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 Match 244   DB Rec# - 7,696  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Turks and Caicos Islands 
Text          : 
                            Turks and Caicos Islands 
 
                                     Header 
 
Affiliation: 
    (dependent territory of the UK) 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The 


    Bahamas 
Map references: 
    Central America and the Caribbean 
Area: 
  total area: 
    430 sq km 
  land area: 
    430 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly less than 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 
International disputes: 
    none 
Climate: 
    tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry 
Terrain: 
    low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps 
Natural resources: 
    spiny lobster, conch 
Land use: 
  arable land: 
    2% 
  permanent crops: 
    0% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    0% 
  forest and woodland: 
    0% 
  other: 
    98% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 
  current issues: 
    limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater 
  natural hazards: 
    frequent hurricanes 
  international agreements: 
    NA 
Note: 
    30 islands (eight inhabited) 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    13,941 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    NA 
  15-64 years: 
    NA 
  65 years and over: 


    NA 
Population growth rate: 
    2.41% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    13.46 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    5.16 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    15.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Infant mortality rate: 
    12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    75.37 years 
  male: 
    73.44 years 
  female: 
    77.04 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    2.3 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    none 
  adjective: 
    none 
Ethnic divisions: 
    African 
Religions: 
    Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, 
    other 19.9% (1980) 
Languages: 
    English (official) 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) 
  total population: 
    98% 
  male: 
    99% 
  female: 
    98% 
Labor force: 
    NA 
  by occupation: 
    majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence 
    agriculture 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    none 
  conventional short form: 
    Turks and Caicos Islands 
Digraph: 
    TK 
Type: 
    dependent territory of the UK 
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 Martin 
    BOURKE (since NA February 1993) 
  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 the Legislative Council 
Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  Legislative Council: 
    elections last held 31 January 1995 (next to be held by NA 2000); results - 
    percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total, 13 elected) PDM 8, PNP 4, 
    independent (Norman SAUNDERS) 1 
Judicial branch: 
    Supreme Court 
Political parties and leaders: 
    Progressive National Party (PNP), Washington MISSICK; People's Democratic 
    Movement (PDM), Derek H. TAYLOR; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel 
    MISSICK 
Member of: 
    CARICOM (associate), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau) 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
    none (dependent territory of the UK) 
US diplomatic representation: 
    none (dependent territory of the UK) 
Flag: 
    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 economy is based on fishing, tourism, and offshore banking. Only 
    subsistence farming - corn, cassava, citrus, and beans - exists on the 
    Caicos Islands, so that most foods, as well as nonfood products, must be 
    imported. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $80.8 million (1992 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    -1.5% (1992) 
National product per capita: 
    $6,000 (1992 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 


    NA% 
Unemployment rate: 
    12% (1992) 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $20.3 million 
  expenditures: 
    $44 million, including capital expenditures of $23.9 million (1989 est.) 
Exports: 
    $6.8 million (f.o.b., 1993) 
  commodities: 
    lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells 
  partners: 
    US, UK 
Imports: 
    $42.8 million (1993) 
  commodities: 
    food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials 
  partners: 
    US, UK 
External debt: 
    $NA 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate NA% 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    9,050 kW 
  production: 
    11.1 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    860 kWh (1992) 
Industries: 
    fishing, tourism, offshore financial services 
Agriculture: 
    subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more 
    important than farming; not self-sufficient in food 
Illicit drugs: 
    transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), 
    $110 million 
Currency: 
    1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents 
Exchange rates: 
    US currency is used 
 
                                     Economy 
Fiscal year: 
    calendar year 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    121 km (including 24 km tarmac) 
  paved: 
    NA 


  unpaved: 
    NA 
Ports: 
    Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales, Salt Cay 
Merchant marine: 
    none 
Airports: 
  total: 
    7 
  with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 
    3 
  with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    1 
  with paved runways under 914 m: 
    1 
  with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    2 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    1,446 telephones; fair cable and radio services 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    2 submarine cables; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    NA 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Note: 
    defense is the responsibility of the UK 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996