Turks and Caicos Islands

LOCATION

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

Location: 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
Geographic coordinates: 21 45 N, 71 35 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 948 sq km
land: 948 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 389 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Terrain: low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps
Elevation: highest point: Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch
Land use: agricultural land: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 11.1% (2023 est.)
other: 87.9% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution: eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk
Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes
Geography - note: 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

Population: total: 60,439 (2024 est.)
male: 30,389
female: 30,050
Nationality: noun: none
adjective: none
Ethnic groups: Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (2006 est.)
Languages: English (official)
Religions: 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.)
Age structure: 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)
Dependency ratios: 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.)
Median age: total: 36.6 years (2025 est.)
male: 36.5 years
female: 36.1 years
Population growth rate: 1.73% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 12.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 3.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: eight of the thirty islands are inhabited; the island of Providenciales is the most populated, but the most densely populated is Grand Turk
Urbanization: urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: 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.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 81.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.5 years
female: 84.1 years
Total fertility rate: 1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.83 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: rural: rural: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 0.4% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49): 59.3% (2020 est.)
Child marriage: women married by age 15: 0% (2020)
women married by age 18: 23.3% (2020)
men married by age 18: 5.1% (2020)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 9.8% national budget (2025 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years (2023 est.)
male: 15 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)
People - note: destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US

Environmental issues: limited natural freshwater resources
Climate: tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Land use: agricultural land: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 11.1% (2023 est.)
other: 87.9% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Country name: 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"
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
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 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
Legal system: mixed system of English common law and civil law
Constitution: history: several previous; latest signed 7 August 2012, effective 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011)
Citizenship: see United Kingdom
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: 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
Legislative branch: 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
Judicial branch: 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
Political parties: People's Democratic Movement or PDMProgressive National Party or PNP
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK)
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag: 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
National symbol(s): conch shell, Turk's cap cactus
National anthem(s): title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: official anthem, as a UK overseas territory

Economic overview: 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
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $1.554 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.471 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.293 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 5.6% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 13.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 14.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $33,400 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $31,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $28,200 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.745 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 8.5% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 5% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: 2.3% (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 9.3% (2024 est.)
services: 72.6% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries: tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: 9% (2024 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $247.3 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $224.3 million (2017 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2018: $172.709 million (2018 est.)
Current account balance 2017: $35.016 million (2017 est.)
Current account balance 2016: $247.081 million (2016 est.)
Exports: Exports 2018: $826.824 million (2018 est.)
Exports 2017: $602.581 million (2017 est.)
Exports 2016: $741.173 million (2016 est.)
Exports - partners: Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023)
Exports - commodities: plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023)
Imports: Imports 2018: $544.219 million (2018 est.)
Imports 2017: $484.842 million (2017 est.)
Imports 2016: $438.041 million (2016 est.)
Imports - partners: USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023)
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 100%
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 94,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 252.088 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 12.912 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 25,085 (2004 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2004 est.)
Broadcast media: 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
Internet country code: .tc
Internet users: percent of population: 93.5% (2022)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VQ-T
Airports: 9 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 3 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, other 2
Ports: 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

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees: 8 (2024 est.)