Turks and Caicos Islands

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Introduction

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. Grand Turk island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Maria on 22 September 2017 resulting in loss of power and communications as well as damage to housing and businesses.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Area

total: 948 sq km
land: 948 sq km
water: 0 sq km
country comparison to the world: 186

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

389 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200nm

Climate

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

Terrain

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m

Natural resources

spiny lobster, conch

Land use

agricultural land: 1.1% (2011 est.)
arable land: 1.1% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
forest: 36.2% (2011 est.)
other: 62.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk

Natural hazards

frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note

include eight large islands and numerous smaller cays, islets, and reefs; only two of the Caicos Islands and six of the Turks group are inhabited

People and Society

Population

53,701 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Nationality

noun: none
adjective: none

Ethnic groups

black 87.6%, white 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Religions

Protestant 72.8% (Baptist 35.8%, Church of God 11.7%, Anglican 10%, Methodist 9.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.8%, other 14% (2006 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.62%(male 5,916 /female 5,694)
15-24 years: 13.7%(male 3,657 /female 3,698)
25-54 years: 52.97%(male 14,316 /female 14,128)
55-64 years: 6.96%(male 1,988 /female 1,748)
65 years and over: 4.76%(male 1,181 /female 1,375) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

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Median age

total: 33.8 years (2018 est.)
male: 34.1 years
female: 33.5 years
country comparison to the world: 91

Population growth rate

2.09% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44

Birth rate

14.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

Death rate

3.3 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 221

Net migration rate

9.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

Population distribution

eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk

Urbanization

urban population: 93.4% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 1.77% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 135

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.1 years (2018 est.)
male: 77.3 years
female: 83 years
country comparison to the world: 44

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

Major infectious diseases

note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2018)
country comparison to the world: 149

People - note

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US

Government

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI
etymology: the Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus (native to the islands and appearing on the flag and coat of arms), while the Caicos Islands derive from the native term "caya hico" meaning "string of islands"

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June

Constitution

history: several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011)
amendments: NA

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and civil law

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Nigel DAKIN (since 15 July 2019)
head of government: Premier Sharlene CARTWRIGHT-ROBINSON (since 20 December 2016); first female Premier of Turks and Caicos
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly
elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch

description: unicameral House of Assembly (19 seats; 15 members in multi-seat constituencies and a single all-islands constituency directly elected by simple majority vote, 1 member nominated by the premier and appointed by the governor, 1 nominated by the opposition party leader and appointed by the governor, and 2 from the Turks and Caicos Islands Civic Society directly appointed by the governor; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 15 December 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - PDM 10, PNP 5; composition - men 15, women 6, percent of women 28.6%

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and other judges, as determined by the governor); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges appointed by the governor in accordance with the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body of high-level judicial officials; Supreme Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended to age 70; Appeals Court judge tenure determined by individual terms of appointment
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts

Political parties and leaders

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sharlene CARTWRIGHT-ROBINSON]
Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]

International organization participation

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

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 displays a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and Turk's cap cactus - three common elements of the islands' biota

National symbol(s)

conch shell, Turk's cap cactus

National anthem

name: This Land of Ours
lyrics/music: Conrad HOWELL
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is the official anthem (see United Kingdom)

Economy

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 more than 1 million visitors that arrive annually. Three-quarters of the visitors come by ship. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$632 million (2007 est.)
$568.3 million (2006 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP - real growth rate

11.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$29,100 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 49% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 69.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -56.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 8.9% (2017 est.)
services: 90.6% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Labor force

4,848 (1990 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220

Labor force - by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

10% (1997 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139

Population below poverty line

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Budget

revenues: 247.3 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 224.3 million (2017 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (2017 est.)
0.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158

Exports

$24.77 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Exports - commodities

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Imports

$591.3 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197

Imports - commodities

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

Debt - external

NA

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 95.7% (2016)
electrification - urban areas: 100% (2016)
electrification - rural areas: 42.7% (2016)

Electricity - production

235 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - consumption

218.6 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213

Electricity - installed generating capacity

82,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,420 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,369 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

221,800 Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198

Communications

Telephone system

general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE launches; regulatory development (2018)
domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available; (2018)
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) (2015)

Broadcast media

no local terrestrial TV stations, broadcasts from the Bahamas can be received and multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; government-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters with a total of about 15 stations

Internet country code

.tc

Military and Security

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 16 (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VQ-T (2016)

Airports

8 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 164

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 (2013)
under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Roadways

total: 121 km (2003)
paved: 24 km (2003)
unpaved: 97 km (2003)
country comparison to the world: 206

Merchant marine

total: 4
by type: general cargo 1, other 3 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 166

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs

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

Flag of Turks and Caicos Islands

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