The Turks and Caicos Islands are in the Caribbean, southeast of the Bahamas. Turks and Caicos is an archipelago with more than 30 islands. There are two main groups of islands, each by a coral reef are surrounded. Caicos, the larger archipelago, includes the islands of Providenciales, Middle Caicos, North Caicos and many small cays, some of which are inhabited. The group of Turks Islands is 35 kilometers away and is separated by a wide canal. It consists of Grand Turk, Salt Cay and a number of smaller, uninhabited cays.
There are 33 national parks, numerous nature reserves and historical sites in the Turks Islands. Despite the increasing number of visitors every year, the island has been largely spared from mass tourism. Nature and ecotourism are very important here. Tourism is concentrated on the island of Providenciales, which is also where the Club Mediterranée resort and the Ramada Turquoise Reef Resort are located. Dream beaches, clear water and the colorful coral reefs are the main attractions of the island.
About 23,500 people live on the Turks and Caicos Islands today. These refer to themselves as Belongers and are predominantly descendants of the African slaves who were previously deported here. In addition, some Europeans and mixed race live here.
The name Turks and Caicos is a derivation and combination of different names. The Turkish head or Fez cactus, which is endemic to the islands, is also included in the name, as is the name of the Lucayan people for island chain. It is true that the native residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands were the Taino. However, when the Lucayan came to the islands, they displaced the indigenous people and settled the Turks and Caicos Islands. The indigenous population had died out by the middle of the 16th century due to diseases and brutal slavery.
Turks and Caicos Islands – key data
Area: 430 km²
Population: 44,819 (2011 estimate, CIA). 90% black, 10% with mixed ancestry, Europeans and North Americans
Population density: 104 residents per km²
Population growth: 3.489% per year (2011, CIA)
Capital: Cockburn Town on Grand Turk (3,700 residents)
Highest point: Flamingo Hill, 48 m
Lowest point: Caribbean, 0 m
Form of government: The Turks and Caicos Islands have been a British overseas territory since 1670, internal autonomy has existed since 1962, and a separate government has existed since 1976 (with an interruption from 2009 to 2012). The current constitution dates from 2012. The Legislative Council consisted of 17 members.
In August 2009, the UK State Department overturned the Turks and Caicos Islands government on allegations of corruption. The official business was taken over by the British governor, the parliament of the Turks and Caicos Islands was dissolved and the constitution (which regulates the autonomy of Great Britain) was suspended. This takeover of power by Great Britain was limited to three years. A new constitution for the Turks and Caicos Islands came into force on October 15, 2012, and parliamentary elections were held on November 9, 2012.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Rufus Washingston Ewing, since November 13, 2012
Head of State: British Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor Ric Todd since September 12, 2011
Language: the official language on the Turks and Caicos Islands is English
Religion: 40% Baptists, 18% Anglicans, 16% Methodists, 12% Church of God, 14% Others
Local time: CET – 6 h.
On the Turks and Caicos Islands, summer time applies from the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October: CET – 5 hrs
The time difference to Central Europe is 6 hrs all year round
International phone code: +1 (649)
Internet ID:.tc
Mains voltage: 110 V, 60 Hz. American sockets are often used, so adapters are required
Turks and Caicos Islands – Geography and Map
The Turks and Caicos Islands are located south of the Bahamas and north of Haiti in the Atlantic Ocean and are part of the Caribbean. The total area of the more than 30 islands is around 430 square kilometers.
The Turks and Caicos Islands are made up of two small ones, one of each coral reefs urrounded by archipelagos that form the southeastern foothills of the Bahamas.
The larger archipelago Caicos (96% of the total land area, 82% of the population) includes the islands of Providenciales, Middle Caicos (or Grand Caicos), South Caicos, North Caicos, West Caicos and East Caicos and numerous smaller, partly inhabited cays.
The archipelago of the Turks Islands is 35 km wide and more than 2,200 m deep Turks Island Passage separated from the southeast of the Caicos Group. The individual islands are Grand Turk, Salt Cay and some smaller, uninhabited cays.
