|
Red
Sea Management provides Turks & Caicos Islands offshore incorporation,
Turks & Caicos Islands offshore asset protection and a full range of services. |
|
Report on
Turks & Caicos Islands
 |
|
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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 are presently a British overseas
territory.
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|
|
| Location:
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Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of
The Bahamas |
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Geographic coordinates:
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21 45 N, 71 35 W
|
| Map
references:
|
Central America and the Caribbean
|
| Area: |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km
water: 0 sq km
|
| Area -
comparative:
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2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
|
| Land
boundaries: |
0 km
|
|
Coastline:
|
389 km
|
| Maritime
claims:
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exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate:
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tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
|
| Terrain:
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low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
|
| Elevation
extremes:
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
| Natural
resources:
|
spiny lobster, conch
|
| Land use:
|
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.)
|
| Irrigated
land:
|
NA sq km
|
| Natural
hazards:
|
frequent hurricanes
|
|
Environment - current issues:
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limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect
rainwater
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| Geography
- note:
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30 islands (eight inhabited)
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|
|
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Population: |
18,122 (July 2001 est.)
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| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 32.58% (male 2,996; female 2,908)
15-64 years: 63.51% (male 6,050; female 5,459)
65 years and over: 3.91% (male 316; female 393) (2001 est.)
|
|
Population growth rate:
|
3.41% (2001 est.)
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| Birth
rate: |
24.89 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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| Death
rate: |
4.47 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
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| Net
migration rate: |
13.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
|
| Sex
ratio: |
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 (2001 est.)
|
| Infant
mortality rate: |
18.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
|
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 73.52 years
male: 71.37 years
female: 75.77 years (2001 est.)
|
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.22 children born/woman (2001 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
|
|
Religions:
|
Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist
1.7%, other 19.9% (1980) |
|
Languages: |
English (official)
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| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
|
|
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| Country
name:
|
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
|
|
Dependency status: |
overseas territory of the UK
|
|
Government type:
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NA
|
| Capital: |
Cockburn Town (on Grand Turk)
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|
Administrative divisions:
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none (overseas territory of the UK)
|
|
Independence: |
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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| National
holiday: |
Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)
|
|
Constitution:
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introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5
March 1988
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| Legal
system: |
based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from
Jamaica and The Bahamas
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| Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal
|
|
Executive branch:
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),
represented by Governor Mervyn JONES (since 27 January 2000)
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
|
|
Legislative branch: |
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 by 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
|
| Judicial
branch:
|
Supreme Court
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| Political
parties and leaders: |
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive
National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or
UDP [Wendal SWANN]
|
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
|
|
International organization participation: |
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)
|
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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| Flag
description: |
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
|
|
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| Economy
- overview:
|
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; tourist
arrivals had risen to 93,000 by 1998. Major sources of government
revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs
receipts.
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| GDP:
|
purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.)
|
| GDP -
real growth rate: |
8.7% (1999 est.)
|
| GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.)
|
| GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
|
|
Population below poverty line: |
NA%
|
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
|
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
4% (1995)
|
| Labor
force: |
4,848 (1990 est.)
|
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing;
significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997
est.)
|
|
Unemployment rate: |
10% (1997 est.)
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| Budget:
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revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1997-1998 est.)
|
|
Industries: |
tourism, offshore financial services
|
|
Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
|
|
Electricity - production: |
5 million kWh (1999)
|
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)
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|
Electricity - consumption: |
4.6 million kWh (1999)
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|
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (1999)
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Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (1999)
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Agriculture - products:
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corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
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| Exports: |
$4.7 million (1993)
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| Exports -
commodities: |
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
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| Exports -
partners: |
US, UK
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| Imports: |
$46.6 million (1993)
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| Imports -
commodities: |
food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction
materials
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| Imports -
partners: |
US, UK
|
| Debt -
external: |
$NA
|
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$4.1 million (1997)
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| Currency:
|
US dollar (USD)
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| Currency
code: |
USD
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| Exchange
rates:
|
the US dollar is used
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| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
|
|
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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3,000 (1994)
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Telephones - mobile cellular: |
0 (1994)
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Telephone system: |
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
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| Radios: |
8,000 (1997)
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|
Television broadcast stations: |
0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is
established) (1997)
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|
Televisions: |
NA
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| Internet
country code: |
.tc
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| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
14 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
NA
|
|
|
| Railways:
|
0 km
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| Highways: |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2000)
|
|
Waterways: |
none |
| Ports and
harbors: |
Grand Turk, Providenciales
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| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.)
|
| Airports: |
8 (2000 est.)
|
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)
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| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)
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| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility of the UK
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|
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| Disputes
- international: |
none
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| Illicit
drugs: |
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US
and Europe |
