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

Area
Rank: 186
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 389 km

Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain: low flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Natural resources: spiny lobster conch

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

Geography
Note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Population: 46,335 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 211
Growth rate: 3.17% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 5
Below poverty line: NA%

Ethnic groups: black 87.6% white 7.9% mixed 2.5% East Indian 1.3% other 0.7%

Languages: English (official)

Religions: Protestant 72.8% (Baptist 35.8% Church of God 11.7% Anglican 10% Methodist 9.3% Seventh-Day Adventist 6%) Roman Catholic 11.4% Jehovah's Witnesses 1.8% other 14%

Population growth rate: 3.17% (2012 est.)
Rank: 5

Birth rate: 17.44 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 110

Death rate: 3 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 218

Net migration rate: 17.27 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 4

Environment
Current issues: limited natural freshwater resources private cisterns collect rainwater

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 134

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 42

Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 170

Sanitation facility access:
Unimproved:

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

Education expenditures: NA

Government type: NA

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 Order 2011

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and civil law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly consisting of 19 seats 15 elected and 4 appointed by the governor; of elected members five are elected at large and 10 from single member districts for four year terms

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Oswald SKIPPINGS]; People's Progressive Party [NA]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Rufus EWING]

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

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: 216

Real gdp growth rate: 4.9% (2000 est.)
Rank: 60

Real gdp per capita: $11,500 (2002 est.)
Rank: 106

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
Rank: 221

Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)
Rank: 109

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 53

Exports: $169.2 million (2000)
Rank: 187
Commodities: lobster dried and fresh conch conch shells

Imports: $175.6 million (2000)
Rank: 206
Commodities: food and beverages tobacco clothing manufactures construction materials

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used 1 (2012 est.)

Electricity
Production: 200 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 183
Consumption: 186 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 186
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 136
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 139
Installed generating capacity: 50,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 184
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 40
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 185
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 202
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 191

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 193
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 190
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 126
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 192

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 197
Products consumption: 999 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 204
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 133
Products imports: 1042 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 193

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 196
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 197
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 62
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 135
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 196

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 38,880 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 208

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

Internet
Country code: .tc
Hosts: 73,217 (2012)
Hosts rank: 86

Airports: 8 (2012)
Rank: 164

Roadways
Rank: 212

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