Facts About Turks & Caicos

Want to find out more about Canada's almost eleventh province? The CIA World Fact Book is a comprehensive resource of information about virtually every country in the world. The facts below are extracted from their online database about Turks and Caicos.

MAIN MENU: PROVINCES and TERRITORIES: LANDS ABROAD: TURKS & CAICOS: FACTS

Geography

Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas

Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: 430 sq km

AreaNcomparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 389 km

Maritime Claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use:

arable land: 2%
other: 98% (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes

EnvironmentNcurrent issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

GeographyNnote: 30 islands (eight inhabited)

People

Population: 16 863 (July 1999 estimate)

Age Structure

0-14 years: 32% (male 2777; female 2697)
15-64 years: 63% (male 5619; female 5085)
65 years and over: 5% (male 305; female 380) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.65% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.39 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex Ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 21.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 72.35 years
male: 70.4 years
female: 74.4 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.28 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups: black

Religions: Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government

Data code: TK

Dependency status: overseas territory of the United Kingdom

Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor John Kelly (since September 1996)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. Taylor (since 31 January 1995)
cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative Branch

unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 31 January 1995 (next to be held by NA December 1999)
election results: seats by partyNPDM 8, PNP 4, independent (Norman Saunders) 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington Misick]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. Taylor]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal Swann]

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)

Flag of Turks and Caicos

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.

Economy

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 was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87 000 visitors. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP: purchasing power parityN$117 million (1997 est.)

GDPNreal growth rate: 4% (1997 est.)

GDPNper capita: purchasing power parityN$7700 (1997 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1995)

Labor force: 4848 (1990 est.)

Labor forceNby occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism and financial and other services (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)

Budget

revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million (1997/98 est.)

Industries: tourism, offshore financial services

ElectricityNproduction: 5 million kWh (1996)

ElectricityNproduction by source: fossil fuel: 100% (1996)

ElectricityNconsumption: 5 million kWh (1996)

ElectricityNexports: 0 kWh (1996)

ElectricityNimports: 0 kWh (1996)

AgricultureNproducts: corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Exports: $4.7 million (1993)

ExportsNcommodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

ExportsNpartners: US, UK

Imports: $46.6 million (1993)

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

ImportsNpartners: US, UK

Economic aidNrecipient: $5.7 million (1995)

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 1359 (1988 est.)

Telephone system: fair cable and radiotelephone services; international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stationN1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 7000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)

Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways

total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km

Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 7 (1998 est.)

AirportsNwith paved runways

total: 4
1524 to 2437 m: 3
914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

AirportsNwith unpaved runways

total: 3
914 to 1523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

MilitaryNnote: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US

SOURCE: CIA World Factbook.