Map of Turks and Caicos Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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 reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 430 km²
Land: 430 km²
Water: 0 km²
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
Extremes highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster conch

Land use
Arable land: 2.33%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 97.67% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Geography
Note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)


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Population: 21,746 (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 2.722% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: none
Adjective: none

Ethnic groups: black 90% mixed European or North American 10%

Languages: English (official)

Religions: Baptist 40% Anglican 18% Methodist 16% Church of God 12% other 14% (1990)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 31.3% (male 3,466/female 3,345)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 7,398/female 6,690)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 394/female 453) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 27.7 years
Male: 28.4 years
Female: 26.9 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.722% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 21.48 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 4.23 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 9.98 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural fresh water resources private cisterns collect rainwater

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.036 male/female
15-64 years: 1.106 male/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male/female
Total population: 1.073 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 14.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 17 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 12.29 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.95 years
Male: 72.69 years
Female: 77.32 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
Total population: 98%
Male: 99%
Female: 98% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Abbreviation: TCI

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Geographic coordinates: 21 28 N, 71 08 W
Time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day 30 August (1976)

Constitution: Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
Head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003); note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

International organization participation: Caricom (associate) CDB Interpol (subbureau) UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism offshore financial services and fishing. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists accounting for more than three-quarters of the 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $216 million (2002 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 4.9% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $11,500 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: corn beans cassava (tapioca) citrus fruits; fish

Industries: tourism offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
By occupation note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $47 million
Expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (1995)

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: $169.2 million (2000)
Commodities: lobster dried and fresh conch conch shells
Partners: US UK (2006)

Imports: $175.6 million (2000)
Commodities: food and beverages tobacco clothing manufactures construction materials
Partners: US UK (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Production: 11.57 million kWh (2005)
Consumption: 10.76 million kWh (2005)
Exports: 0 kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2005 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 5,700 (2002)
Mobile cellular: 1700 (1999)

Telephone system
General assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing
Domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available
International: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .tc
Hosts: 2,310 (2007)
Users: NA

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: 8 (2007)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 121 km
Paved: 24 km
Unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals: Grand Turk Providenciales


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Disputes international: have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe