Population:
13,552 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.69% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
14.14 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
5.17 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
17.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
12.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
75.34 years
male:
73.41 years
female:
77.02 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.05 children born/woman (1994 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 who have 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
@Turks and Caicos Islands, 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 Washington MISSICK (since NA March 1991)
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 on 3 April 1991 (next to be held NA); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total, 13 elected) PNP 8, PDM
5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Progressive National Party (PNP), Washington MISSICK; People's
Democratic Movement (PDM), Oswald SKIPPINGS; 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
@Turks and Caicos Islands, 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 equivalent - $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., 1992)
commodities:
lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells
partners:
US, UK
Imports:
$42.8 million (1992)
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
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
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Turks and Caicos Islands, Communications
Highways:
total:
121 km (including 24 km tarmac)
paved:
NA
unpaved:
NA
Ports:
Grand Turk, Salt Cay, Providenciales, Cockburn Harbour
Airports:
total:
7
usable:
7
with permanent-surface runways:
4
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
4
Telecommunications:
fair cable and radio services; 1,446 telephones; broadcast stations -
3 AM, no FM, several TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth station
@Turks and Caicos Islands, Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
@Tuvalu, Geography