Administrative divisionsnone (overseas territory of the UK)
Age structure
0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,301; female 3,184)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,696; female 6,036)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 327; female 412) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Airports
8 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)
Area
total: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 430 sq km
Area - comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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.
Birth rate
22.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.)
Capital
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Climate
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Coastline
389 km
Constitution
introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Death rate
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external
NA (2002 est.)
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international
have received Haitians fleeing economic collapse and civil unrest
Economic aid - recipient
$4.1 million (1997)
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 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002.
Electricity - consumption
4.65 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production
5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Environment - current issues
limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Ethnic groups
black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
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
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
Exports
$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners
US, UK
Fiscal year
calendar year
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
GDP
purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
4.9% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates
21 45 N, 71 35 W
Geography - note
about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
Government type
NA
Highways
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2000)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage shar
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Imports
$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners
US, UK
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Industries
tourism, offshore financial services
Infant mortality rate
total: 16.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (1995)
International organization participation
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Internet country code
.tc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
14 (2000)
Internet users
NA
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
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
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (2001)
Languages
English (official)
Legal system
based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
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
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.25 years
male: 72.05 years
female: 76.57 years (2004 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
female: 98% (1970 est.)
male: 99%
total population: 98%
Location
Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Median age
total: 27.2 years
male: 27.9 years
female: 26.5 years (2004 est.)
Merchant marine
none
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
National holiday
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Nationality
noun: none
adjective: none
Natural hazards
frequent hurricanes
Natural resources
spiny lobster, conch
Net migration rate
11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
0 bbl/day NA bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports
NA (2001)
Oil - imports
NA (2001)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day NA (2001 est.)
People - note
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US
Political parties and leaders
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Population
19,956 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA
Population growth rate
3.03% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios
8,000 (1997)
Religions
Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
5,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1,700 (1999)
Television broadcast stations
0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)
Televisions
NA
Terrain
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Total fertility rate
3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate
10% (1997 est.)