2021 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 on 22 September 2017 resulting in loss of power and communications as well as damage to housing and businesses.

Area

land

948 sq km

total

948 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

Caribbean Sea 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 (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

36.2% (2018 est.)

other

62.7% (2018 est.)

Location

two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

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

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.)

Birth rate

13.86 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

3.46 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 94.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 5.7% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

8.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

14.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.87 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.51 years (2021 est.)

male

77.84 years

total population

80.6 years

Major urban areas - population

5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

34.4 years (2020 est.)

male

34.9 years

total

34.6 years

Nationality

adjective

none

noun

none

Net migration rate

8.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

People - note

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

Population

57,196 (July 2021 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

Population growth rate

1.91% (2021 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: total

total: 88% of population

unimproved: total

total: 12% of population (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

NA (2015)

male

NA

total

9 years

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.7 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

93.8% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital

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

amendments

NA

history

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

Country name

abbreviation

TCI

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Turks and Caicos Islands

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"

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

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Nigel DAKIN (since 15 July 2019)

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

head of government

Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021)

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

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

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and civil law

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)

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%

elections

last held on 19 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Conrad HOWELL

name

This Land of Ours

note

note: serves as a local anthem; as a territory of the UK, "God Save the Queen" is the official anthem (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June

National symbol(s)

conch shell, Turk's cap cactus

Political parties and leaders

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Sean ASTWOOD]Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]

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.)

Debt - external

NA

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.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2018

$830 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports - commodities

plastic building materials, stone processing machinery, iron structures, crustaceans, integrated circuits (2019)

Exports - partners

France 31%, United States 16%, Zambia 13%, Singapore 9%, Republic of the Congo 8% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

69.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

21.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

49% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-56.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.5% (2017 est.)

industry

8.9% (2017 est.)

services

90.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.02 billion (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2018

$540 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, jewelry, furniture, soybeans (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 76% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

3% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

0.7% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

4% (2017 est.)

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

Population below poverty line

NA

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$1.06 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1.12 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$820 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2016

4.4% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4.3% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

5.3% (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2018

$28,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$29,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$21,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 1997

10% (1997 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

218.6 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

82,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

235 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,420 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,369 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

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

Internet country code

.tc

Internet users

total

31,000 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

full range of services available; GSM wireless service available; fixed-line teledensity 11 per 100 persons (2019)

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)

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

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

11.12 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

4,000 (2018)

Airports

total

8 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

3

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

6

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VQ-T

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 2 (2021)

total

3

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

22

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Cockburn Harbour, Grand Turk, Providenciales

Roadways

paved

24 km (2003)

total

121 km (2003)

unpaved

97 km (2003)

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

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.22 megatons (2016 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

limited natural freshwater resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Land use

agricultural land

1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

36.2% (2018 est.)

other

62.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

93.8% of total population (2021)