ARCHIVE // TC // 1999

Turks and Caicos Islands

1999 Edition — territory

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Communications
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios [time series]
7,000 (1992 est.)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
1,359 (1988 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997)
Televisions [time series]
NA
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Budget [time series]
revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997/98 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]
$5.7 million (1995)
Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]
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 was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87,000 visitors. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]
5 million kWh (1996)
Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]
5 million kWh (1996)
Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates [time series]
US currency is used
Exports [time series]
$4.7 million (1993)
Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]
US, UK
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity--$117 million (1997 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity?$7,700 (1997 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]
4% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$46.6 million (1993)
Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]
US, UK
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, offshore financial services
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
4% (1995)
Labor force [time series]
4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]
about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism and financial and other services (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
10% (1997 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 430 sq km land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Coastline [time series]
389 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]
limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
21 45 N, 71 35 W
Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]
30 islands (eight inhabited)
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 2% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 98% (1993 est.)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
frequent hurricanes
Natural resources [time series]
spiny lobster, conch
Terrain [time series]
low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Capital [time series]
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Constitution [time series]
introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
Data code [time series]
TK
Dependency status [time series]
overseas territory of the UK
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor John KELLY (since NA September 1996) 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
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation [time series]
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court
Legal system [time series]
based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 January 1995 (next to be held by NA December 1999) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PDM 8, PNP 4, independent (Norman SAUNDERS) 1
National holiday [time series]
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Progressive National Party or PNP
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Military
Military - note (Military--note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 32% (male 2,777; female 2,697) 15-64 years: 63% (male 5,619; female 5,085) 65 years and over: 5% (male 305; female 380) (1999 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
26.39 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black
Infant mortality rate [time series]
21.11 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 72.35 years male: 70.4 years female: 74.4 years (1999 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: none adjective: none
Net migration rate [time series]
15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population [time series]
16,863 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
3.65% (1999 est.)
Religions [time series]
Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980)
Sex ratio [time series]
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 (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.28 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US
Transportation
Airports [time series]
7 (1998 est.)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]
total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km
Merchant marine [time series]
none
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Railways [time series]
0 km