ARCHIVE // TC // 2002

Turks and Caicos Islands

2002 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
14 (2000)
Internet country code [time series]
.tc
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios [time series]
8,000 (1997)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
3,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
0 (1994)
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]
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]
USD
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$4.1 million (1997) (1997)
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 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
4.65 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production [time series]
5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates [time series]
the US dollar is used
Exports [time series]
$13.7 million (1999)
Exports - commodities [time series]
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners [time series]
US, UK
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 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 - $7,300 (1999 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
8.7% (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$175.6 million (1999)
Imports - commodities [time series]
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
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) (1995)
Labor force [time series]
4,848 (1990 est.)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, 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 water: 0 sq km land: 430 sq km
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 [time series]
limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Geographic coordinates [time series]
21 45 N, 71 35 W
Geography - note [time series]
about 40 islands (eight inhabited)
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 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
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 Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor 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
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 few 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 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
National holiday [time series]
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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 are presently a British overseas territory.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
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.)
Birth rate [time series]
24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
black
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 73.76 years female: 76.03 years (2002 est.) male: 71.59 years
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) total population: 98%
Nationality [time series]
noun: none adjective: none
Net migration rate [time series]
12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
People - note [time series]
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US
Population [time series]
18,738 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
3.28% (2002 est.)
Religions [time series]
Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
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 (2002 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Transportation
Airports [time series]
8 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)
Merchant marine [time series]
none (2002 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Railways [time series]
0 km
Waterways [time series]
none