Turks and Caicos Islands
Introduction
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. Grand Turk island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Maria on 22 September 2017 resulting in loss of power and communications as well as damage to housing and businesses.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
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 - comparative
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 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
highest point: Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
spiny lobster, conch
Land use
agricultural land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.2% (2018 est.)
other: 62.7% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk
Natural hazards
frequent hurricanes
Geography - note
include eight large islands and numerous smaller cays, islets, and reefs; only two of the Caicos Islands and six of the Turks group are inhabited
People and Society
Nationality
noun: none
adjective: none
Ethnic groups
Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.)
Languages
English (official)
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 Witness 1.8%, other 14% (2006 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 21.33% (male 6,077/female 5,852)
15-24 years: 13.19% (male 3,689/female 3,687)
25-54 years: 52.51% (male 14,729/female 14,637)
55-64 years: 7.81% (male 2,297/female 2,069)
65 years and over: 5.17% (male 1,364/female 1,525) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: NA
youth dependency ratio: NA
elderly dependency ratio: NA
potential support ratio: NA
Median age
total: 34.6 years
male: 34.9 years
female: 34.4 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk
Urbanization
urban population: 93.8% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.87 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 80.6 years
male: 77.84 years
female: 83.51 years (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: 94.3% of population
unimproved: total: 5.7% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total: 88% of population
unimproved: total: 12% of population (2017)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years
male: NA
female: NA (2015)
People - note
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US
Environment
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.22 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Land use
agricultural land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 36.2% (2018 est.)
other: 62.7% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 93.8% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands
abbreviation: TCI
etymology: the Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus (native to the islands and appearing on the flag and coat of arms), while the Caicos Islands derive from the native term "caya hico" meaning "string of islands"
Government type
parliamentary democracy
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
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)
etymology: named after Sir Francis Cockburn, who served as governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June
Constitution
history: several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011)
amendments: NA
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Nigel DAKIN (since 15 July 2019)
head of government: Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly
elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch
description: unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats; 15 members in multi-seat constituencies and a single all-islands constituency directly elected by simple majority vote, 1 member nominated by the premier and appointed by the governor, 1 nominated by the opposition party leader and appointed by the governor, and 2 from the Turks and Caicos Islands Civic Society directly appointed by the governor, and 2 ex-officio members; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 19 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
election results: percent of vote (preliminary) - PNP 56.2%, PDM 39%, other 4.8%; seats by party - PNP 14, PDM 1; composition (of elected members) - men 12, women 3; percent of women 20%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and other judges, as determined by the governor); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges appointed by the governor in accordance with the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body of high-level judicial officials; Supreme Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended to age 70; Appeals Court judge tenure determined by individual terms of appointment
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts
Political parties and leaders
People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sean ASTWOOD]
Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]
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
embassy: 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 displays a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and Turk's cap cactus - three common elements of the islands' biota
National symbol(s)
conch shell, Turk's cap cactus
National anthem
name: This Land of Ours
lyrics/music: Conrad HOWELL
note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is the official anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy
Economic overview
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 more than 1 million visitors that arrive annually. Three-quarters of the visitors come by ship. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$820 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$1.12 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$1.06 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
5.3% (2018 est.)
4.3% (2017 est.)
4.4% (2016 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$21,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$29,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$28,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.02 billion (2018 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.5% (2017 est.)
industry: 8.9% (2017 est.)
services: 90.6% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 49% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 69.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -56.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries
tourism, offshore financial services
Labor force - by occupation
note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 247.3 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 224.3 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports
$830 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182Exports - partners
France 31%, United States 16%, Zambia 13%, Singapore 9%, Republic of the Congo 8% (2019)
Exports - commodities
plastic building materials, stone processing machinery, iron structures, crustaceans, integrated circuits (2019)
Imports
$540 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202Imports - partners
United States 76% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, furniture, soybeans (2019)
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
82,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183Electricity - from fossil fuels
100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211Refined petroleum products - consumption
1,420 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 4,000 (2018)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 11.12 (2018 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing; broadband access; expanded FttP (Fiber to the Home) markets; LTE expansion points to investment and focus on data; regulatory development; telecommunication contributes to greatly to GDP (2020)
domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons (2019)
international: country code - 1-649; landing point for the ARCOS fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable providing connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2020)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
no local terrestrial TV stations, broadcasts from the Bahamas can be received and multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; government-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters with a total of about 15 stations
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 22
Airports - with 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 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
Roadways
total: 121 km (2003)
paved: 24 km (2003)
unpaved: 97 km (2003)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe