Map of Turks and Caicos Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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
Total: 430 km²
Land: 430 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 389 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none

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


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Population: 12,697 (July 1992), growth rate 3.3% (1992)

Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms

Ethnic groups: majority of African descent

Languages: English (official)

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 16 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 22 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 77 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 2.3 children born/woman (1992)

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:

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
Legislative Council:

Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council, chief minister

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CDB
Diplomatic representation:
US: none

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview:
GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $44.9 million, per capita $5,000; real growth rate NA% (1986)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

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: growth rate NA%

Labor force: NA; majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture
Organized labor: Saint George's Industrial Trade Union

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)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

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)
Commodoties: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Partners: US, UK

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Production: 9,050 kW capacity; 11.1 million kWh produced, 1,140 kWh per capita (1990)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

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:

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs