Turks and Caicos Islands

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. Grand Turk Island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017.

21 45 N, 71 35 W

frequent hurricanes

2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

limited natural freshwater resources

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

389 km

Total: 0 km

Agricultural land: 1.1% (2022 est.)

Arable land: 1.1% (2022 est.)

Permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)

Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

Forest: 11.1% (2022 est.)

Other: 87.9% (2022 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

spiny lobster, conch

include eight large islands and numerous smaller cays, islets, and reefs; only two of the Caicos Islands and six of the Turks group are inhabited

low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti; note - although the Turks and Caicos Islands do not border the Caribbean Sea, geopolitically they are often designated as being Caribbean

Central America and the Caribbean

0 sq km (2022)

eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk

Highest point: Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m

Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Total : 948 sq km

Land: 948 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

0-14 years: 20.4% (male 6,288/female 6,056)

15-64 years: 73.2% (male 22,232/female 22,011)

65 years and over: 6.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,869/female 1,983)

At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Noun: None

Adjective: None

Urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)

Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.)

Protestant 72.8% (Baptist 35.8%, Church of God 11.7%, Anglican 10%, Methodist 9.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 6%), Roman Catholic 11.4%, Jehovah's Witness 1.8%, other 14% (2006 est.)

English (official)

Total dependency ratio: 36.6 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 27.9 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 8.7 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 11.5 (2024 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Improved:

Urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 14 years (2023 est.)

Male: 15 years (2023 est.)

Female: 14 years (2023 est.)

0.83 (2024 est.)

59.1% (2023 est.)

Women married by age 15: 0% (2020)

Women married by age 18: 23.3% (2020)

Men married by age 18: 5.1% (2020)

8.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 36.3 years (2024 est.)

Male: 36.5 years

Female: 36.1 years

1.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 60,439 (2024 est.)

Male: 30,389

Female: 30,050

Total: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

3.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

13 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

0.4% (2019/20)

Total population: 81.3 years (2024 est.)

Male: 78.5 years

Female: 84.1 years

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

8.7% national budget (2023 est.)

1.77% (2024 est.)

447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Embassy: None (overseas territory of the UK)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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 second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

Etymology: Named after Sir Francis COCKBURN, who served as governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844

History: Several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011)

Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Dileeni Daniel-SELVARATNAM (since 29 June 2023)

Head of government: Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly

Election/appointment process: The monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party as the premier

Description: Blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the right half of the flag; the shield is yellow and displays a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and Turk's cap cactus

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and other judges, as determined by the governor); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and 2 justices)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges appointed by the governor in accordance with the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body of high-level judicial officials; Supreme Court judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended to age 70; Appeals Court judge tenure determined by individual terms of appointment

Subordinate courts: Magistrates' courts

Note: Appeals beyond the Supreme Court are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

mixed system of English common law and civil law

Legislature name: House of Assembly

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 21 (directly elected or appointed)

Electoral system: Mixed

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 2/07/2025

Parties elected and seats per party: PNP (16); PDM (2); independents (1)

Percentage of women in chamber: 27.3%

Expected date of next election: 2029

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

People's Democratic Movement or PDM
Progressive National Party or PNP

18 years of age; universal

parliamentary democracy

Conventional long form: None

Conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Abbreviation: TCA

Etymology: The Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus, which is native to the islands and appears on the flag and coat of arms; the name Caicos may derive from caya hico, a phrase meaning “string of islands” in the Lucayan (Arawak) language, or from the Spanish word cayo, meaning "rock"

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Title: "This Land of Ours"

Lyrics/music: Conrad HOWELL

History: Serves as a local anthem
_____

Title: "God Save the King"

Lyrics/music: Unknown

History: Official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

conch shell, Turk's cap cactus

see United Kingdom

plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Revenues: $247.3 million (2017 est.)

Expenditures: $224.3 million (2017 est.)

refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

the US dollar is used

tourism, offshore financial services

British Caribbean island territorial economy; GDP and its tourism industry hit hard by COVID-19 disruptions; major biodiversity locale; US dollar user; fossil fuel dependent; negative trade balance; increasing unemployment

$1.745 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$1.554 billion (2024 est.)
$1.471 billion (2023 est.)
$1.293 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

8.5% (2022 est.)
5% (2021 est.)
2.3% (2020 est.)

Note: Annual % change based on consumer prices

$172.709 million (2018 est.)
$35.016 million (2017 est.)
$247.081 million (2016 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$33,400 (2024 est.)
$31,800 (2023 est.)
$28,200 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$544.219 million (2018 est.)
$484.842 million (2017 est.)
$438.041 million (2016 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$826.824 million (2018 est.)
$602.581 million (2017 est.)
$741.173 million (2016 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

5.6% (2024 est.)
13.7% (2023 est.)
14.1% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

9% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Agriculture: 0.4% (2024 est.)

Industry: 9.3% (2024 est.)

Services: 72.6% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas: 100%

Electrification - rural areas: 100%

Fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 94,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 252.088 million kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 12.912 million kWh (2023 est.)

.tc

no local terrestrial TV stations; broadcasts from the Bahamas, multi-channel cable, and satellite TV available; state-run radio network operates alongside private broadcasters, with a total of about 15 stations

Percent of population: 93.5% (2022)

Total subscriptions: 25,085 (2004 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2004 est.)

Total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.)

VQ-T

9 (2025)

Total: 3 (2023)

By type: General cargo 1, other 2

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Refugees: 8 (2024 est.)

overseas territory of the UK

destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US

Total ports: 3 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 0

Very small: 2

Size unknown: 1

Ports with oil terminals: 1

Key ports: Cockburn Harbor, Grand Turk, Providenciales