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| Turks and Caicos Islands Main Page · World Factbook Main Page |
INTRODUCTION
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 Coordinates: | |
| 21 45 N, 71 35 W | |
Area: | |
| Total: 948 sq km Land: 948 sq km Water: 0 sq km | |
Area - Comparative: | |
| 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | |
Land Boundaries: | |
| 0 km | |
Coastline: | |
| 389 km (Rank: 120) | |
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: Flamingo Hill 48 m | |
Natural Resources: | |
| Spiny lobster, conch | |
Land Use: | |
| Arable land: 2.33% Permanent crops: 0% Other: 97.67% (2005) | |
Natural Hazards: | |
| Frequent hurricanes | |
Environment - Current Issues: | |
| Limited natural freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater | |
Geography - Note: | |
| About 40 islands (eight inhabited) | |
Nationality: | |
| Noun: none Adjective: none | |
Ethnic Groups: | |
| Black 87.6%, white 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2001 census) | |
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% (2001) | |
Population: | |
| 44,819 (July 2011 est.) | |
Age Structure: | |
| 0-14 years: 22.7% (male 5,188/female 5,008) 15-64 years: 73.2% (male 16,653/female 16,156) 65 years and over: 4% (male 813/female 1,001) (2011 est.) | |
Median Age: | |
| Total: 30.4 years Male: 30.8 years Female: 30.1 years (2011 est.) | |
Population Growth Rate: | |
| 3.485% (2011 est.) | |
Birth Rate: | |
| 17.76 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) | |
Death Rate: | |
| 2.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) | |
Net Migration Rate: | |
| 20.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) | |
Urbanization: | |
| Urban population: 93% of total population (2010) Rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) | |
Major Cities - Population: | |
| GRAND TURK (capital) 6,000 (2009) | |
Sex Ratio: | |
| At birth: 1.052 male(s)/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 (2011 est.) | |
Infant Mortality Rate: | |
| Total: 11.97 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 15.02 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 8.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) | |
Life Expectancy At Birth: | |
| Total population: 79.11 years Male: 76.39 years Female: 81.97 years (2011 est.) | |
Total Fertility Rate: | |
| 1.7 children born/woman (2011 est.) | |
Drinking Water Source: | |
| Urban: 100% of population Rural: 100% of population Total: 100% of population (2008) | |
Sanitation Facility Access: | |
| Urban: 98% of population Rural: 94% of population Total: 96% of population Unimproved: Urban: 2% of population Rural: 6% of population Total: 4% of population (2000) | |
Literacy: | |
| Definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school Total population: 98% Male: 99% Female: 98% (1970 est.) | |
Average Years of Schooling: | |
| Total: 11 years Male: 11 years Female: 12 years (2005) | |
People - Note: | |
| Destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US | |
Country Name: | |
| Conventional long form: none Conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands Abbreviation: TCI | |
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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November | |
Administrative Divisions: | |
| None (overseas territory of the UK) | |
Dependency Status: | |
| 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: | |
| Mixed legal system of English common law and civil law | |
Suffrage: | |
| 18 years of age; universal | |
Executive Branch: | |
| Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Damian (Ric) TODD (since 12 September 2011) Head of government: Governor Damian (Ric) TODD (since 12 September 2011); 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 pending completion of reform milestones | |
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 in 2012) 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) | |
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 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" Lyrics/music: 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) | |
Affiliation: | |
| (overseas territory of the UK) | |
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. | |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): | |
| $216 million (2002 est.) | |
GDP - Real Growth Rate: | |
| 4.9% (2000 est.) | |
GDP - Per Capita (PPP): | |
| $11,500 (2002 est.) | |
GDP - Composition By Sector: | |
| Agriculture: 1% Industry: 23.9% Services: 75.2% | |
Labor Force: | |
| 4,848 (1990 est.) | |
Labor Force - 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.) | |
Population Below Poverty Line: | |
| NA% | |
Household Income / Consumption By Share: | |
| Lowest 10%: NA% Highest 10%: NA% | |
Investment (Gross Fixed): | |
| 44.5% of GDP (2010 est.) | |
Budget: | |
| Revenues: $345 million Expenditures: $374.5 million (2010 est.) | |
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices): | |
| 2% (2010 est.) 1.5% (2009 est.) | |
Agriculture - Products: | |
| Corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish | |
Industries: | |
| Tourism, offshore financial services | |
Industrial Production Growth Rate: | |
| NA% | |
Electricity - Production: | |
| 175 million kWh (2008 est.) | |
Electricity - Production By Source: | |
| Fossil fuel: 100% Hydro: 0% Nuclear: 0% Other: 0% (2001) | |
Electricity - Consumption: | |
| 162.8 million kWh (2008 est.) | |
Electricity - Exports: | |
| 0 kWh (2009 est.) | |
Electricity - Imports: | |
| 0 kWh (2009 est.) | |
Oil - Production: | |
| 0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | |
Oil - Consumption: | |
| 500 bbl/day (2010 est.) | |
Oil - Exports: | |
| 0 bbl/day (2009 est.) | |
Oil - Imports: | |
| 470 bbl/day (2009 est.) | |
Oil - Proven Reserves: | |
| 0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) | |
Natural Gas - Production: | |
| 0 cu m (2009 est.) | |
Natural Gas - Consumption: | |
| 0 cu m (2009 est.) | |
Natural Gas - Exports: | |
| 0 cu m (2009 est.) | |
Natural Gas - Imports: | |
| 0 cu m (2009 est.) | |
Natural Gas - Proven Reserves: | |
| 0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) | |
Exports: | |
| $169.2 million (2000) | |
Exports - Commodities: | |
| Lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells | |
Imports: | |
| $175.6 million (2000) | |
Imports - Commodities: | |
| Food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials | |
Exchange Rates: | |
| Convert United States Dollar to Any Currency The US dollar is used | |
Telephones - Main Lines In Use: | |
| 3,700 (2010) | |
Telephones - Cellular: | |
| 25,100 (2004) | |
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) | |
Radio Broadcast Stations: | |
| AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) | |
Television Broadcast Stations: | |
| 0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003) | |
Internet Country Code: | |
| .tc | |
Internet Hosts: | |
| 8,969 (2010) | |
Airports: | |
| 8 (2010) | |
Airports - With Paved Runways: | |
| Total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 Under 914 m: 2 (2010) | |
Airports - With Unpaved Runways: | |
| Total: 1 Under 914 m: 1 (2010) | |
Roadways: | |
| Total: 121 km Paved: 24 km Unpaved: 97 km (2003) | |
Merchant Marine: | |
| Registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) | |
Ports and Terminals: | |
| Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales | |
Manpower Fit For Military Service: | |
| Males age 16-49: 11,842 Females age 16-49: 11,755 (2010 est.) | |
Manpower Reaching Militarily Significant Age Annually: | |
| Male: 338 Female: 342 (2010 est.) | |
Military - Note: | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK | |
Disputes - International: | |
| Have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder | |
Illicit Drugs: | |
| Transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | |
| Turks and Caicos Islands Main Page | World Factbook Main Page |
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