2020 Edition

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 in 2017.

Area

land

948 sq km

total

948 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Coastline

389 km

Elevation

highest point

Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

21 45 N, 71 35 W

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

1.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

11.1% (2023 est.)

other

87.9% (2023 est.)

Location

two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti; note - although the Turks and Caicos Islands do not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically they are often designated as being Caribbean

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

frequent hurricanes

Natural resources

spiny lobster, conch

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

Terrain

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Age structure

0-14 years

20.4% (male 6,288/female 6,056)

15-64 years

73.2% (male 22,232/female 22,011)

65 years and over

6.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,869/female 1,983)

Birth rate

12.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

5.1% (2020)

women married by age 15

0% (2020)

women married by age 18

23.3% (2020)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.4% (2020 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

59.3% (2020 est.)

Death rate

3.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.7 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

11.5 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

36.6 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

27.9 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.9% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

9.8% national budget (2025 est.)

Ethnic groups

Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.83 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.1 years

male

78.5 years

total population

81.3 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

36.1 years

male

36.5 years

total

36.6 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

none

noun

none

Net migration rate

8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

People - note

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US

Population

female

30,050

male

30,389

total

60,439 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

1.73% (2025 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2023 est.)

male

15 years (2023 est.)

total

14 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.94 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

94.2% of total population (2023)

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

etymology

named after Sir Francis COCKBURN, who served as governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844

geographic coordinates

21 28 N, 71 08 W

name

Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

history

several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011)

Country name

abbreviation

TCA

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Turks and Caicos Islands

etymology

the Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus, which is native to the islands and appears on the flag and coat of arms; the name Caicos may derive from caya hico, a phrase meaning “string of islands” in the Lucayan (Arawak) language, or from the Spanish word cayo, meaning "rock"

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Dileeni Daniel-SELVARATNAM (since 29 June 2023)

election/appointment process

the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party as the premier

head of government

Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021)

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the right half of the flag; the shield is yellow and displays a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and Turk's cap cactus

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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)

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

Legal system

mixed system of English common law and civil law

Legislative branch

electoral system

mixed

expected date of next election

2029

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

House of Assembly

most recent election date

2/07/2025

number of seats

21 (directly elected or appointed)

parties elected and seats per party

PNP (16); PDM (2); independents (1)

percentage of women in chamber

27.3%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

lyrics/music

unknown

title

"God Save the King"

National symbol(s)

conch shell, Turk's cap cactus

Political parties

People's Democratic Movement or PDM Progressive National Party or PNP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Budget

expenditures

$224.3 million (2017 est.)

revenues

$247.3 million (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$247.081 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$35.016 million (2017 est.)

Current account balance 2018

$172.709 million (2018 est.)

Economic overview

British Caribbean island territorial economy; GDP and its tourism industry hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions; major biodiversity locale; US dollar user; fossil fuel dependent; negative trade balance; increasing unemployment

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2016

$741.173 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$602.581 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$826.824 million (2018 est.)

Exports - commodities

plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023)

Exports - partners

Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.4% (2024 est.)

industry

9.3% (2024 est.)

services

72.6% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.745 billion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2016

$438.041 million (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$484.842 million (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$544.219 million (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023)

Imports - partners

USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

9% (2024 est.)

Industries

tourism, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

2.3% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

5% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

8.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.293 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.471 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.554 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

14.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

13.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$28,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$31,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$33,400 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

252.088 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

94,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

12.912 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

100%

electrification - total population

99.9% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

100%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

no local terrestrial TV stations; broadcasts from the Bahamas, multi-channel cable, and satellite TV available; state-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters, with a total of about 15 stations

Internet country code

.tc

Internet users

percent of population

93.5% (2022)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

9 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

4,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110 (2004 est.)

total subscriptions

25,085 (2004 est.)

Airports

9 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VQ-T

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 2

total

3 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Cockburn Harbor, Grand Turk, Providenciales

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

size unknown

1

small

0

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

2

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

8 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources