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.

Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N 71 35 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 948 km²
Rank: 185
Land: 948 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: Flamingo Hill 48 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster conch

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

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Geography
Note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Population: 23,528 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 217
Growth rate: 2.491% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 32
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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.2%
15-64 years: 65.6% (male 7,875/female 7,164)
65 years and over: 4.2% (male 475/female 499) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 28 years
Male: 28.8 years
Female: 27.3 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.491% (2010 est.)
Rank: 32

Birth rate: 20.44 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 89

Death rate: 4.17 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 208

Net migration rate: 8.63 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 10

Urbanization
Urban population: 92% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.047 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.43 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 130
Male: 15.5 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 11.26 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.64 years
Rank: 78
Male: 73.32 years
Female: 78.07 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 70

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

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
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 12 years (2005)

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

Government type: NA

Capital
Name: Grand Turk
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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day 30 August (1976)

Constitution: Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) Order 2009 S.I. 2009/701 - effective 14 August 2009 - suspended Ministerial government the House of Assembly and the constitutional right to trial by jury and imposed direct British rule

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 ; represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008)
Head of government: Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 14 August 2009); note - the office of premier is suspended by the Order in Council effective 14 August 2009
Cabinet: under provisions of the Order in Council the cabinet is suspended effective 14 August 2009 and replaced by an Advisory Council appointed by the governor
Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Note: following an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption and misconduct within the Turks and Caicos Government the UK foreign minister directed the governor to bring into effect on 14 August 2009 an Order in Council suspending Ministerial government and the House of Assembly and imposing direct rule for a period of up to two years

Legislative branch: under provisions of the Order in Council the unicameral House of Assembly is dissolved and all seats vacated for a period of up to two years; in the interim a Consultative Forum appointed by the governor will be established
Elections: last held on 9 February 2007 (next to be held by July 2011)
Election results: under provisions of the Order in Council all seats in the House of Assembly are vacated

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 displays a conch shell a spiny lobster and Turks Head cactus - three common elements of the islands' biota

National anthem
Name: 'This Land of Ours'
Lyricsmusic: Conrad HOWELL
Note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the United Kingdom 'God Save the Queen' is the official anthem (see United Kingdom)

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.)
Rank: 215

Real gdp growth rate: 4.9% (2000 est.)
Rank: 61

Real gdp per capita: $11,500 (2002 est.)
Rank: 97

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.)
Rank: 219
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.)
Rank: 111

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (1995)
Rank: 115

Exports: $169.2 million (2000)
Rank: 183
Commodities: lobster dried and fresh conch conch shells

Imports: $175.6 million (2000)
Rank: 202
Commodities: food and beverages tobacco clothing manufactures construction materials

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Production: 12 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 209
Consumption: 11.16 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 210
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 117
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 166
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 106
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 120
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 125

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,700 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 217
Mobile cellular: 25,100 (2004)
Mobile cellular rank: 205

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; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America parts of the Caribbean and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Broadcast media: while there are no local terrestrial TV stations broadcasts from the Bahamas can be received; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; government-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters with a total of about 15 stations broadcasting (2007)

Internet
Country code: .tc
Hosts: 8,969 (2010)
Hosts rank: 127

Airports: 8 (2010)
Rank: 163
With paved runways total: 7
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 121 km
Rank: 211
Paved: 24 km
Unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Merchant marine
Registered in other countries: 1 (2008)
Rank: 151

Ports and terminals: Cockburn Harbour Grand Turk Providenciales

Disputes international: have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

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