Compare Baker Island (2007) - Turks and Caicos Islands (2008)

The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

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: 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

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

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

Coastline

4.8 km

389 km

Constitution

-

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

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island

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

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

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

none

have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Economic aid - recipient

-

$4.1 million (1997)

Economy - overview

no economic activity

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: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 8 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Environment - current issues

no natural fresh water resources

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); 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

-

0 bbl/day (2004)

Exports - commodities

-

lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners

-

US, UK (2006)

Fiscal year

-

calendar year

Flag description

the flag of the US 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

0 13 N, 176 28 W

21 45 N, 71 35 W

Geography - note

treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

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

-

83.55 bbl/day (2004)

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

0 sq km

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

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

arable land: 2.33%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 97.67% (2005)

Languages

-

English (official)

Legal system

the laws of the US, 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

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

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

Map references

Oceania

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Merchant marine

-

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

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Nationality

-

noun: none

adjective: none

Natural hazards

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

frequent hurricanes

Natural resources

guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

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

uninhabited

note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service

21,746 (July 2007 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.722% (2007 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

-

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; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber optic telecommunications submarine cable provides connectivity to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and US; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

-

5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

1,700 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

-

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

Terrain

low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps