Citizendia

Turks and Caicos Islands
Flag of the Turks and Caicos IslandsCoat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands
FlagCoat of arms
Anthem: "God Save the Queen"
Location of the Turks and Caicos Islands
CapitalCockburn Town
Largest cityProvidenciales
Official languagesEnglish
GovernmentBritish Overseas Territory
 - QueenElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
 - GovernorRichard Tauwhare
 - PremierMichael Misick
Area
 - Total417 km² (199th)
161 sq mi 
 - Water (%)negligible
Population
 - 2007 estimate21,746 (208th)
 - Density61/km² (n/a)
98/sq mi
HDI (n/a)n/a (n/a) (n/a)
CurrencyU.S. dollar (USD)
Time zoneUTC-5
Internet TLD.tc
Calling code+1 649

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) (pronounced /ˈtɜːks ænd ˈkeɪkəs/) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the West Indies at 21°53′N, 71°47′W. The' flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands is similar to the flags of other British dependencies and colonies as it has the Union Flag in the canton. The Coat of Arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands were granted in 1965. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms It is the National Cockburn Town (ˈkoʊkbɚn is the Capital city of the Turks and Caicos Islands, located on the largest Island in the Turks Islands (not the Caicos The Turks and Caicos Islands ( TCI) (ˈtɜːks ænd ˈkeɪkəs are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the West Indies Providenciales, nicknamed " Provo " is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom 's overseas territory of Turks and Caicos Richard Tauwhare (born 1 November 1959) was the tenth Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, serving from 11 July 2005 This is a list of Chief Ministers and Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Michael Eugene Misick (born 2 February 1966 has been the chief minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 15 August 2003 to 9 August Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting

Contents

History

Main article: History of the Turks and Caicos Islands

The islands of the Turks and Caicos were first populated by Carib Amerindians. The history of the Turks and Caicos Islands can be traced back to early Eurpean explorations of the Americas Cariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands

Though many nations controlled the islands, official settlement did not occur right away. For several decades around the turn of the 18th century they became popular pirate hideouts. Piracy is Robbery committed at sea or sometimes on shore without a commission from a sovereign Nation (as distinct from Privateering Bermudian salt collectors were the first to settle the Turk Islands in 1678 or 1681. Ba (officially The Bermuda Islands or The Somers Isles) is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1764–1783 they were under French occupation. After the American Revolution (1763–1783) many loyalists fled to British Caribbean colonies, including (in 1783) the first settlers on the Caicos Islands; cotton became an important crop briefly. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp In 1799 both island groups were annexed by Britain as part of the Bahamas. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and

There was a great deal of political turmoil surrounding the ownership of the Turks and Caicos even within the British empire: Bermuda had been in effective possession of them for a century, though, under British law they were the common wealth of all British citizens. Spanish and French forces seized the Turks in 1706, but Bermudian forces expelled them four years later in what was probably Bermuda's only independent military operation. For many years, the Bahamas (itself originally settled by Bermudian puritans in 1647) and Bermuda fought for control of the archipelago. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and The struggle began in 1766, when the King's representative in the Bahamas, Mr Symmer, on his own authority, wrote a constitution which legislated for and taxed the Bermudians on the Turks. The Secretary of State, Lord Hillsborough, for the Crown, issued orders that the Bermudian activities on the Turks should not be obstructed or restrained in any way. As a result of this order, Symmer's constitution was dissolved. The Bermudians on the Turks appointed commissioners to govern themselves, with the assent of the King's local agent. They drew up regulations for good government, but the Bahamian governor Shirley drew up his own regulations for the Turks and ordered that no one might work at salt raking who had not signed assent to his regulations. Following this, a raker was arrested and the salt pans were seized and divided by force. The Bahamas government attempted to appoint judicial authorities for the Turks in 1768, but these were refused by the Bermudians.

In 1773 the Bahamian government passed an act attempting to tax the salt produced in the Turks, but the Bermudians refused to pay it. In 1774, the Bahamians passed another, similar act, and this they submitted for the Crown's assent. The Crown passed this act on to the Bermudian government which objected to it, and which rejected Bahamian jurisdiction over the Turks. The Crown, as a consequence, refused assent of the Act as applied to include the Turks, and, in the form in which it finally passed, the Bahamas, but not the Turks, were included. The Bermudians on the Turks continued to be governed under their own regulations, with the assent of the royal agent, until 1780, when a more formal version of those regulations was submitted for the assent of the Crown, which was given. Those regulations, issued as a royal order, stated that all British subjects had the right ("free liberty") to rake and gather salt on the Turks, providing that they conformed to the regulations, which expressly rejected Bahamian jurisdiction over the Turks. Despite this refutation by a higher authority of their right to impinge upon Bermudian activities on the Turks, the Bahamian government continued to harass the Bermudians (unsurprisingly, given the lucrativeness of the Turks salt trade). Although the salt industry on the Turks had largely been a Bermudian preserve, it had been seen throughout the 17th century as the right of all British subjects to rake there, and small numbers of Bahamians had been involved.

In 1783, the French had landed a force on Grand Turk which a British force of 100 men, under then-Captain Horatio Nelson, had been unable to dislodge, but which was soon withdrawn. Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson 1st Viscount Nelson 1st Duke of Bronté, KB (29 September 1758– 21 October 1805 was a British Following this, the Bahamians were slow to return to the Turks, while the Bermudians quickly resumed salt production, sending sixty to seventy-five ships to the Turks each year, during the six months that salt could be raked. Nearly a thousand Bermudians spent part of the year on the Turks engaged in salt production, and the industry became more productive. The Bahamas, meanwhile, was incurring considerable expense in absorbing loyalist refugees from the now-independent American colonies, and returned to the idea of taxing Turks salt for the needed funds. The Bahamian government ordered that all ships bound for the Turk Islands obtain a license at Nassau first. The Bermudians refused to do this. Following this, Bahamian authorities seized the Bermuda sloops Friendship and Fanny in 1786. The Bermuda sloop is a type of fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel developed on the islands of Bermuda in the 17th century Shortly after, three Bermudian vessels were seized at Grand Caicos, with $35,000 worth of goods salvaged from a French ship. French privateers were becoming a menace to Bermudian operations in the area, at the time, but the Bahamians were their primary concern. The Bahamian government re-introduced a tax on salt from the Turks, annexed them to the Bahamas, and created a seat in the Bahamian parliament to represent them. The Bermudians refused these efforts also, but the continual pressure from the Bahamaians had a negative effect on the salt industry.

Sunset viewed from Turtle Cove
Sunset viewed from Turtle Cove

In 1806, the Bermudian customs authorities went some way toward acknowledging the Bahamian annexation when it ceased to allow free exchange between the Turks and Bermuda (this affected many enslaved Bermudians, who, like the free ones, had occupied the Turks only seasonally, returning to their homes in Bermuda after the year's raking had finished). That same year, French privateers attacked the Turks, burning ships and absconding with a large sloop. The Bahamians refused to help, and the Admiralty in Jamaica claimed the Turks were beyond its jurisdiction. Two hurricanes, the first in August, 1813, the second in October, 1815, destroyed more than two-hundred buildings, significant salt stores, and sank many vessels. By 1815, the United States, the primary client for Turks salt, had been at war with Britain (and hence Bermuda) for three years, and had established other sources of salt. With the destruction wrought by the storm, and the loss of market, many Bermudians abandoned the Turks, and those remaining were so distraught that they welcomed the visit of the Bahamian governor in 1819. The British government eventually assigned political control to the Bahamas, which the Turks and Caicos remained a part of until the 1840s.

In 1848 they were declared a separate colony under a Council President. The last incumbent was maintained in 1873 when the islands were made part of Jamaica colony; in 1794 the chief colonial official was restyled Commissioner. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. Commissioner is a designation that may be used for a variety of official positions especially referring to a high-ranked public (administrative or Police) official or an analogous In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister Robert Borden suggested that the Turks and Caicos join Canada, but this suggestion was shot down by British prime minister Lloyd George.

On 4 July 1959 they were again a separate colony (Turks and Caicos), the last Commissioner being restyled Administrator, but until 31 May 1962 they were one of the constitutive parts of the Federation of the West Indies (see Trinidad and Tobago). Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The West Indies Federation, also known as the Federation of the West Indies, was a short-lived Caribbean Federation that existed from January 3 1958 The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (ˈtrɪnɪdæd ən təˈbeɪgoʊ is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying northeast of the South American By 1973 they had gained independence and their own governor (the last Administrator was restyled). In 1974 Canadian New Democratic Party Leader Max Saltsman tried to use his Private Member's Bill to create legislation to annex the islands to Canada, but it didn't pass in the Canadian House of Commons. A Private Member's Bill is a proposed Law introduced by a backbench member of Parliament, whether from the government or the opposition side to that They have had their own government head by a Chief minister since August 1976. A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e In 1979 independence was agreed upon in principle for 1982, but a change in government caused a policy reversal, and they instead approached the Canadian Government to discuss a possible union, but at the time the Canadian Government was embroiled in a debate over free trade with the U. S. , and little attention was paid to the suggestion. Their political troubles in recent years have resulted in a rewritten constitution. The Canadian Government still shows an interest in annexing the islands however, and in 2004 Conservative Party of Canada MP travelled to the Turks and Caicos to explore the possibility. He drafted a motion asking the Canadian Government to look into the issue, but his party declined, citing immigration, tourism, and economic issues. However, the Canadian government does not dismiss the possibility of a future union. In 2004 the Provincial Legislature of Nova Scotia passed a motion inviting the Turks and Caicos to join that province in the event of a future union, which is hoped for by many sun-loving Nova Scotians.

Districts

Main article: Districts of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Map of Turks and Caicos Islands
Map of Turks and Caicos Islands

The two island groups are in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, north of Hispaniola, and 914 kilometres (494 nmi) from Miami, at 21°45′N, 71°35′W. Administrative Districts The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into six administrative districts (two in the Turks Islands and four in the Caicos Islands headed by The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and Hispaniola (from Spanish, La Española) is the second-largest and most populous Island of the Antilles, lying between the islands of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. The territory is geographically contiguous to the Bahamas, but is politically a separate entity. Physical geography (also known as geosystems or physiography) is one of the three major subfields of Geography. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and Political geography is the field of Human geography that is concerned with the study of both the spatially uneven outcomes of Political processes and the ways in which The Caicos Islands are separated by the Caicos Passage from the closest Bahamian islands, Mayaguana and Great Inagua. Mayaguana is the most easterly island and district of The Bahamas. Inagua is the southernmost district of the Bahamas comprising the islands of Great Inagua and Little Inagua

The eight main islands and more than 20 smaller islands have a total land area of 616. 3 square kilometres (238. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 0 sq mi), primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps and 370 kilometres (230 mi) of beach front. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject Mangroves (generally are Trees and Shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the Tropics and Subtropics. A swamp is a Wetland featuring temporary or permanent inundation of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The weather is usually sunny and relatively dry, but suffers frequent hurricanes. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding The islands have limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rainwater for drinking. Freshwater is a word that refers to bodies of water such as Ponds lakes rivers and streams containing low concentrations of dissolved Salts and other Total dissolved The primary natural resources are spiny lobster, conch and other shellfish. This article is about the animal For the B-52's song see Rock Lobster. A conch (pronounced in the USA as "konk" or "konch" ˈkɒŋk or /ˈkɒntʃ/ is one of a number of different Species The United Nations Committee on Decolonisation includes the Turks and Caicos Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories documents countries that according to the United Nations, are non- decolonized.

The two distinct island groups are separated by the Turks Passage.

Caicos Islands

A view of Cockburn Town
A view of Cockburn Town

The Caicos Islands are the larger group, with almost 96 percent of the land area (589. Cockburn Town (ˈkoʊkbɚn is the Capital city of the Turks and Caicos Islands, located on the largest Island in the Turks Islands (not the Caicos 5 km²) and 82 percent of the population (26,584 out of a total of 33,302 in 2006). The spatial arrangement of the islands around the large Caicos Bank (with an area of 7,680 km² [1]) resembles an Atoll, with the six large islands in the west, north and east, and a few tiny reefs and cays in the south. An atoll (pronounced /ˈætʌl/ is an island of Coral that encircles a Lagoon partially or completely The unofficial capital of the Caicos Islands is the village of Kew on North Caicos. There is no official capital because the island group is not an administrative unit. The Caicos Islands encompass four of the six administrative districts of the territory. Administrative Districts The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into six administrative districts (two in the Turks Islands and four in the Caicos Islands headed by Four of the six main islands are inhabited, plus two of the smaller islands:

Main islands, from West to East, with population estimates of 2006:

Inhabited smaller islands, in the Caicos Cays between Providenciales and North Caicos:

The Caicos Islands make up four of the six districts of the territory. West Caicos is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. West Caicos has an area of, and has been uninhabited for over a century Providenciales, nicknamed " Provo " is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. North Caicos is the third-largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Middle Caicos, also Grand Caicos is the largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. East Caicos is the fourth largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. South Caicos is the seventh largest island in the Turks and Caicos islands archipelago with a land area of 21 Ambergris Cay is an island within the Turks and Caicos Islands. Pine Cay is an island of about 30 people population in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Parrot Cay is a tiny island part of Turks and Caicos Islands and is dominated by a large hotel beach resort which over the years has seen many visits by celebrities such as Administrative Districts The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into six administrative districts (two in the Turks Islands and four in the Caicos Islands headed by

Turks Islands

A view of the southwestern beach at Grand Turk Island
A view of the southwestern beach at Grand Turk Island
Satellite Image of Salt Cay (lower left) and neighboring islets
Satellite Image of Salt Cay (lower left) and neighboring islets

The Turks Islands, separated from the Caicos Islands by Turks Island Passage (more than 2,200 m deep), are a chain that stretches north-south. Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The total area is 26. 7 square kilometres (10. 3 sq mi), with an estimated population of 5,753. There are two main islands, which are the only inhabited ones of the group:

Together with nearby islands, all on Turks Bank, those two main islands form the two of the six administrative districts of the territory that fall within the Turks Islands. Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Salt Cay is the second largest of the Turks Islands, one of the two island groups forming of the British territory Turks and Caicos Islands in the Administrative Districts The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into six administrative districts (two in the Turks Islands and four in the Caicos Islands headed by Turks Bank has a total area of about 450 km².

Mouchoir Bank

25 kilometres (16 mi) east of the Turks Islands and separated from them by Mouchoir Passage, is Mouchoir Bank. Mouchoir Bank, in Spanish also called Banco de Pañuelo Blanco is located southeast of the Turks islands at, and geographically a continuation of the Although it is submerged with a least depth of 1. 8 metres (6 ft), and has no emergent cays or islets, it is part of the Turks and Caicos Islands and falls within its EEZ. Under the law of the sea, an Exclusive Economic Zone ( EEZ) is a seazone over which a State has special rights over the exploration and use of marine Mouchoir Bank measures 960 km² in area. Two banks further east, Silver Bank and Navidad Bank, are geographically a continuation, but belong politically to the Dominican Republic

Politics

Main article: Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands

Grand Turk is the administrative and political capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Cockburn Town has been the seat of government since 1766. Silver Bank is an area in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Dominican Republic and southeast of the Territory of Turks & Caicos. Navidad Bank is an area in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Dominican Republic and southeast of the Territory of Turks & Caicos. The Dominican Republic ( Spanish: República Dominicana;) is a nation located in the Caribbean region and shares the island of Hispaniola with Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby as of August The islands were under Jamaican jurisdiction until 1962, when they assumed the status of a British crown colony. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The governor of the Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and 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 are presently a British overseas territory. The islands adopted a constitution on August 30, 1976, which is Constitution Day, the national holiday. Events 1363 - Beginning date of the Battle of Lake Poyang; the forces of two Chinese rebel leaders— Chen Youliang and Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The constitution was suspended in 1986, but restored and revised March 5, 1988. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian moves from Antioch with an army of 90000 to attack the Sassanid Empire, in a Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) A new constitution came into force on August 9, 2006. The territory's legal system is based on English common law, with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica and the Bahamas. History The Roman occupation of Britain was the first period in which the area of present-day England and Wales was administered as a single unit (with the exception Common law refers to law and the corresponding legal system developed through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and Suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. English is the official language. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States

As a British territory, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the sovereign, represented by a governor. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II The head of government is the premier. The cabinet consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly. The monarch is hereditary, the governor is appointed by the monarch, and the premier appointed by the governor.

The unicameral House of Assembly consists of 19 seats, of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms. Elections were held in 2003 and again on February 9th 2007. The Progressive National Party, led by Hon. Michael Misick holds thirteen seats, and the People's Democratic Movement, led by Floyd Seymour, holds two seats. Michael Eugene Misick (born 2 February 1966 has been the chief minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 15 August 2003 to 9 August

The judicial branch of government is headed by a Supreme Court and appeals are heard by the court of appeals and final appeals by the privy council of the UK.

Turks and Caicos participates in the Caribbean Development Bank, is an associate in CARICOM, and maintains an Interpol sub-bureau. The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries The Caribbean Community ( CARICOM) is an organization of Caribbean nations and dependencies The International Criminal Police Organization, better known by its telegraphic address Interpol is an organization facilitating international police cooperation Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In December of 2004 the Turks and Caicos Islands sought to become a new associate member to the Association of Caribbean States article. The Association of Caribbean States ( ACS; Spanish: Asociación de Estados del Caribe French: Association des États de la Caraïbe

Demographics

Eight of the thirty islands in the territory are inhabited, with a total population in mid-2006 of about 32,000. One-third of the population is under 15 years old, and only 4% are 65 or older. In 2000 the population was growing at a rate of 3. 55% per year, with 14. 46 migrants per 1,000 population and 25. 65 births per 1,000 population, offset by 4. 57 deaths per 1,000 population. The infant mortality rate was 18. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births 66 deaths per 1,000 live births and the life expectancy at birth was 73. Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining at a given age 28 years (71. 15 years for males, 75. 51 years for females). The total fertility rate was 3. 25 children born per woman. The annual population growth rate is 2. 82%.

Ethnically, the vast majority of inhabitants are black and Protestant Christian. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Two-fifths are Baptist, one-fifth Methodist, one-fifth Anglican, and less than 2% Seventh-day Adventist. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance

Economy

The economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The United States was the leading source of tourists in 1996, accounting for more than half of the 87,000 visitors; another major source of tourists is Canada. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Tourist arrivals had risen to approximately 200,000 in 2006.

The government is pursuing a two-prong strategy to increase tourism. Upscale resorts are aimed at the wealthy, while a large new cruise ship port and recreation centre has been built for the masses visiting Grand Turk. A cruise ship or cruise liner is a Passenger ship used for pleasure voyages where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience

Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. The territory's gross domestic product as of late 2006 is approximately $400 million (per capita $12 500), with a real growth rate of about 4,9% (2000) and an inflation rate of about 4%. The labour force totalled 12000 workers in 2006. The labour force distribution is as follows:

Skill LevelPercentage
Unskilled/Manual53%
Skilled20%
Semi-Skilled12%
Professional15%

The unemployment rate is about 10%. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. The territory takes in revenues of $47 million against expenditures of $33. 6 million and receives economic aid, $5. 7 million in 1995. The territory's currency is the United States dollar, with a few government fines (such as airport infractions) being payable in British Pounds. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The Pound Sterling ( symbol £; ISO code: GBP) subdivided into 100 pence (singular penny) is the Currency Most commemorative coin issues are denominated in crowns.

The primary agricultural products include limited amounts of maize, beans, cassava (tapioca) and citrus fruits. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Bean is a common name for large plant Seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae (formerly Leguminosae used for human food or animal The cassava, yuca, manioc, or mandioca ( Manihot esculenta) is a woody Shrub of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge family native Tapioca is a flavorless colorless odorless Starch Fish and conch are the only significant export, with some $169. 2 million of lobster, dried and fresh conch, and conch shells exported in 2000, primarily to the United States and the United Kingdom. Clawed lobsters compose a family ( Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine Crustaceans Lobsters are economically important as A conch (pronounced in the USA as "konk" or "konch" ˈkɒŋk or /ˈkɒntʃ/ is one of a number of different Species The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In recent years, however, the catch has been declining. The territory used to be an important trans-shipment point for South American narcotics destined for the United States, but due to the ongoing pressure of a combined American, Bahamian and Turks and Caicos effort has this trade been greatly reduced. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

The islands import food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures and construction materials, primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Imports totalled $175. 6 million in 2000.

The islands produce and consume about 5 GWh of electricity, all from fossil fuel.

Communications and Media

The territory had about 3000 telephone lines in use in 1994. Currently, mobile phone service is provided by Cable & Wireless, using GSM 850 and TDMA and Digicel using GSM 900 and 1900. Cable & Wireless ( is a British Telecommunications company In the mid-1980s it became the first company in the UK to offer an alternative Telephone GSM ( Global System for Mobile communications: originally from Groupe Spécial Mobile) is the most popular standard for Mobile phones in the This article is about the medium access technology The name "TDMA" is also commonly used in the United States to refer to D-AMPS, which is a mobile telephone Digicel is a Mobile phone network provider in the Caribbean region CDMA phones will not work on the island. Code division multiple access ( CDMA) is a Channel access method utilized by various radio communication technologies The system is connected to the mainland by two submarine cables and an Intelsat earth station. There were three AM radio stations (one inactive) and six FM stations (no shortwave) in 1998. Over 8000 radio receivers are owned across the territory.

West Indies Video (WIV) has been the sole Cable Television provider for the Turks and Caicos Islands for over two decades and WIV4 (a subsidiary of WIV) has been the only broadcast station in the islands for over 15 years; broadcasts from the Bahamas can also be received and cable television is available. The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an independent sovereign English -speaking country consisting of two thousand Cays and The territory has two Internet service providers and its country code top level domain (ccTLD) is ". An Internet service provider ( ISP, also called Internet access provider or IAP) is a company which primarily offers their customers access to the Internet Country codes are short alphabetic or numeric geographical Codes ( Geocodes developed to represent countries and dependent areas for use in data processing TC". Amateur radio callsigns begin with "VP5" and visiting operators frequently work from the islands. Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a Hobby and a service in which participants called "hams" use various types of Radio communications In Broadcasting and Radio communications a call sign (also known as a callsign or call letters, or abbreviated as a call, or otherwise

WIV introduced Channel 4 NEWS in 2002 broadcasting local news and infotainment programs across the country. Channel 4 was re-launched as WIV4 in November 2007 and began providing reliable daily online Turks and Caicos news with the WIV4 NEWS blog, http://www.wiv4.com/--an online forum connecting TCI residents with others interested in the islands, while keeping users updated on the TCI's daily news.

Turks and Caicos's News papers include the Turks and Caicos Weekly News (www. tcweeklynews. com), Turks and Caicos Sun (http://www.suntci.com/) and the Turks and Caicos Free Press (http://www.tcifreepress.com/). All three publications are weekly. The Turks and Caicos Weekly News and the Turks and Caicos Sun both have supplement magazines. Other local magazines Times of the Islands (http://www.timespub.tc/), s3 Magazine (http://www.s3magazine.com/), Real Life Magazine, Baller Magazine and Unleashed Magazine.

From 1950 to 1981 the United States had a missile tracking site on Grand Turk. In the early days of the space program NASA used it. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA, ˈnæsə is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program After his three earth orbits in 1962, American astronaut John Glenn successfully landed in the nearby ocean and was brought back to land at this island. An astronaut or cosmonaut (космона́вт) is a person trained John Herschel Glenn Jr (born July 18 1921 in Cambridge Ohio) is a former United States Senator who first rose to fame as the first American to Orbit

Transport

The islands have no significant railways, and 121 kilometres of highway, 24 km paved and 97 km unpaved. The territory's main international ports and harbours are on Grand Turk and Providenciales. Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Providenciales, nicknamed " Provo " is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The islands have seven airports, located on each of the inhabited islands. Five have paved runways, three of which are around 2000 metres long and one around 1000 metres long. Two have unpaved runways, two of which are around 1000 metres long and one significantly shorter.

Proposed union with Canada

Main article: Proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories
In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister, Robert Borden suggested Canada annex the Turks and Caicos
In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister, Robert Borden suggested Canada annex the Turks and Caicos

A great many of the tourists who visit the islands are Canadian. Providenciales International Airport is the main international airport serving the Turks and Caicos Islands, an Overseas territory of the United Kingdom Since Canadian Confederation in 1867 there have been several proposals for new Canadian provinces and territories. The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911 Owing to this, the islands' status as a British colony, and historic trade links, some politicians in Canada and the Turks and Caicos have suggested some form of union between Canada (a Commonwealth realm, so they already share the British Monarch as Head of state) and the British territory. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch

In 1917, the Prime Minister of Canada, Robert Borden first suggested that Canada annex Turks and Caicos Islands. The Prime Minister of Canada ( French: Premier ministre du Canada) is the primary Minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus Not to be confused with his cousin Frederick Borden, Canadian Minister of Militia and Defence from 1896 to 1911

In 1974, Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Max Saltsman introduced a failed attempt at consolidating the islands. Principles policies and electoral achievement The NDP grew from populist, agrarian and democratic socialist roots A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Samuel Mayer "Max" Saltsman ( May 29, 1921 &ndash November 28, 1985) was a Canadian New Democratic Party

The idea was brought up again in 1986 by Progressive Conservative MP Dan McKenzie, but it was rejected by his party's caucus committee on external affairs in 1987. The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada ( PC) ( Parti progressiste-conservateur du Canada) ( 1867 – 2003) was a Canadian A Daniel McKenzie ( 25 March 1924 - 15 August 1989) was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons The committee, chaired by MP David Daubney, looked at immigration, banking, health care and tourism issues in making its decision. David Bruce Daubney (born 1947-07-23) a former MP, is currently head of the Ottawa Public Library Foundation Board of Directors, elected at

In 2004, Conservative MP Peter Goldring visited the Turks and Caicos to explore the possibility once more. The Conservative Party of Canada ( Parti conservateur du Canada) colloquially known as the " Tories " is a conservative Peter Goldring (born December 12, 1944 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian federal politician

For the islands to join Canada as a full province would require amending the Canadian constitution, unlikely because it could provoke provinces to reopen debate on other aspects of Canada's constitution. The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's Constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions On the other hand, small changes to the Constitution, such as renaming Newfoundland to Newfoundland and Labrador, have passed intact since 1949. Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation The last new province, Newfoundland and Labrador, was brought into the country in 1949 by an act of the British Parliament. Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation Joining as a territory would be easier, as territories can be created by an act of federal law. In addition, its population of 21,746 (est. 2007) people is considered insufficient for provincial status. However, this attitude might change should the territories of Yukon or Nunavut, with about 30,000 people each, ever become provinces. Yukon (ˈjuːkɒn is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three territories. Nunavut (ˈnuːnəvʊt ( Inuktitut syllabics: ᓄᓇᕗᑦ is the largest and newest territory of Canada; it was separated officially from the

In 2004, the province of Nova Scotia voted to invite Turks and Caicos to join the province, should the islands ever become part of Canada. Nova Scotia (ˌnəʊvəˈskəʊʃə ( Latin for New Scotland; Alba Nuadh Nouvelle-Écosse is a Canadian province located on Canada 's This would bypass the problems with admitting Turks and Caicos as a separate province. [1]

Other references

On location films

Tourists and expatriates

Notable Events

Culture

Portrayals

Nature Reserve

See also

Note

  1. ^ "N.S. votes to invite Turks and Caicos to join it", CBC, 2004-04-22. The Turks and Caicos Islands lie in the North Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Bahamas and north of Haiti The Turks and Caicos Islands are an overseas dependency of the United Kingdom. The majority of the population of the Turks and Caicos Islands are Christian. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Retrieved on 2007-01-28. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1077 - Walk to Canossa: The Excommunication of Henry IV Holy Roman Emperor is lifted  

External links

History

Relationship with Canada

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Dictionary

Turks and Caicos Islands

-proper noun

  1. Country in the Caribbean. Official name: Turks and Caicos Islands.
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