Western Sahara (2008) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 9 (2007) | 8 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 24.18 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | none
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 389 km |
Constitution | - | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | NA | 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $4.1 million (1997) (1997) |
Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 79.05 million kWh (2005) | 4.65 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 85 million kWh (2005) | 5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | black |
Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | none | 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 |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | $13.7 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) | US, UK |
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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $128 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 40% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $7,300 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 8.7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 21 45 N, 71 35 W |
Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | - | total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 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 | 1,698 bbl/day (2004) | $175.6 million (1999) |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) | US, UK |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
17.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 4% (1995) (1995) |
International organization participation | none | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 14 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 12,000 | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 50%
industry and services: 50% |
about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2005) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | English (official) |
Legal system | - | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 73.76 years
male: 71.59 years female: 76.03 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | NA | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | - | 12.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 382,617
note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.) |
18,738 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | NA | 3.28% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 8,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
Sex ratio | NA | 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.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 3,000 (1994) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is established) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | NA | 3.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |