Turks and Caicos Islands (2002) | Christmas Island (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 32.6% (male 3,101; female 3,004)
15-64 years: 63.6% (male 6,266; female 5,651) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 319; female 397) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish | NA |
Airports | 8 (2001) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
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 are presently a British overseas territory. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 389 km | 80 km |
Constitution | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 | NA |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | NA |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $4.1 million (1997) (1997) | NA |
Economy - overview | The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in 1998. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in mid-2004 |
Electricity - consumption | 4.65 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 5 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater | NA |
Ethnic groups | black | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $13.7 million (1999) | NA |
Exports - commodities | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells | phosphate |
Exports - partners | US, UK | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
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 contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 8.7% (1999 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 21 45 N, 71 35 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $175.6 million (1999) | NA |
Imports - commodities | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US, UK | principally Australia |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism, offshore financial services | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (1995) (1995) | NA |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 14 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 4,848 (1990 est.) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.) | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | English (official) | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 73.76 years
male: 71.59 years female: 76.03 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
NA |
Location | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | spiny lobster, conch | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US | The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 18,738 (July 2002 est.) | 396 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 3.28% (2002 est.) | -9% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Grand Turk, Providenciales | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 8,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
NA (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 3,000 (1994) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) | NA |
Terrain | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (1997 est.) | NA |
Waterways | none | - |