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This article is an import from the CIA World Factbook 2002. It's a starting point for creating a real Wikitravel country article according to our country article template. Please plunge forward and edit the Turks and Caicos Islands article.

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 are presently a British overseas territory.

[edit] 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 

total: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 430 sq km

Area - comparative 

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: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 97.67% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

NA sq km

Natural hazards 

frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues 

limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note 

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

[edit] People

Population 

18,738 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

3.28% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 73.76 years
female: 76.03 years (2002 est.)
male: 71.59 years

Total fertility rate 

3.18 children born/woman (2002 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

Religions 

Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Languages 

English (official)

Literacy 

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

People - note 

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status 

overseas territory of the UK

Government type 

NA

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 few 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 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 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

Legislative branch 

unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders 

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

Political pressure groups and leaders 

NA

International organization participation 

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)

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 contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

[edit] 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 is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

8.7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

4% (1995) (1995)

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 (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate 

10% (1997 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)

Industries 

tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate 

NA%

Electricity - production 

5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

4.65 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$13.7 million (1999)

Exports - commodities 

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners 

US, UK

Imports 

$175.6 million (1999)

Imports - commodities 

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

Imports - partners 

US, UK

Debt - external 

$NA

Economic aid - recipient 

$4.1 million (1997) (1997)

Currency 

US dollar (USD)

Currency code 

USD

Exchange rates 

the US dollar is used

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

3,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

0 (1994)

Telephone system 

general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios 

8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)

Televisions 

NA

Internet country code 

.tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

14 (2000)

Internet users 

NA

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine 

none (2002 est.)

Airports 

8 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military - note 

defense is the responsibility of the UK

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none

Illicit drugs 

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe