Turks and Caicos Islands (2008) | Isle of Man (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 31.3% (male 3,466/female 3,345)
15-64 years: 64.8% (male 7,398/female 6,690) 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 394/female 453) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,681/female 6,365)
15-64 years: 65.5% (male 24,693/female 24,482) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,163/female 7,665) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry |
Airports | 8 (2007) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than three times 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 remain a British overseas territory. | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. |
Birth rate | 21.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 11.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.) |
revenues: $485 million
expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY00/01 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 |
Douglas |
Climate | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time |
Coastline | 389 km | 160 km |
Constitution | Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006) | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man |
Death rate | 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 11.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | British crown dependency |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (British crown dependency) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $4.1 million (1997) | NA |
Economy - 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 175,000 visitors that arrived in 2004. Major sources of government revenue also include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. |
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 |
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution |
Ethnic groups | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000) |
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 |
chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held December 2010) election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004 |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb |
Exports - partners | US, UK (2006) | UK (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 21 45 N, 71 35 W | 54 15 N, 4 30 W |
Geography - note | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary |
Highways | - | total: 800 km
paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
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 | 83.55 bbl/day (2004) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials | timber, fertilizers, fish |
Imports - partners | US, UK (2006) | UK (2000) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (FY96/97) |
Industries | tourism, offshore financial services | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism |
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.) |
total: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (1995) | 3.6% (March 2003 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU | UPU |
Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) |
Labor force | 4,848 (1990 est.) | 39,690 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services | agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005) |
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
Languages | English (official) | English, Manx Gaelic |
Legal system | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas | English common law and Manx statute |
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 |
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2006) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3, independents 19 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.95 years
male: 72.69 years female: 77.32 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 78.34 years
male: 74.98 years female: 81.87 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007) | total: 267 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,834,626 GRT/11,354,689 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 54, chemical tanker 45, combination ore/oil 1, container 15, liquefied gas 46, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 253 (Australia 1, Bahamas 8, Denmark 39, France 2, Germany 55, Greece 20, Hong Kong 3, Italy 7, Japan 4, Netherlands 2, New Zealand 1, Norway 18, Singapore 2, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 86, United States 2) registered in other countries: 9 (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) | Tynwald Day, 5 July |
Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes | NA |
Natural resources | spiny lobster, conch | none |
Net migration rate | 9.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 5.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] | Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
note: most members sit as independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 21,746 (July 2007 est.) | 75,049 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 2.722% (2007 est.) | 0.52% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003) |
Religions | Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,700 (2002) | 51,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,700 (1999) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003) | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) |
Terrain | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps | hills in north and south bisected by central valley |
Total fertility rate | 3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (1997 est.) | 0.6% (2004 est.) |