Turks and Caicos Islands

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

1,446 telephones; fair cable and radio services local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Television

broadcast stations: NA televisions: NA

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK TUVALU

Agriculture

subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more important than farming; not self-sufficient in food

Budget

revenues: $20.3 million expenditures: $44 million, including capital expenditures of $23.9 million (1989 est.)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $110 million

Electricity

capacity: 9,050 kW production: 11.1 million kWh consumption per capita: 860 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$6.8 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells partners: US, UK

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US

Imports

$42.8 million (1993) commodities: food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials partners: US, UK

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

fishing, tourism, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $80.8 million (1992 est.)

National product per capita

$6,000 (1992 est.)

National product real growth rate

-1.5% (1992)

Overview

The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and offshore banking. Only subsistence farming - corn, cassava, citrus, and beans - exists on the Caicos Islands, so that most foods, as well as nonfood products, must be imported.

Unemployment rate

12% (1992)

Area

total area: 430 sq km land area: 430 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Coastline

389 km

Environment

current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater natural hazards: frequent hurricanes international agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 98%

Location

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

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

spiny lobster, conch

Note

30 islands (eight inhabited)

Terrain

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Administrative divisions

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Capital

Grand Turk

Constitution

introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, restored and revised 5 March 1988

Digraph

TK

Diplomatic representation in US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Martin BOURKE (since NA February 1993) 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 the Legislative Council

Flag

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

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative Council

elections last held 31 January 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total, 13 elected) PDM 8, PNP 4, independent (Norman SAUNDERS) 1

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

CARICOM (associate), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau)

Names

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

National holiday

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Political parties and leaders

Progressive National Party (PNP), Washington MISSICK; People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Derek H. TAYLOR; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel MISSICK

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

dependent territory of the UK

US diplomatic representation

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

13.46 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

5.16 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

African

Infant mortality rate

12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

NA by occupation: majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.37 years male: 73.44 years female: 77.04 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: none adjective: none

Net migration rate

15.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

13,941 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

2.41% (1995 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

2.3 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports

total: 7 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2

Highways

total: 121 km (including 24 km tarmac) paved: NA unpaved: NA

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales, Salt Cay

Railroads

0 km