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.
Geography
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
comparison ranking: total 185
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% (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.)
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
People and Society
Population
total: 60,439 (2024 est.)
male: 30,389
female: 30,050
comparison rankings: total 205; female 205; male 205
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)
2024 population pyramid:
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: 36.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 36.5 years
female: 36.1 years
comparison ranking: total 93
Population growth rate
1.77% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 49
Birth rate
13 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 133
Death rate
3.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 219
Net migration rate
8.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 10
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: 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
comparison ranking: total 122
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 81.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.5 years
female: 84.1 years
comparison ranking: total population 44
Total fertility rate
1.7 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 164
Gross reproduction rate
0.83 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
34.4% (2019/20)
Drinking water source
improved:
total: 94.3% of population
unimproved:
total: 5.7% of population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 88% of population
unimproved:
urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 12% of population (2017)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.4% (2019/20)
comparison ranking: 113
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
59.1% (2023 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
3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
8.7% national budget (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 148
Literacy
total population: NA
male: NA
female: NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years
male: NA
female: (2015) NA
People – note
destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Bahamas and the US
Environment
Environment – current issues
limited natural freshwater resources
Climate
tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry
Land use
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.)
Urbanization
urban population: 94.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.22 megatons (2016 est.)
Government
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
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of the UK)
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
elections/appointments: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed premier by the governor
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
note: appeals beyond the Supreme Court are referred to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
Political parties
People’s Democratic Movement or PDM
Progressive 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)
National holiday
Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, usually celebrated the Monday after the second Saturday in June
Flag description
blue with the UK flag in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer 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
name: “This Land of Ours”
lyrics/music: Conrad HOWELL
note: serves as a local anthem; as an overseas territory of the UK, “God Save the King” is the official anthem (see United Kingdom)
Economy
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)
$1.03 billion (2023 est.)
$1.018 billion (2022 est.)
$958.811 million (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 209
Real GDP growth rate
1.2% (2023 est.)
6.2% (2022 est.)
9.03% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 161
Real GDP per capita
$22,300 (2023 est.)
$22,200 (2022 est.)
$21,200 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 94
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.402 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (2017 est.)
0.7% (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 126
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.4% (2016 est.)
industry: 9.5% (2016 est.)
services: 77.9% (2016 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 19; industry 199; agriculture 201
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 49% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16.5% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.1% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 69.5% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -56.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Industries
tourism, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate
5.84% (2016 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 38
Remittances
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
Budget
revenues: $247.3 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: $224.3 million (2017 est.)
Current account balance
$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
comparison ranking: 72
Exports
$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
comparison ranking: 187
Exports – partners
Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$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
comparison ranking: 204
Imports – partners
USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Energy
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.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 20; consumption 186; installed generating capacity 187
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.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 447,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 190
Energy consumption per capita
(2019)
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 4,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 206
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 25,085 (2004 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110 (2004 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 213
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)
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
VQ-T
Airports
9 (2025)
comparison ranking: 163
Merchant marine
total: 3 (2023)
by type: general cargo 1, other 2
comparison ranking: total 174
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 and Security
Military – note
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
