricanes |
| Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
| Geography - note: | 30 islands (eight inhabited) |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | People | Top of Page |
| Population: | 18,122 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years:
32.58% (male 2,996; female 2,908)
15-64 years: 63.51% (male 6,050; female 5,459) 65 years and over: 3.91% (male 316; female 393) (2001 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 3.41% (2001 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 13.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | 18.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population:
73.52 years
male: 71.37 years female: 75.77 years (2001 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.22 children born/woman (2001 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 |
| Religions: | Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980) |
| Languages: | English (official) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Government | 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: | Cockburn Town (on 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 small number 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 Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) 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; chief minister appointed by the governor |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
| 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 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Economy | 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 was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87,000 visitors; tourist arrivals had risen to 93,000 by 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. |
| GDP: | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 8.7% (1999 est.) |
| GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4% (1995) |
| 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 (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 10% (1997 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-1998 est.) |
| Industries: | tourism, offshore financial services |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 5 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 4.6 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture - products: | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
| Exports: | $4.7 million (1993) |
| Exports - commodities: | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
| Exports - partners: | US, UK |
| Imports: | $46.6 million (1993) |
| 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: | US dollar (USD) |
| Currency code: | USD |
| Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Communications | Top of Page |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 3,000 (1994) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 0 (1994) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment:
fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 8,000 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
| Televisions: | NA |
| Internet country code: | .tc |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 14 (2000) |
| Internet users: | NA |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Transportation | Top of Page |
| Railways: | 0 km |
| Highways: |
total:
121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
| Waterways: | none |
| Ports and harbors: | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
| Merchant marine: | none (2000 est.) |
| Airports: | 8 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total:
4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total:
4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Military | Top of Page |
| Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | Transnational Issues | Top of Page |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |