TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK) 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: 12 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: arable land 2%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures; 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 98% 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: 9,983 (July 1991), growth rate 2.2% (1991) Birth rate: 25 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 14 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 78 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 3.8 children born/woman (1991) Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms Ethnic divisions: majority of African descent Religion: Baptist 41.2%, Methodist 18.9%, Anglican 18.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.7%, other 19.9% (1980) Language: English (official) Literacy: 98% (male 99%, female 98%) age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) Labor force: NA; majority engaged in fishing and tourist industries; some subsistence agriculture Organized labor: Saint George's Industrial Trade Union GOVERNMENT Long-form name: none Type: dependent territory of the UK Capital: Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK) Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK) Constitution: introduced 30 August 1976, suspended in 1986, and a Constitutional Commission is currently 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) Executive branch: British monarch, governor, Executive Council Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State--Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor Michael J. BRADLEY (since 1987); Head of Government--Chief Minister Oswald O. SKIPPINGS (since 3 March 1988) 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 Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: Legislative Council--last held on 3 March 1988 (next to be held NA); results--PDM 60%, PNP 30%, other 10%; seats--(20 total, 13 elected) PDM 11, PNP 2 Communists: none Member of: CDB Diplomatic representation: as a dependent territory of the UK, 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: $44.9 million, per capita $5,000; real growth rate NA% (1986) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 12% (1989) 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, 1,140 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: fishing, tourism, offshore financial services Agriculture: subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more important than farming; not self-sufficient in food Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $100 million 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; none with runways over 2,439 m; 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 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station DEFENSE FORCES Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK