$Unique_ID{COW03788} $Pretitle{233P} $Title{Turks and Caicos Islands Statistical Profile of Turks and Caicos Islands} $Subtitle{} $Author{Central Intelligence Agency} $Affiliation{United States Government} $Subject{na rate uk million none caicos turks } $Date{1990} $Log{Map of Turks and Caicos Is.*0378801.scf } Country: Turks and Caicos Islands Book: CIA World Factbook Author: Central Intelligence Agency Affiliation: United States Government Date: 1990 [See Map of Turks and Caicos Is.] Statistical Profile of Turks and Caicos Islands Geography Total area: 430 km2; land area: 430 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 389 km Maritime claims: Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 3 nm Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch Land use: 2% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 98% other Environment: 30 islands (eight inhabited); subject to frequent hurricanes Note: located 190 km north of the Dominican Republic in the North Atlantic Ocean People Population: 9,531 (July 1989), growth rate 2.4% (1989) Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (1989) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1989) Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1989) Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births (1989) Life expectancy at birth: NA years male, NA years female (1989) Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1989) Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms Ethnic divisions: majority of African descent Religion: Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Church of God, Seventh-Day Adventist Language: English (official) Literacy: 99% (est.) Labor force: NA; majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture Organized labor: St. George's Industrial Trade Union Government Long-form name: none Type: colony of the UK Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) Administrative divisions: none (colony of the UK) Independence: none (colony of the UK) Constitution: constitution introduced on 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, and at present a Constitutional Commission is reviewing its contents Legal system: based on laws of England and Wales with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas National holiday: Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) Branches: executive, bicameral legislature (Executive Council, 14-member Legislative Council), judicial (Supreme Court) Leader: Michael J. BRADLEY, Governor (since 1987); Oswald SKIPPINGS, Chief Minister (since 1988) Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: last held on 3 March 1988 for 13 Legislative Council seats Political parties and leaders: People's Democratic Movement (PDM), Oswald Skippings; Progressive National Party (PNP), Dan Malcolm and Norman Saunders; National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Ariel Missick Voting strength: PDM 11 seats, PNP 2 seats Communists: none Diplomatic representation: as a British colony, the interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands are represented in the US by the UK; US--none Flag: 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 Economy Overview: The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and offshore banking. Subsistence farming--corn and beans--exists only on the Caicos Islands, so that most foods, as well as nonfood products, must be imported. GDP: $15 million, per capita $2,020; real growth rate NA% (1980) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: NA% Budget: revenues $12.4 million; expenditures $15.8 million, including capital expenditures of $2.6 million (FY87) Exports: $2.9 million (f.o.b., FY84); commodities--lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells; partners--US, UK Imports: $26.3 million (c.i.f., FY84); commodities--foodstuffs, drink, tobacco, clothing; partners--US, UK External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 9,050 kW capacity; 11.1 million kWh produced, 1,190 kWh per capita (1988) Industries: fishing, tourism, offshore financial services Agriculture: corn, beans Aid: NA Currency: US currency is used Exchange rates: US currency is used Fiscal year: calendar year Communications Highways: 121 km, including 24 km tarmac Ports: Grand Turk, Salt Cay, Providenciales, Cockburn Harbour Civil air: Air Turks and Caicos (passenger service) and Turks Air Ltd. (cargo service) Airports: 7 total, 7 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: fair cable and radio services; 1,446 telephones; stations--3 AM, no FM, several TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 satellite ground station Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK