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| Geography |
| About 40 islands (eight inhabited). |
| Location: | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
| Geographic coordinates: | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
| Area: | total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq kmSize comparison: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 389 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 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% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA |
| Natural hazards: | frequent hurricanes |
| Current Environment Issues: | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
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| People |
| Population: | 21,746 (July 2007 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 31.3% (male 3,466/female 3,345)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 7,398/female 6,690)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 394/female 453) (2007 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 27.7 years
male: 28.4 years
female: 26.9 years (2007 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.722% (2007 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 21.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 9.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.073 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.95 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 77.32 years (2007 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.02 children born/woman (2007 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 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% |
| Religions: | Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
| Languages: | English (official) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.) |
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| Government |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI |
| Government type: | NA |
| 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 |
| Administrative divisions: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday: | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
| Constitution: | Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006) |
| 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 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003); note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general
elections: none; 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: | unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003); note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution
cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor |
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| Economy |
| 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. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $216 million (2002 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $NA |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $11,500 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| Labor force: | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
| 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.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4% (1995) |
| Budget: | revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.) |
| Public debt: | |
| Agriculture - products: | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
| Industries: | tourism, offshore financial services |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 11.57 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 10.76 million kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 80 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.) |
| Exports: | $169.2 million (2000) |
| Exports - commodities: | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
| Exports - partners: | US, UK (2006) |
| Imports: | $175.6 million (2000) |
| Imports - commodities: | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
| Imports - partners: | US, UK (2006) |
| Debt - external: | $NA |
| Currency (code): | US dollar (USD) |
| Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 5,700 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,700 (1999) |
| 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; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003) |
| Internet country code: | .tc |
| Internet hosts: | 2,310 (2007) |
| Internet users: | NA |
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| Transportation |
| Airports: | 8 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Roadways: | total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2003) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007) |
| Ports and terminals: | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
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| Military |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Military branches: | |
| Manpower available for military service: | |
| Manpower fit for military service: | |
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