CapitalGrand Turk (Cockburn Town)
Population60,439
Area948 km²
GDP per capita$33,400
LanguagesEnglish
Life Expectancy81.3 yr
Governmenta parliamentary democracy.
Introduction
Background
These islands were incorporated within the Jamaican colony of the United Kingdom until 1962, at which point they transitioned to become a distinct Crown colony following Jamaica's independence. A governor administered the affairs of The Bahamas from 1965 until 1973. Upon the attainment of Bahamian independence, a separate governor was appointed for the islands in 1973. Although there was an agreement for independence in 1982, this policy was subsequently reversed, and the islands continue to be classified as a British overseas territory. In 2017, Grand Turk Island experienced significant destruction due to Hurricane Maria.
Geography
Area
land
948 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
948 sq km
Climate
tropical; marine; influenced by trade winds; bright and relatively arid
Terrain
low, flat limestone; vast marshlands and mangrove swamps
Land use
other
87.9% (2023 est.)
forest
11.1% (2023 est.)
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.)
Location
two archipelagos located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas and north of Haiti; it is important to note that while the Turks and Caicos Islands do not directly border the Caribbean Sea, they are frequently classified as part of the Caribbean region from a geopolitical perspective
Coastline
389 km
Elevation
lowest point
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point
Blue Hill on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill on East Caicos 48 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
occurrences of hurricanes are common
Geography - note
comprise eight major islands along with many smaller cays, islets, and reefs; only two of the Caicos Islands and six islands from the Turks group are populated
Natural resources
spiny lobster, conch
Area - comparative
2.5 times larger than Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
21 45 N, 71 35 W
Population distribution
eight out of the thirty islands are inhabited; Providenciales boasts the highest population, whereas Grand Turk has the highest population density
People & Society
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% (est. 2006)
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
total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.94 male(s)/female
Birth rate
12.73 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
3.59 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
36.5 years
total
36.6 years (2025 est.)
female
36.1 years
Population
male
30,389
total
60,439 (2024 est.)
female
30,050
Nationality
noun
none
adjective
none
Urbanization
urban population
94.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)
Ethnic groups
Black 87.6%, White 7.9%, mixed 2.5%, East Indian 1.3%, other 0.7% (est. 2006)
People - note
a destination and transit location for illegal Haitian migrants heading to the Bahamas and the United States
Child marriage
men married by age 18
5.1% (2020)
women married by age 15
0% (2020)
women married by age 18
23.3% (2020)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
36.6 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
27.9 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
11.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
8.7 (2024 est.)
Net migration rate
8.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.7 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 91.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 8.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
2.9% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
9.8% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
13.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total
10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
8.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.73% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.83 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
of the thirty islands, eight are inhabited; Providenciales is the most populous, whereas Grand Turk has the highest population density
Life expectancy at birth
male
78.5 years
female
84.1 years
total population
81.3 years (2024 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 97.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 98.7% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 2.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Major urban areas - population
5,000 GRAND TURK (capital) (2018)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
59.3% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
0.4% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
15 years (2023 est.)
total
14 years (2023 est.)
female
14 years (2023 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical; marine; influenced by trade winds; bright and comparatively arid
Land use
other
87.9% (2023 est.)
forest
11.1% (2023 est.)
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.)
Urbanization
urban population
94.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
1.46% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environmental issues
restricted natural freshwater supplies
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.)
Government
Flag
description: a blue flag featuring the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, while the colonial shield is prominently displayed in the right half; the shield is yellow and features a conch shell, a spiny lobster, and the Turk's cap cactus.
Capital
name
Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)
etymology
named in honor of Sir Francis COCKBURN, who held the position of governor of the Bahamas from 1837 to 1844.
time difference
UTC-5 (coinciding with Washington, DC time during Standard Time).
daylight saving time
+1hr, commencing on the second Sunday of March and concluding on the first Sunday of November.
geographic coordinates
21 28 N, 71 08 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
see United Kingdom
Constitution
history
several prior constitutions; the most recent was signed on 7 August 2012 and took effect on 15 October 2012 (The Turks and Caicos Constitution Order 2011).
Country name
etymology
the Turks Islands derive their name from the native Turk's cap cactus, which is depicted on both the flag and coat of arms; the term Caicos may originate from caya hico, translating to 'string of islands' in the Lucayan (Arawak) language, or from the Spanish word cayo, meaning 'rock'.
abbreviation
TCA
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Turks and Caicos Islands
Independence
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Legal system
a hybrid legal system comprising English common law and civil law.
Government type
a parliamentary democracy.
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Supreme Court (comprising the chief justice and additional judges as appointed by the governor); the Court of Appeal (which includes the court president and two justices).
subordinate courts
magistrates' courts
judge selection and term of office
judges of the Supreme Court and Appeals Court are appointed by the governor based on the recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission, a three-member panel of senior judicial officials; Supreme Court judges serve until the mandatory retirement age of 65, though terms may be extended to 70; the tenure of Appeals Court judges is determined by their specific appointment terms.
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the governor from among members of the House of Assembly
chief of state
King CHARLES III (ascended on 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Dileeni Daniel-SELVARATNAM (since 29 June 2023).
head of government
Premier Washington MISICK (since 19 February 2021)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; subsequent to legislative elections, the governor selects the leader of the majority party to serve as the premier.
Dependency status
an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
Political parties
People's Democratic Movement or PDM
Progressive National Party or PNP
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
21 (directly elected or appointed)
electoral system
mixed
legislature name
House of Assembly
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
2/07/2025
expected date of next election
2029
percentage of women in chamber
27.3%
parties elected and seats per party
PNP (16); PDM (2); independents (1)
National anthem(s)
title
"God Save the King"
history
official anthem, as a UK overseas territory
lyrics/music
unknown
National symbol(s)
conch shell, Turk's cap cactus
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.
Economy
Budget
revenues
$247.3 million (2017 est.)
expenditures
$224.3 million (2017 est.)
Exports
Exports 2016
$741.173 million (2016 est.)
Exports 2017
$602.581 million (2017 est.)
Exports 2018
$826.824 million (2018 est.)
Imports
Imports 2016
$438.041 million (2016 est.)
Imports 2017
$484.842 million (2017 est.)
Imports 2018
$544.219 million (2018 est.)
Industries
tourism, offshore financial services
Remittances
Remittances 2021
0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
the US dollar is utilized
Economic overview
Economy of a British Caribbean island territory; the GDP and tourism sector significantly affected by COVID-19 disruptions; a key area for biodiversity; US dollar adopter; reliant on fossil fuels; trade deficit; rising unemployment rates
Exports - partners
Gabon 27%, USA 25%, Zimbabwe 17%, Czechia 8%, UAE 3% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 73%, Dominican Republic 4%, Italy 3%, Japan 3%, China 2% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$28,200 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$31,800 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$33,400 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
14.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
13.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
5.6% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
corn, beans, cassava (manioc, tapioca), citrus fruits; fish
Exports - commodities
plastics, shellfish, carbonates, tobacco, garments (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, cars, aluminum structures, furniture, plastic products (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2016
$247.081 million (2016 est.)
Current account balance 2017
$35.016 million (2017 est.)
Current account balance 2018
$172.709 million (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.745 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
2.3% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
5% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
8.5% (2022 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
9% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.293 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.471 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.554 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
9.3% (2024 est.)
services
72.6% (2024 est.)
agriculture
0.4% (2024 est.)
Energy
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
252.088 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
94,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
12.912 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
100%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
99.9% (2022 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar
1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
98.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
93.5% (2022)
Broadcast media
there are no local terrestrial television stations; broadcasts are provided from the Bahamas, in addition to multi-channel cable and satellite television options; a state-operated radio network functions in conjunction with private broadcasters, totaling approximately 15 stations.
Internet country code
.tc
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.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
0
medium
0
key ports
Cockburn Harbor, Grand Turk, Providenciales
very small
2
total ports
3 (2024)
size unknown
1
ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
9 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
3 (2023)
by type
general cargo 1, other 2
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
VQ-T
Military & Security
Military - note
The obligation of defense lies with the United Kingdom.
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
8 (2024 est.)
