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| Map |  |
| Location | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
| Geographic coordinates | 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 | 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: Blue Hills 49 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 |
| Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
| Geography - note | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
| Population | 21,152 (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 31.9% (male 3,432/female 3,312)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 7,155/female 6,457)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 362/female 434) (2006 est.) |
| Median age | total: 27.5 years
male: 28.3 years
female: 26.8 years (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.82% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate | 21.84 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate | 4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Net migration rate | 10.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 17.55 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.73 years
male: 72.48 years
female: 77.08 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 3.05 children born/woman (2006 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 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% |
| Religions | Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
| Languages | English (official) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 99%
female: 98% (1970 est.) |
| People - note | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and US |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK |
| 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 first Sunday in April; ends last Sunday in October |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence | none (overseas 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 few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003)
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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court |
| Political parties and leaders | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK] |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| 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 is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $216 million (2002 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | NA |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $11,500 (2002 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| 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) | 4% (1995) |
| Budget | revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
| Industries | tourism, offshore financial services |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% |
| Electricity - production | 5 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - consumption | 4.65 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Oil - production | 0 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - consumption | 80 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - exports | NA bbl/day |
| Oil - imports | NA bbl/day |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2003 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2003 est.) |
| Exports | $169.2 million (2000) |
| Exports - commodities | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
| Exports - partners | US, UK (2004) |
| Imports | $175.6 million (2000) |
| Imports - commodities | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
| Imports - partners | US, UK (2004) |
| Debt - external | $NA |
| Economic aid - recipient | $4.1 million (1997) |
| Currency (code) | US dollar (USD) |
| Exchange rates | the US dollar is used |
| Fiscal year | calendar year |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 5,700 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,700 (1999) |
| Telephone system | general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing
domestic: full range of services available
international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Television broadcast stations | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004) |
| Internet country code | .tc |
| Internet hosts | 1,488 (2005) |
| Internet users | NA |
| Airports | 8 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2006) |
| Roadways | total: 121 km
paved: 24 km
unpaved: 97 km (2003) |
| Ports and terminals | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
| Disputes - international | have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder |
| Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |