World Factbook
Turks and Caicos Islands
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:
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
