(dependent territory of the UK)
Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas
Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 389 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 98% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes
Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Environment - international agreements:
party to : NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: 30 islands (eight inhabited)
Population: 18,738 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004)
15-64 years : 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651)
65 years and over:3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.28% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years :1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.76 years
male: 71.59 years
female: 76.03 years (2002 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Nationality:
noun: none
adjective: none
Ethnic groups: black
Religions: Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, 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.)
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Data code: TK
Dependency status: dependent territory of the UK
Government type: NA
National capital: Grand Turk
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, restored and revised 5 March 1988
Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000)
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 among the members of the Legislative Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections:last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (dependent 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 contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus
Economy - overview: The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.7% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture : NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4% (1995)
Labor force:
total: 4,848 (1990 est.)
by occupation:about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate: 10% (1997 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $47 million
expenditures:$33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.)
Industries: fishing, tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: 5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 4.65 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: corn, beans; fish
Exports:
total value: $13.7 million (1999)
commodities: lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
partners: US, UK
Imports:
total value: $175.6 million (1999)
commodities: food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
partners: US, UK
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient : $4.1 million (1997)
Currency: 1 United States dollar (USD) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones: 3,000 (1994)
Telephone system: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international : 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 8,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)
Televisions: NA
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 121 km
paved : 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 8 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m : 1
under 914 m:2 (2001)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US
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