from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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.
Geography
Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic
Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Geographic 21 45 N, 71 35 W
coordinates:
Map Central America and the Caribbean
references:
Area: total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 389 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Natural spiny lobster, conch
resources:
Land use: arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural frequent hurricanes
hazards:
Environment - limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns
current collect rainwater
issues:
Geography - about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
note:
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 2.82% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 74.73 years
expectancy at male: 72.48 years
birth: female: 77.08 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.05 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI
Dependency overseas territory of the UK
status:
Government NA
type:
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 none (overseas territory of the UK)
divisions:
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
holiday:
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 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 new constitution
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier,
six ministers appointed by the governor from among the
members of the Legislative Council, 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 unicameral Legislative Council (21 seats of which 15
branch: 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 Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
branch:
Political People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR];
parties and Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene
leaders: MISICK]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
organization
participation:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
from the US:
Flag blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: 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
Economy - The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism,
overview: 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 $216 million (2002 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official NA
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 4.9% (2000 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $11,500 (2002 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: NA%
composition by industry: NA%
sector: services: NA%
Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture
by occupation: and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
and other services
Unemployment 10% (1997 est.)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 4% (1995)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)
Agriculture - corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
products:
Industries: tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 5 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 4.65 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 80 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $169.2 million (2000)
Exports - lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
commodities:
Exports - US, UK (2004)
partners:
Imports: $175.6 million (2000)
Imports - food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures,
commodities: construction materials
Imports - US, UK (2004)
partners:
Debt - $NA
external:
Economic aid - $4.1 million (1997)
recipient:
Currency US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange the US dollar is used
rates:
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 5,700 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1,700 (1999)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: fully digital system with
system: 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)
Radio AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 8,000 (1997)
Television 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable
broadcast television networks) (2004)
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .tc
country code:
Internet 2,735 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 14 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet NA
users:
Transportation
Airports: 8 (2006)
Airports - total: 6
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with unpaved under 914 m: 2 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2003)
Ports and Grand Turk, Providenciales
terminals:
Military
Military $192.8 million
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military - defense is the responsibility of the UK
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil
international: disorder
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics
destined for the US and Europe