Map of Turks and Caicos Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: The islands were under Jamaican jurisdiction until 1962 when they assumed the status of a crown colony. 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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

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

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures; 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 98%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK


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Population: 9,983 (July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991)

Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms

Ethnic groups: majority of African descent

Languages: English (official)

Religions: Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 25 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1000 population (1991)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: 30 islands (eight inhabited; subject to frequent hurricanes

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1991)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 98% (male 99%, female 98%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: dependent territory of the UK

Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, and a Constitutional Commission is currently reviewing its contents

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Michael J. BRADLEY (since 1987; Head of Government--Chief Minister Oswald O. SKIPPINGS (since 3 March 1988)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CDB

Diplomatic representation
In the us: as a dependent territory of the UK, the interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands are represented in the US by the UK; US--none

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 Turks and Caicos IslandsTurks and Caicos Islands

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and offshore banking. Subsistence farming--corn and beans--exists only on the Caicos Islands, so that most foods, as well as nonfood products, must be imported.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more important than farming; not self-sufficient in food

Industries: fishing, tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: NA; majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture

Unemployment rate: 12% (1989)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $12.4 million; expenditures $15.8 million, including capital expenditures of $2.6 million (FY87)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.9 million (f.o.b., FY84)
Commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Partners: US, UK

Imports: $26.3 million (c.i.f., FY84)
Commodities: foodstuffs, drink, tobacco, clothing
Partners: US, UK

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 7 total, 7 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 2,439 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs