Turks and Caicos Islands Population: 47,754
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| Background | |
| 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. |
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| Geography | |
| About 40 islands (eight inhabited) | |
| Location: | 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: 948 sq km land: 948 sq km water: 0 sq km Size 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: Flamingo Hill 48 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 freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
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| People | |
| Population: | 47,754 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 5,427/female 5,227) 15-24 years: 15% (male 3,482/female 3,688) 25-54 years: 53.5% (male 13,019/female 12,548) 55-64 years: 5% (male 1,309/female 1,083) 65 years and over: 4.1% (male 875/female 1,096) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 30.9 years male: 31.2 years female: 30.6 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 3.17% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 17.44 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 17.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 11.63 deaths/1,000 live births male: 14.57 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.26 years male: 76.53 years female: 82.12 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.7 children born/woman (2013 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 87.6%, white 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% |
| Religions: | Protestant 72.8% (Baptist 35.8%, Church of God 11.7%, Anglican 10%, Methodist 9.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.8%, other 14% |
| 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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November |
| 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 2011 |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of English common law and civil law |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Damian (Ric) TODD (since 12 September 2011) head of government: Premier Rufus EWING (since 13 November 2012) 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 (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 election results: note: the UK foreign minister has determined that sufficient progress has been made to reinstate local government under a new constitution coming into effect in October 2012 |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral House of Assembly consisting of 19 seats, 15 elected and 4 appointed by the governor; of elected members, five are elected at large and 10 from single member districts for four year terms elections: last held on 9 November 2012 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party - PNP 8, PDM 7 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
| Political parties and leaders: | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Oswald SKIPPINGS]; People's Progressive Party [NA]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Rufus EWING] |
| 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) |
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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): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $632 million (2007 est.) $568.3 million (2006 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $NA |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 11.2% (2007 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $29,100 (2007 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1% industry: 20.8% services: 78.3% (2012 est.) |
| 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): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2012 est.) 2.2% (2011 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $417.4 million expenditures: $408.9 million (2012 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
| Industries: | tourism, offshore financial services |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 200 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 186 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $24.77 million (2008 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
| Imports: | $591.3 million (2008 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
| Debt - external: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | |
| Cellular Phones in use: | |
| 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; 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) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .tc |
| Internet hosts: | 73,217 (2012) |
| Internet users: | |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 8 (2012) country comparison to the world: 163 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2003) |
| Ports and terminals: | Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the UK | |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 11,842 females age 16-49: 11,755 (2010 est.) |
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