Turks and Caicos Islands

§1. Turks and Caicos Islands Introduction

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.

§2. Turks and Caicos Islands Geography

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 references:
  Central_America_and_the_Caribbean

Area:
  total: 430 km²
  land: 430 km²
  water: 0 km²

Area - 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
  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 km²

Natural hazards:
  frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note:
  about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

§3. Turks and Caicos Islands People

Population:
  21,152 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)
  15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.5 years
  male: 28.3 years
  female: 26.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.82% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.73 years
  male: 72.48 years
  female: 77.08 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.05 children born/woman (2006 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 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

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

Languages:
  English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

People - note:
  destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the
  Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and US

§4. Turks and Caicos Islands Government

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

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 1952), represented by
    Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
  head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August
    2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five
    appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative
    Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
    monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
    party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by
    party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by- elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP
    gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National
  Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

§5. Turks and Caicos Islands Economy

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 annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of
  government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and
  customs receipts.

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

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $11,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

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

Unemployment rate:
  10% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

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

Budget:
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98
    est.)

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

Industries:
  tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  5 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.65 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  80 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners:
  US, UK (2004)

Imports:
  $175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Imports - partners:
  US, UK (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.1 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Turks and Caicos Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,700 (1999)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks)
  (2004)

Internet country code:
  .tc

Internet hosts:
  1,488 (2005)

Internet users:
  NA

§7. Turks and Caicos Islands Transportation

Airports:
  8 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 121 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 97 km (2003)

Ports and terminals:
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

§8. Turks and Caicos Islands Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

§9. Turks and Caicos Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

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


<Factbook 2006>
