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
Turks and Caicos
Islands
Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in
the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
total: 27.8 years
male: 28.5 years female: 27 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.644% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.12 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.16 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
9.48 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91
male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 14.35
deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.19
years male: 72.91 years female: 77.59 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2008
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 the US
Government
Turks and Caicos
Islands
Country name:
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
NA
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 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 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 branch:
chief of state: Queen
ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 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 2006 constitution cabinet: Cabinet consists
of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from
among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general
elections: 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 branch:
unicameral House of Assembly
(21 seats of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year
terms) elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in
2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM
40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2
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]
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, 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 (official exchange rate):
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:
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 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 (1997-98 est.)
Agriculture - products:
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca),
citrus fruits; fish
food and beverages, tobacco,
clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners:
US, UK (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
$4.1 million (1997)
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
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:
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; 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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios:
8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
0 (broadcasts received from The
Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)
Televisions:
NA
Internet country code:
.tc
Internet hosts:
2,310 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
14 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation
Turks and Caicos
Islands
Airports:
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6 1,524 to
2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2
(2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 2 under
914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2003)
Merchant marine:
registered in other
countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Military
Turks and Caicos
Islands
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility
of the UK
Transnational Issues
Turks and Caicos
Islands
Disputes - international:
have received Haitians fleeing
economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South
American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
