Turks and Caicos Islands

Internet country code

.tc

Internet hosts

9,445 (2009) country comparison to the world: 117

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

3,700 (2008) country comparison to the world: 217

Telephones - mobile cellular

25,100 (2004) country comparison to the world: 203

Television broadcast stations

0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

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

Debt - external

$NA

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.

Electricity - consumption

11.16 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

12 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 209

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$169.2 million (2000) country comparison to the world: 184

Exports - commodities

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

GDP (official exchange rate)

$NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$216 million (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,500 (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

GDP - real growth rate

4.9% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 91

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$175.6 million

Imports - commodities

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1995) country comparison to the world: 65

Labor force

4,848 (1990 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Labor force - by occupation

note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 132

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 105

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - consumption

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - imports

80 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 203

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 131

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

10% (1997 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Area

total: 948 sq km country comparison to the world: 185 land: 948 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

389 km

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

Geographic coordinates

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Geography - note

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005)

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

Natural hazards

frequent hurricanes

Natural resources

spiny lobster, conch

Terrain

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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 first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October

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

Country name

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

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)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008) head of government: Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 14 August 2009); 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 elections: the monarch 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 for a period of up to two years

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system

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

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 9 February 2007 (next to be held by July 2011) election results: under provisions of the Order in Council, all seats in the House of Assembly are vacated

National holiday

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

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

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,937 females age 16-49: 4,648 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 226 female: 218 (2009 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Age structure

0-14 years: 30.2% (male 3,528/female 3,401) 15-64 years: 65.6% (male 7,875/female 7,164) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 475/female 499) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

20.79 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

Death rate

4.18 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 13.89 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 131 male: 16.02 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.42 years country comparison to the world: 77 male: 73.12 years female: 77.83 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 27.9 years male: 28.7 years female: 27.2 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: none adjective: none

Net migration rate

9.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 9

People - note

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

Population

22,942 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 216

Population growth rate

2.563% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.95 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

Urbanization

urban population: 92% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

8 (2009) country comparison to the world: 163

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008) country comparison to the world: 152

Ports and terminals

Grand Turk, Providenciales

Roadways

total: 121 km country comparison to the world: 210 paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2003)