Compare Akrotiri (2006) - Turks and Caicos Islands (2007)

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.

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.

Birth rate

-

21.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Budget

-

revenues: $47 million

expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.)

Capital

name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

Climate

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

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

Coastline

56.3 km

389 km

Constitution

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006)

Country name

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Akrotiri

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

abbreviation: TCI

Death rate

-

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Debt - external

-

$NA

Dependency status

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Disputes - international

-

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Economic aid - recipient

-

$4.1 million (1997)

Economy - overview

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

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 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

Electricity - consumption

-

10.76 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

-

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

-

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

-

11.57 million kWh (2005)

Elevation extremes

-

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Environment - current issues

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Ethnic groups

-

black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Exchange rates

-

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)

head of government: Premier Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003); note - the office of premier was created in the 2006 constitution

cabinet: Cabinet consists of the governor, the premier, six ministers appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly, and the attorney general

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor

Exports

-

NA bbl/day

Exports - commodities

-

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners

-

US, UK (2006)

Fiscal year

-

calendar year

Flag description

the flag of the UK is used

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

GDP - composition by sector

-

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

GDP - real growth rate

-

4.9% (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

34 37 N, 32 58 E

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Geography - note

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

-

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Illicit drugs

-

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Imports

-

NA bbl/day

Imports - commodities

-

food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Imports - partners

-

US, UK (2006)

Independence

-

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

NA%

Industries

-

tourism, offshore financial services

Infant mortality rate

-

total: 14.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 17 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 12.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

4% (1995)

International organization participation

-

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

Irrigated land

-

NA

Judicial branch

-

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

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

Land boundaries

total: 47.4 km

border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

0 km

Land use

-

arable land: 2.33%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.67% (2005)

Languages

English, Greek

English (official)

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Legislative branch

-

unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)

elections: last held 9 February 2007 (next to be held in 2011)

election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 60%, PDM 40%; seats by party - PNP 13, PDM 2

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population: 74.95 years

male: 72.69 years

female: 77.32 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

-

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population: 98%

male: 99%

female: 98% (1970 est.)

Location

peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

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

Map references

Middle East

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

-

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Merchant marine

-

registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007)

Military - note

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Nationality

-

noun: none

adjective: none

Natural hazards

-

frequent hurricanes

Natural resources

-

spiny lobster, conch

Net migration rate

-

9.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

People - note

-

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US

Political parties and leaders

-

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders

-

NA

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

21,746 (July 2007 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.722% (2007 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

FM 1

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003)

Religions

-

Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Sex ratio

-

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.036 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1.073 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Suffrage

-

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

-

general assessment: fully digital system with international direct dialing

domestic: full range of services available; GSM wireless service available

international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

-

5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

1,700 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003)

Terrain

-

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Total fertility rate

-

3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate

-

10% (1997 est.)