Turks and Caicos Islands
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Status: Overseas territory
Governor: Richard Tauwhare (2005)
Chief Minister: Michael Misick
(2003)
Total area: 166 sq mi (430 sq km)
Population (2007 est.): 21,746 (growth
rate: 2.7%); birth rate: 21.5/1000; infant mortality rate:
14.7/1000; life expectancy: 75.0; density per sq mi: 131
Capital (2003 est.): Cockburn Town,
5,000
Monetary unit: U.S. dollar
Literacy rate: 98% (1970 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2002
est.): $216 million; per capita $11,500. Real growth rate:
4.9% (2000 est.). Inflation: 4% (1995). Unemployment:
10% (1997 est.). Arable land: 2%. Agriculture:
corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish. Labor
force: 4,848 (1990 est.); about 33% in government and 20% in
agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
and other services (1997 est.). Industries: tourism, offshore
financial services. Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch.
Exports: $169.2 million (2000): lobster, dried and fresh
conch, conch shells. Imports: $175.6 million (2000): food and
beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials.
Major trading partners: U.S., UK (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines
in use: 3,000 (1994); mobile cellular: 0 (1994). Radio broadcast
stations: AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998).
Radios: 8,000 (1997). Television broadcast stations: 0
(broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; cable television is
established) (1997). Televisions: n.a.. Internet Service
Providers (ISPs): 14 (2002).
Transportation: Railways: 0 km.
Highways: total: 121 km; paved: 24 km; unpaved: 97 km (2000).
Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales. Airports:
8 (2001).
International disputes: none.
Major sources and definitions
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These two groups of islands are near the Bahamas in the Caribbean. The
principal islands in the Turks group are Grand Turk and Salt Cay; the
principal islands in the Caicos group are South Caicos, East Caicos,
Middle (or Grand) Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales, and West Caicos.
The islands were not settled by Europeans until 1678, when British
colonists from Bermuda established a salt-panning industry. The islands
were at first placed under the Bahamian government, but in 1874 they
became dependencies of the colony of Jamaica. Following Jamaica's
independence, they became a British Crown colony. The salt production
industry, the islands' economic mainstay, ceased in 1964 and gave way to
tourism, offshore financial services, and fishing.
See also Encyclopedia: Turks and Caicos Islands.
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More on Turks and Caicos Islands from Fact Monster:
- Turks and Caicos Islands - Map of Turks and Caicos Islands & articles on flags, geography, history, statistics, disasters current events, and international relations.
- Turks and Caicos Islands - Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands , dependency of Great Britain (2005 est. pop. ...
- Caicos Islands - Caicos Islands: Caicos Islands: see Turks and Caicos Islands.
- the Bahamas - Bahamas, the Bahamas, the , officially Commonwealth of the Bahamas, independent nation (2005 est. ...
- Caribbean - Map of Caribbean & articles on flags, geography, history, statistics, disasters current events, and international relations.
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