Turks and Caicos Islands (2008) | Switzerland (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich |
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: 16.6% (male 623,428; female 591,709)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,519,302; female 2,439,560) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 470,257; female 674,382) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs |
Airports | 8 (2007) | 66 (2002) |
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: 41
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 25
1524 to 2437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2002) |
Area | total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey |
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. | Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality. |
Birth rate | 21.48 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million (1997-98 est.) |
revenues: $30 billion
expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 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 |
Bern |
Climate | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers |
Coastline | 389 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 (effective 9 August 2006) | 18 December 1998 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands abbreviation: TCI |
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian) |
Currency | - | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III
embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston |
Disputes - international | have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) |
Economic aid - recipient | $4.1 million (1997) | - |
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. | Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | 10.76 million kWh (2005) | 53.43 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 34.54 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 24.1 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 11.57 million kWh (2005) | 68.68 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 1.3%
hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater | air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% | German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.56 (2002), 1.69 (2001), 1.69 (2000), 1.5 (1999), 1.45 (1998) |
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: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | 10,420 bbl/day (2001) |
Exports - commodities | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products |
Exports - partners | US, UK (2006) | Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 8.9%, UK 7.7% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $233.4 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 2%
industry: 34% services: 64% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (2000 est.) | 0.1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 45 N, 71 35 W | 47 00 N, 8 00 E |
Geography - note | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | - | total: 71,011 km
paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 25.2% (1992) |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin |
Imports | 83.55 bbl/day (2004) | 289,500 bbl/day (2001) |
Imports - commodities | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles |
Imports - partners | US, UK (2006) | Germany 27.4%, France 11.4%, Italy 9.7%, US 8.5%, Russia 5.8%, UK 5.4%, Austria 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (2001) |
Industries | tourism, offshore financial services | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments |
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: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (1995) | 0.5% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 250 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) |
Labor force | 4,848 (1990 est.) | 4 million (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | note: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services | services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2005) |
arable land: 10.57%
permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.82% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official) | German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9% |
Legal system | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas | civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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 Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 27.7%, SPS 24.2%, FDP 16%, CVP 12.9%, Greens 7.7%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 52, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 16 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.95 years
male: 72.69 years female: 77.32 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 79.99 years
male: 77.11 years female: 83.02 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: female: |
Location | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2007) | total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 597,049 GRT/1,051,380 DWT
ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 6, US 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | - | Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $2.548 billion (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,834,638 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 20 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 42,761 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) | Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) |
Nationality | noun: none
adjective: none |
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss |
Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes | avalanches, landslides, flash floods |
Natural resources | spiny lobster, conch | hydropower potential, timber, salt |
Net migration rate | 9.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
People - note | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the US | - |
Pipelines | - | gas 1,831 km; oil 212 km; refined products 7 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Floyd SEYMOUR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK] | Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Christiane LANGENBERGER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 21,746 (July 2007 est.) | 7,318,638 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.722% (2007 est.) | 0.21% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Basel |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2003) | AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 4,511 km
standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 982 km 1.000-m gauge (975 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2002) |
Religions | Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) | Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 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: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,700 (2002) | 4.82 million (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,700 (1999) | 1.967 million (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (broadcasts received from The Bahamas; 2 cable television networks) (2003) | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes |
Total fertility rate | 3.02 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 10% (1997 est.) | 1.9% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | - | 65 km
note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes |