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Appendices

Central America and Caribbean :: Turks and Caicos Islands

(overseas territory of the UK)

page last updated on November 10, 2011

(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)

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Introduction ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:

Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

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

Geographic coordinates:

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total: 948 sq km

country comparison to the world: 186

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

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)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues:

limited natural freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note:

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People and Society ::Turks and Caicos Islands

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.)

country comparison to the world: 210

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.)

country comparison to the world: 4

Birth rate:

17.76 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 109

Death rate:

2.99 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 218

Net migration rate:

20.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

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

country comparison to the world: 134

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

country comparison to the world: 40

male: 76.39 years

female: 81.97 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.7 children born/woman (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 167

Drinking water source:

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:

improved:

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Education expenditures:

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

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

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:

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)

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

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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]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

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)

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.)

country comparison to the world: 214

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

4.9% (2000 est.)

country comparison to the world: 75

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$11,500 (2002 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 1%

industry: 23.9%

services: 75.2%

Labor force:

4,848 (1990 est.)

country comparison to the world: 219

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.)

country comparison to the world: 110

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Investment (gross fixed):

44.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Budget:

revenues: $345 million

expenditures: $374.5 million (2010 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2% (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

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.)

country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - consumption:

162.8 million kWh (2008 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - consumption:

500 bbl/day (2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 206

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 205

Oil - imports:

470 bbl/day (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 195

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 188

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 195

Exports:

$169.2 million (2000)

country comparison to the world: 181

Exports - commodities:

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Imports:

$175.6 million (2000)

country comparison to the world: 204

Imports - commodities:

food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:

3,700 (2010)

country comparison to the world: 217

Telephones - mobile cellular:

25,100 (2004)

country comparison to the world: 205

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)

Internet country code:

.tc

Internet hosts:

8,969 (2010)

country comparison to the world: 127