ARCHIVE // TC // 2008

Turks and Caicos Islands

2008 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.tc
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
2,352 (2008)
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available 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)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
5,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
1,700 (1999)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Budget [time series]
revenues: $47 million expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
US dollar (USD)
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
9.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
10 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exchange rates [time series]
the US dollar is used
Exports [time series]
$169.2 million (2000)
Exports - commodities [time series]
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
Exports - partners [time series]
US, UK (2006)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$216 million (2002 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 (PPP)) [time series]
$11,500 (2002 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
4.9% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$175.6 million (2000)
Imports - commodities [time series]
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials
Imports - partners [time series]
US, UK (2006)
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 [time series]
note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
80 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports [time series]
83.78 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
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 [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
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 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]
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
Constitution [time series]
Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI
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 1952); represented by Governor Gordon WETHERELL (since 5 August 2008) head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (chief minister since 15 August 2003, sworn in as premier on 9 August 2006); 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: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier 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), UPU
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
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 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
National holiday [time series]
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]
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 remain a British overseas territory.
Military
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 222 female: 214 (2008 est.)
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the UK
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 30.7% (male 3,497/female 3,374) 15-64 years: 65.2% (male 7,640/female 6,929) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 435/female 477) (2008 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
21.12 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%
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]
total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 12.04 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (official)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 75.19 years male: 72.91 years female: 77.59 years (2008 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 27.8 years male: 28.5 years female: 27 years (2008 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: none adjective: none
Net migration rate [time series]
9.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
People - note [time series]
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US
Population [time series]
22,352 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.644% (2008 est.)
Religions [time series]
Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2005)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs [time series]
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Transportation
Airports [time series]
8 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Merchant marine [time series]
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Grand Turk, Providenciales
Roadways [time series]
total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2003)