Country List | World Factbook Home
The World Factbook 2002
| Turks and Caicos Islands |

Introduction | Turks and Caicos Islands

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 are presently a British overseas territory.

Geography | Turks and Caicos Islands

Location: | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas
Geographic coordinates: | 21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 430 sq km
Area - comparative: | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
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 extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural resources: | spiny lobster, conch
Land use: | arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% other: 98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
Natural hazards: | frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geography - note: | about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People | Turks and Caicos Islands

Population: | 18,738 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004) 15-64 years: 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: | 3.28% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: | 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: | 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.76 years female: 76.03 years (2002 est.) male: 71.59 years
Total fertility rate: | 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: none adjective: none
Ethnic groups: | black
Religions: | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
Languages: | English (official)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) total population: 98%
People - note: | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government | Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK
Government type: | NA
Capital: | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Administrative divisions: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution: | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
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 (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation 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

Economy | Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview: | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 8.7% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4% (1995)
Labor force: | 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 10% (1997 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)
Industries: | tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 4.65 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Exports: | $13.7 million (1999)
Exports - commodities: | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners: | US, UK
Imports: | $175.6 million (1999)
Imports - commodities: | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners: | US, UK
Debt - external: | $NA
Economic aid - recipient: | $4.1 million (1997)
Currency: | US dollar (USD)
Currency code: | USD
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: | 3,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 0 (1994)
Telephone system: | general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: | 8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)
Televisions: | NA
Internet country code: | .tc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 14 (2000)
Internet users: | NA

Transportation | Turks and Caicos Islands

Railways: | 0 km
Highways: | total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Waterways: | none
Ports and harbors: | Grand Turk, Providenciales
Merchant marine: | none (2002 est.)
Airports: | 8 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2001)

Military | Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues | Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international: | none
Illicit drugs: | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002