View source for Turks and Caicos Islands

{{Short description|British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean}}
{{Infobox dependency
| name = Turks and Caicos Islands
| settlement_type = [[British Overseas Territories|British Overseas Territory]]
| linking_name = the Turks and Caicos Islands
| image_flag = Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands.svg
| flag_size = 130px
| flag_link = Flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands
| image_seal = Coat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands.svg
| seal_size = 75px
| seal_type = Coat of arms
| seal_link = Coat of arms of the Turks and Caicos Islands
| motto = 
| anthem = "[[God Save the King]]"<br /><div
style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;">[[File:U.S. Navy Band - God Save the King.oga]]</div>
| song_type = '''National song'''
| song = "[[This Land of Ours]]"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalanthems.info/tc.htm |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |website=nationalanthems.info |date=May 2013 |access-date=22 March 2017 |archive-date=17 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170317122951/http://www.nationalanthems.info/tc.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><br />{{center|}}
| image_map = Turks and Caicos Islands in United Kingdom (special marker).svg
| map_caption = {{map caption|location_color=circled in red }}
| mapsize = 290px
| image_map2 = 
| mapsize2 = 290px
| subdivision_type = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| established_title = [[Treaty of Paris (1783)|Treaty of Paris]]
| established_date = 3 September 1783
| established_title2 = [[West Indies Federation|Federation]]
| established_date2 = 3 January 1958
| established_title3 = Separate colony
| established_date3 = 31 May 1962
| official_languages = [[English language|English]]
| demonym = Turks and Caicos Islander, Turks Islander, Caicos Islander
| capital = [[Cockburn Town|Grand Turk (Cockburn Town)]]<ref name=UKOverseasTerritories>{{Cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/946074/UKOTs_Information_Paper.pdf |title=United Kingdom Overseas Territories - Toponymic Information |access-date=12 April 2022 |archive-date=11 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511152307/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/946074/UKOTs_Information_Paper.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| largest_city = [[Providenciales]]
| ethnic_groups = 88% [[Afro-Caribbean people|Afro-Caribbean]]<br />8% [[White Caribbeans|Euro-Caribbean]]<br />4% [[Multiracial people|mixed]] or [[Indo-Caribbeans]]
| ethnic_groups_year = 
| government_type = [[Dependent territory|Dependency]] under [[constitutional monarchy]]
| leader_title1 = [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Monarch]]
| leader_name1 = [[Charles III]]
| leader_title2 = [[Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands|Governor]]
| leader_name2 = [[Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam]]
| leader_title3 = [[Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands|Deputy Governor]]
| leader_name3 = [[Anya Williams]]
| leader_title4 = [[Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands|Premier]]
| leader_name4 = [[Washington Misick]]
| legislature = [[Parliament of the Turks and Caicos Islands|Parliament]]
| national_representation = [[Government of the United Kingdom]]
| national_representation_type1 = [[Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories|Minister]]
| national_representation1 = [[Stephen Doughty]]
| area_km2 = 948
| area_rank = 
| area_sq_mi = <!-- Do not remove as per WP:MOSNUM -->
| percent_water = negligible
| elevation_max_m = 48
| population_estimate =49,309<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.gov.tc/stats/ |title=Statistics Department &#124; Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands |website=www.gov.tc |access-date=2024-03-05 |archive-date=27 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227182013/https://www.gov.tc/stats/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_estimate_year = 2023
| population_estimate_rank = 215th
| population_census = 31,458<ref name=StatisticsYearbook2017>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.tc/stats/latest/publications |title=Year Book of Statistics 2001–2017 |year=2018 |department=Department of Statistics |website=www.gov.tc |publisher=Turks & Caicos Islands Government |page=140 |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306041029/https://www.gov.tc/stats/latest/publications |url-status=live }}</ref>
| population_census_year = 2012
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 121.7<ref name=VitalStatistics2020>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.tc/stats/latest/reports |title=Vital Statistics Report 2020 |year=2021 |department=Department of Statistics |website=www.gov.tc |publisher=Turks & Caicos Islands Government |page=20 |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306041027/https://www.gov.tc/stats/latest/reports |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- Do not remove as per WP:MOSNUM -->
| population_density_rank = 
| GDP_PPP = 
| GDP_PPP_year = 
| GDP_PPP_rank = 
| GDP_PPP_per_capita = 
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 
| GDP_nominal = US$924,583,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turks and Caicos Islands &#124; Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/country/turks-and-caicos-islands |access-date=2021-08-10 |website=World Bank Open Data |archive-date=10 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810041607/https://data.worldbank.org/country/turks-and-caicos-islands |url-status=live }}</ref>
| GDP_nominal_year = 2020
| GDP_nominal_rank = 
| GDP_nominal_per_capita = 
| GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 
| Gini = 
| Gini_year = 
| Gini_change = <!-- increase/decrease/steady -->
| Gini_ref = 
| HDI = <!-- number only -->
| HDI_year = <!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year-->
| HDI_change = <!-- increase/decrease/steady -->
| HDI_ref = 
| HDI_rank = 
| currency = [[United States dollar]] (US$)
| currency_code = USD
| timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset = −05:00
| timezone_DST = [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST = −04:00
| date_format = dd/mm/yyyy
| drives_on = left
| calling_code = [[North American Numbering Plan|+1]]
| postal_code_type = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom#British Overseas Territories|UK postcode]]
| postal_code = TKCA 1ZZ
| iso_code = [[ISO 3166-2:TC|TC]]
| cctld = [[.tc]]
|website={{URL|https://gov.tc/|gov.tc}}
}}

The '''Turks and Caicos Islands''' (abbreviated '''TCI''';<ref name="cia.gov">{{Cite web |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/turks-and-caicos-islands/ |website=[[The World Factbook]] |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |access-date=5 November 2023 |archive-date=13 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113021418/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/turks-and-caicos-islands |url-status=live }}</ref> {{IPAc-en|'|t|ɜːr|k|s}} and {{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|eɪ|k|ə|s|,_|-|k|oʊ|s|,_|-|k|ɒ|s}}) are a [[British Overseas Territories|British Overseas Territory]] consisting of the larger '''Caicos Islands''' and smaller '''Turks Islands''', two groups of [[Island#Tropical islands|tropical islands]] in the [[Lucayan Archipelago]] of the Atlantic Ocean and northern [[West Indies]].<ref name="britannica.com">{{cite encyclopedia |last1=Ferguson |first1=James A. |last2=Bounds |first2=John H. |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/610193/Turks-and-Caicos-Islands |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=11 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011075739/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/610193/Turks-and-Caicos-Islands |url-status=live }}</ref> They are known primarily for tourism and as an [[offshore financial centre]]. The resident population in 2023 was estimated by ''[[The World Factbook]]'' at 59,367, making it the third-largest of the British overseas territories by population.<ref name="cia.gov"/> However, according to a Department of Statistics estimate in 2022, the population was 47,720.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of the Turks and Caicos |url=https://www.visittci.com/nature-and-history/history/population |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands |language=en}}</ref>

The islands are southeast of [[Mayaguana]] in [[the Bahamas]] island chain and north of the island of [[Hispaniola]] ([[Haiti]] and the [[Dominican Republic]]). [[Cockburn Town]], the capital since 1766, is situated on [[Grand Turk]]<ref name=UKOverseasTerritories/> about {{convert|1042|km|mi}} east-southeast of [[Miami]]. They have a total land area of {{convert|430|km2|sqmi}}.{{efn|name=area|Alternative sources give different figures for the area of the Islands. ''The CIA World Factbook'' gives {{cvt|430|km2}},<ref name="cia.gov"/> the European Union says {{cvt|417|km2}},<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid%3DTC%26type%3Dshort%26lng%3Den |title=EU Relations with Turks and Caicos Islands |access-date=11 December 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928063449/http://ec.europa.eu/development/geographical/regionscountries/countries/country_profile.cfm?cid=tc&type=short&lng=en |archive-date=28 September 2008 }}</ref> and the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' says, "Area at high tide, 238 square miles (616 square km); at low tide, 366 square miles (948 square km)".<ref name="britannica.com"/> A report by the Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Economic Planning and Statistics gives the same numbers as the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' though its definitions are less clear.<ref name="depstc.org"/>
}}

The islands were inhabited for centuries by [[Taíno people]]. The first recorded European sighting of them was in 1512.<ref name=MinorityRightsGroup>{{cite web |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0f28.html |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |year=2007 |series=World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples |publisher=[[Minority Rights Group International]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210225827/https://www.refworld.org/docid/4954ce0f28.html |archive-date=2018-02-10 |via=Refworld}}</ref> In subsequent centuries, they were claimed by several European powers, with the [[British Empire]] eventually gaining control. For many years they were governed indirectly through [[Bermuda]], the Bahamas, and [[Jamaica]]. When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973, the islands received their [[Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands|own governor]], and have remained an autonomous territory since.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

==Etymology==
The name ''Caico[s]'' is from the [[Taíno language|Lucayan]] ''caya hico'', meaning 'string of islands'.<ref name="etymology">{{cite web |url=https://turksandcaicostourism.com/about-turks-and-caicos/ |title=About Turks and Caicos |author=<!--No author given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |website=Turks and Caicos Islands |series= |publisher=Turks and Caicos Tourist Board |access-date=2022-03-04 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211203428/https://turksandcaicostourism.com/about-turks-and-caicos/ |archive-date=2021-12-11}}</ref><ref name="cia.gov"/> The Turks Islands are named after the Turk's cap cactus, ''[[Melocactus intortus]]'', whose red [[cephalium]] resembles the [[Fez (hat)|fez hat]] worn by Turks in the late [[Ottoman Empire]].<ref name="etymology"/><ref name="cia.gov"/>

==History==
{{Main|History of the Turks and Caicos Islands}}

===Precolonial era===
The first inhabitants of the islands were the [[Arawakan language|Arawakan-speaking]] [[Taíno people]], who most likely crossed over from [[Hispaniola]] some time from AD 500 to 800.<ref name="CratonSaunders">{{cite book |last1=Craton |first1=Michael |last2=Saunders |first2=Gail |author-link2=Gail North-Saunders |year=1999 |orig-date=1992 |title=Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lXOhAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |volume=1 |edition=Paperback |location=Athens |publisher=University of Georgia Press |isbn=9780820342733 |access-date=2022-03-05 |via=Google Books |archive-date=15 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115081656/https://books.google.com/books?id=lXOhAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA18 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|p=18}} Together with Taíno who migrated from Cuba to the southern Bahamas around the same time, these people developed as the [[Lucayan people|Lucayan]].<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref>{{cite book |last1=Granberry |first1=Julian |last2=Vescelius |first2=Gary S. |date=1992 |title=Languages of the Pre-Columbian Antilles |url={{GBurl|dAD_O9tQJqkC|pg=PA80}} |location=Tuscaloosa |publisher=University of Alabama Press |isbn=9780817351236 |via=Google Books}}</ref>{{rp|pp=80–86}} Around 1200, the Turks and Caicos Islands were resettled by Classical Taínos from Hispaniola.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Granberry |first1=Julian |last2=Vescelius |first2=Gary S. |title=Languages of the Pre-Columbian Antilles |year=2004 |publisher=The University of Alabama Press |isbn=0-8173-5123-X |pages=80–86}}</ref>

===European arrival===
It is unknown precisely who the first European to sight the islands was. Some sources state that the explorer [[Christopher Columbus]] saw the islands on his voyage to the Americas in 1492.<ref name="britannica.com"/> However, other sources state that it is more likely that [[Spanish Empire|Spanish]] conquistador [[Juan Ponce de León]] was the first European in Turks and Caicos, in 1512.<ref name=MinorityRightsGroup/> In either case, by 1512 the Spanish had begun capturing the Taíno and Lucayans as labourers in the ''[[encomienda]]'' system to replace the largely depleted native population of Hispaniola.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Stone |first=Erin Woodruff |date=May 2014 |title=Indian Harvest: The Rise of the Indigenous Slave Trade and Diaspora from Española to the Circum-Caribbean, 1492-1542 |type=PhD |publisher=Vanderbilt University |hdl=1803/10737 |oclc=873593348 |url=http://hdl.handle.net/1803/10737 |access-date=2022-03-04 |archive-date=15 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115081544/https://ir.vanderbilt.edu/handle/1803/10737 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|pp=92–99}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Sauer |first=Carl Ortwin |author-link=Carl O. Sauer |year=1966 |title=The Early Spanish Main |url=https://archive.org/details/earlyspanishmain00saue_0 |url-access=registration |location=Berkeley & Los Angeles |publisher=University of California Press |lccn=66015004 |oclc=485687 |access-date=2022-03-05 |via=the Internet Archive}}</ref>{{rp|pp=159–160, 191}} As a result of this, and the introduction of diseases to which the native people had no immunity, the southern Bahama Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands were completely depopulated by about 1513, and remained so until the 17th century.<ref>{{cite book |last=Albury |first=Paul |year=1975 |title=The Story of the Bahamas |url=https://archive.org/details/storyofbahamas0000albu |url-access=registration |publisher=Macmillan Caribbean |isbn=9780333171318 |access-date=2022-03-05 |via=the Internet Archive}}</ref>{{rp|pp=34–37}}<ref>{{cite book |last=Craton |first=Michael |year=1986 |title=A History of the Bahamas |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofbahamas0000crat |url-access=registration |edition=3rd |location=Waterloo, ON |publisher=San Salvador Press |isbn=9780969256809 |access-date=2022-03-05 |via=the Internet Archive}}</ref>{{rp|pp=37–39}}<ref>William F. Keegan (1992). ''The People Who Discovered Columbus: The Prehistory of the Bahamas''. University Press of Florida. {{ISBN|0-8130-1137-X}} pp. 25, 48–62, 86, 170–173, 212–213, 220–223</ref>{{page range too broad|date=March 2022}}

===European settlement===
{{Main|Colony of Jamaica}}
[[File:Turks and Caicos Islands raking salt stamp 1938.jpg|thumb|Raking salt on a 1938 postage stamp of the islands]]
[[File:Historic Lighthouse Park on Grand Turk.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Grand Turk Lighthouse|1852 lighthouse on Grand Turk]]]]

From the mid-1600s [[Bermuda|Bermudian]] [[salt]] collectors began seasonally visiting the islands, later settling more permanently with their African slaves.<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="tcmuseum.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.tcmuseum.org/culture-history/turks-caicos-timeline/ |title=Turks & Caicos History Timeline |author=<!--No author given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |publisher=Turks and Caicos Museum |access-date=20 July 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211211211056/https://www.tcmuseum.org/culture-history/turks-caicos-timeline/ |archive-date=2021-12-11}}</ref> For several decades around the turn of the 18th century, the islands became popular pirate hideouts.<ref name="tcmuseum.org"/> During the [[Anglo-French War (1778–1783)]] the French [[Battle of Grand Turk|captured the archipelago]] in 1783; however, it was later confirmed as a British colony with the [[Treaty of Paris (1783)]]. After the [[American Revolution|American War of Independence]] (1775–1783), many [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalists]] fled to British Caribbean colonies, also bringing with them African slaves.<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="tcmuseum.org"/> They developed cotton as an important cash crop, but it was superseded by the development of the salt industry, with the labour carried out by slaves bought and transported from Africa or the other Caribbean islands and their descendants, who soon came to outnumber the European settlers.<ref name="britannica.com"/>

In 1799, both the Turks and the Caicos island groups were annexed by Britain as part of the Bahamas.<ref name="britannica.com"/> The processing of sea salt was developed as a highly important export product from the [[West Indies]] and continued to be a major export product into the nineteenth century.

===19th century===
In 1807, Britain prohibited the slave trade and, in 1833, [[Abolition of slavery|abolished slavery]] in its colonies.<ref name="britannica.com"/> British ships sometimes intercepted slave traders in the Caribbean, and some ships were wrecked off the coast of these islands. In 1837, the ''Esperança,'' a Portuguese slaver, was wrecked off East Caicos, one of the larger islands. While the crew and 220 captive Africans survived the shipwreck, 18 Africans died before the survivors were taken to Nassau. Africans from this ship may have been among the 189 liberated Africans whom the British colonists settled in the Turks and Caicos from 1833 to 1840.<ref name="sadler">{{cite book |chapter-url={{GBurl|RZna-xKapDIC|pg=PA209}} |first=Nigel |last=Sadler |chapter=The Sinking of the Slave Ship ''Trouvadore'': Linking the Past to the Present |title=Underwater and Maritime Archaeology in Latin America and the Caribbean |series=One World Archaeology |volume=56 |editor-first=Margaret E. |editor-last=Leshikar-Denton |editor2-first=Pilar Luna |editor2-last=Erreguerena|editor-link=Margaret Leshikar-Denton |publisher=Left Coast Press |location=Walnut Creek, CA |isbn=9781598742626 |date=2008 |pages=209–220}}</ref>{{rp|p=211}}

In 1841, the ''[[Trouvadore]]'', an illegal Spanish slave ship, was wrecked off the coast of East Caicos. All of the 20-man crew and 192 captive Africans survived the sinking. Officials freed the Africans and arranged for 168 persons to be [[apprenticed]] to island proprietors on Grand Turk for one year. They increased the small population of the colony by seven per cent.<ref name="sadler"/>{{rp|p=212}} The remaining 24 were resettled in [[Nassau, Bahamas]]. The Spanish crew were also taken there, to be turned over to the custody of the Cuban consul and taken to Cuba for prosecution.<ref name="sutton"/> An 1878 letter documents the "Trouvadore Africans" and their descendants as constituting an essential part of the "labouring population" on the islands.<ref name="sadler"/>{{rp|p=210}} In 2004, marine archaeologists affiliated with the Turks and Caicos National Museum discovered a wreck, called the "Black Rock Ship", that subsequent research has suggested might be that of the ''Trouvadore''. In November 2008, a cooperative marine archaeology expedition, funded by the United States [[National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration]], confirmed that the wreck has artifacts whose style and date of manufacture link them to the ''Trouvadore''.<ref name="sadler"/><ref name="sutton">{{cite news |last=Sutton |first=Jane |date=25 November 2008 |title=Shipwreck may hold key to Turks and Caicos' lineage |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-shipwreck-slaves-idUSTRE4AP0OH20081126 |url-status=live |editor-last=Trott |editor-first=Bill |publisher=[[Reuters]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016043117/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/11/26/us-shipwreck-slaves-idUSTRE4AP0OH20081126 |archive-date=2015-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schmid |first=Randolph E. |date=26 November 2008 |title=Researchers find wreck of slave ship |url=https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2008/11/27/researchers-find-wreck-slave-ship/52182486007/ |url-status=live |work=[[Telegram & Gazette]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304213412/http://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2008/11/27/researchers-find-wreck-slave-ship/52182486007/ |archive-date=2022-03-04}}</ref>

In 1848, Britain designated the Turks and Caicos as a separate colony under a [[Council President of the Turks of Caicos|council president]].<ref name="britannica.com"/> In 1873–4, the islands were made part of the Jamaica colony;<ref name="britannica.com"/> in 1894, the chief colonial official was restyled [[Commissioner of the Turks and Caicos Islands|commissioner]]. In 1917, Canadian Prime Minister [[Robert Borden]] suggested that [[Proposed Canadian annexation of the Turks and Caicos Islands|the Turks and Caicos join Canada]], but this suggestion was rejected by British Prime Minister [[David Lloyd George]] and the islands remained a dependency of Jamaica.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kersell |first=John E. |year=1988 |title=Government administration in a very small microstate: Developing the Turks and Caicos Islands |journal=Public Administration and Development |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=169–181 |doi=10.1002/pad.4230080206}}</ref>

===20th and 21st centuries===
{{Main|West Indies Federation|British Overseas Territories|Lucayan Archipelago}}

On 4 July 1959 the islands were again designated as a separate colony, the last commissioner being restyled [[Administrator of the Turks and Caicos|administrator]]. The governor of Jamaica also continued as the governor of the islands. When Jamaica was granted independence from Britain in August 1962, the Turks and Caicos Islands became a [[Crown colony]].<ref name="britannica.com"/> Beginning in 1965, the governor of the Bahamas was also governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and oversaw affairs for the islands.<ref name="cia.gov" />

[[File:Sharlene-cartwright-robinson.png|thumb|right|175px|Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, the first female Premier of Turks and Caicos, served from 2016 to 2021.]]
When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973, the Turks and Caicos received their own governor (the last administrator was restyled).<ref name="britannica.com"/> In 1974, Canadian [[New Democratic Party (Canada)|New Democratic Party]] MP [[Max Saltsman]] proposed in his private member's bill C-249, "An Act Respecting a Proposed Association Between Canada and the Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands" that Canada form an association with the Turks and Caicos Islands; however, it was never submitted to a vote.<ref name=hall>{{cite news |last=Allen |first=Glen |date=16 February 1974 |title=Carpet-baggers ready to pull the rug on paradise; An island in search of a place in the sun |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19740216&id=TnowAAAAIBAJ&pg=2784,17405&hl=en |work=[[Montreal Gazette|The Gazette]] |pages=1 & 3 |access-date=2022-03-05 |via=Google News Archive |archive-date=8 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308211610/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19740216&id=TnowAAAAIBAJ&pg=2784,17405&hl=en |url-status=live }}</ref> Since August 1976, the islands have had their own government headed by a chief minister (now [[Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands|premier]]), the first of whom was [[James Alexander George Smith McCartney|J. A. G. S. McCartney]]. Moves towards independence in the early 1980s were stalled by the [[1980 Turks and Caicos Islands general election|election]] of an anti-independence party in 1980 and since then the islands have remained British territory.<ref name="britannica.com"/> Local government was suspended from 1986 to 1988, following allegation of government involvement with drug trafficking which resulted in the arrest of Chief Minister [[Norman Saunders (politician)|Norman Saunders]].<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name=Griffith>{{Cite news |last=Griffith |first=Ivelaw L. |date=Spring 1997 |title=Illicit Arms Trafficking, Corruption, and Governance in the Caribbean |url=https://elibrary.law.psu.edu/psilr/vol15/iss3/3/ |work=Dickinson Journal of International Law |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=487–508 |access-date=6 March 2022 |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306041033/https://elibrary.law.psu.edu/psilr/vol15/iss3/3/ |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|pp=495–6}}

In 2002 the islands were re-designated a British Overseas Territory, with islanders gaining full British citizenship.<ref name="britannica.com"/> A new [[Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands#2006|constitution]] was promulgated in 2006; however in 2009 Premier [[Michael Misick]] of the [[Progressive National Party (Turks and Caicos Islands)|Progressive National Party]] (PNP) resigned in the face of corruption charges, and the United Kingdom took over direct control of the government.<ref>{{cite web |title=A major step in clean up of public life in Turks and Caicos |publisher=Foreign Office of the United Kingdom |date=14 August 2009 |url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=20700728 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010195234/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=20700728 |archive-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="britannica.com"/>

During this period of direct British rule, in 2010 the leaders of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands discussed the possibility of forming a [[federation]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Tyson |first=Vivian |year=2010 |title=Bahamas wants federation talks with TCI |url=http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=385 |url-status=dead |work=Turks and Caicos Sun |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004163850/http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=385 |archive-date=2011-10-04}}</ref>

A new [[Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands#2011|constitution]] was promulgated in October 2012 and the government was returned to full local administration after the [[2012 Turks and Caicos Islands general election|November 2012 elections]].<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref name="Clegg">{{Cite journal|last=Clegg |first=Peter |year=2013 |title=The United Kingdom and its Caribbean overseas territories: Present relations and future prospects |journal=Caribbean Journal of International Relations & Diplomacy |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=53–64 |url=http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/20439/1/Clegg%5B1%5D.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131221456/http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/20439/1/Clegg%5B1%5D.pdf |archive-date=31 January 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|p=56}} [[Rufus Ewing]] of the PNP was elected as the new, restored, premier.<ref>http://suntci.com/pnp-wins-seats-pdm-p435-108.htm{{Dead link|date=April 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=PressS&id=774772682 Foreign Secretary statement announces elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands] Foreign & Commonwealth Office</ref>

In the [[2016 Turks and Caicos Islands general election|2016 elections]], the PNP lost for the first time since they replaced [[Derek Hugh Taylor]]'s government in 2003. The [[People's Democratic Movement (Turks and Caicos Islands)|People's Democratic Movement]] (PDM) came to power with [[Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson]] as Premier.<ref name="BBC-Top-jobs">{{Cite news |title=Turks and Caicos: Where women hold the top jobs |date=29 January 2017 |newspaper=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38679913 |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-date=8 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908021840/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38679913 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="britannica.com"/> She was replaced by [[Washington Misick]] after the PNP returned to power after winning the [[2021 Turks and Caicos Islands general election|2021 general elections]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Rose |first=Olivia |date=24 February 2021 |title=Charles Washington Misick becomes two-time leader |url=https://tcweeklynews.com/charles-washington-misick-becomes-twotime-leader-p11389-127.htm |url-status=live |work=Turks and Caicos Weekly News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115124743/https://tcweeklynews.com/charles-washington-misick-becomes-twotime-leader-p11389-127.htm |archive-date=2021-11-15}}</ref>

==Geography and environment==
[[File:TurksAndCaicosIslands2021OSM.png|thumb|upright=1.8|A map of the Turks and Caicos Islands]]

The two island groups are in the North Atlantic Ocean about {{convert|160|km|mi}} north of [[Hispaniola]] and about {{convert|1000|km|mi}} from Miami in the United States, at {{Coord|21|43|N|71|33|W|type:isle_region:TC|display=inline,title}}. The territory is [[physical geography|geographically]] contiguous to the Bahamas, both comprising the [[Lucayan Archipelago]], but is politically a separate entity. The Caicos Islands are separated by the [[Caicos Passage]] from the closest Bahamian islands, [[Mayaguana]] and [[Great Inagua]]. The nearest foreign landmass from the Turks and Caicos Islands is the Bahamian island of [[Little Inagua]], about 30 miles (48&nbsp;km) from [[West Caicos]].

The eight main islands and more than [[List of islands of Turks and Caicos|22 smaller islands]] have a total land area of {{convert|616.3|km2|sqmi|abbr=off}},{{efn|name=area}} consisting primarily of low, flat [[limestone]] with extensive [[marsh]]es and [[mangrove]] [[swamp]]s and {{convert|332|km2|sqmi}} of beach front. The tallest peaks in the islands are [[Blue Hills, Turks and Caicos Islands|Blue Hills]] on [[Providenciales]] and [[Flamingo Hill]] on [[East Caicos]], both at a modest 48&nbsp;m.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The weather is usually sunny (it is generally regarded that the islands receive 350 days of sun each year<ref>{{cite web|title=Turks and Caicos In Numbers|url=http://www.beachhousetci.com/turks-caicos-numbers-infographic/|website=Beach House TCI|access-date=1 August 2015|archive-date=4 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904023708/http://www.beachhousetci.com/turks-caicos-numbers-infographic/|url-status=dead}}</ref>) and relatively dry, but suffers frequent hurricanes.<ref name="cia.gov"/> The islands have limited natural fresh water resources; private cisterns collect rainwater for drinking. The primary natural resources are [[spiny lobster]], [[conch]], and other shellfish. Turks and Caicos contains three terrestrial ecoregions: [[Bahamian dry forests]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021|title=Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests: Caribbean Islands: Bahamas|url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0203|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927072521/https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/nt0203|archive-date=27 September 2020|access-date=November 14, 2021|website=World Wildlife Fund}}</ref> [[Bahamian pineyards]], and [[Bahamian-Antillean mangroves]].<ref name="DinersteinOlson2017">{{cite journal|last1=Dinerstein|first1=Eric|last2=Olson|first2=David|last3=Joshi|first3=Anup|last4=Vynne|first4=Carly|last5=Burgess|first5=Neil D.|last6=Wikramanayake|first6=Eric|last7=Hahn|first7=Nathan|last8=Palminteri|first8=Suzanne|last9=Hedao|first9=Prashant|last10=Noss|first10=Reed|last11=Hansen|first11=Matt|last12=Locke|first12=Harvey|last13=Ellis|first13=Erle C|last14=Jones|first14=Benjamin|last15=Barber|first15=Charles Victor|last16=Hayes|first16=Randy|last17=Kormos|first17=Cyril|last18=Martin|first18=Vance|last19=Crist|first19=Eileen|last20=Sechrest|first20=Wes|last21=Price|first21=Lori|last22=Baillie|first22=Jonathan E. M.|last23=Weeden|first23=Don|last24=Suckling|first24=Kierán|last25=Davis|first25=Crystal|last26=Sizer|first26=Nigel|last27=Moore|first27=Rebecca|last28=Thau|first28=David|last29=Birch|first29=Tanya|last30=Potapov|first30=Peter|last31=Turubanova|first31=Svetlana|last32=Tyukavina|first32=Alexandra|last33=de Souza|first33=Nadia|last34=Pintea|first34=Lilian|last35=Brito|first35=José C.|last36=Llewellyn|first36=Othman A.|last37=Miller|first37=Anthony G.|last38=Patzelt|first38=Annette|last39=Ghazanfar|first39=Shahina A.|last40=Timberlake|first40=Jonathan|last41=Klöser|first41=Heinz|last42=Shennan-Farpón|first42=Yara|last43=Kindt|first43=Roeland|last44=Lillesø|first44=Jens-Peter Barnekow|last45=van Breugel|first45=Paulo|last46=Graudal|first46=Lars|last47=Voge|first47=Maianna|last48=Al-Shammari|first48=Khalaf F.|last49=Saleem|first49=Muhammad|display-authors=1|title=An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm|journal=BioScience|volume=67|issue=6|year=2017|pages=534–545|issn=0006-3568|doi=10.1093/biosci/bix014|pmid=28608869|pmc=5451287|doi-access=free}} See Supplementary appendix S1 and interactive map at {{cite web |url=https://ecoregions.appspot.com/ |title=Ecoregions |date=2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025213520/https://ecoregions.appspot.com/ |url-status=live |archive-date=25 October 2021}}.</ref>

The two distinct island groups are separated by the Turks Island Passage.<ref name="britannica.com"/>

===Turks Islands===
The Turks Islands are separated from the Caicos Islands by Turks Island Passage, which is more than {{convert|2200|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-100/html/sts100-708-078.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010827081715/http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-100/html/sts100-708-078.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 August 2001 |title=STS-100 Shuttle Mission Imagery |publisher=[[NASA]] |date=1 May 2001 |access-date=31 July 2011 }}</ref> The islands form a chain that stretches north–south. The 2012 [[census]] population was 4,939 on the two main islands, the only inhabited islands of the group:
* [[Grand Turk]] (with the capital of the territory, area {{convert|17.39|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}},<ref name="depstc.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.depstc.org/stat/economic/ecopdf/envt/TCI%20Physical%20Characteristics.pdf |title=Physical Characteristics |date=25 July 2011 |department=Department of Statistics |publisher=Turks & Caicos Islands Government |access-date=22 March 2017 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200524/http://www.depstc.org/stat/economic/ecopdf/envt/TCI%20Physical%20Characteristics.pdf |archive-date=27 September 2007}}</ref> population 4,831)
* [[Salt Cay, Turks Islands|Salt Cay]] (area {{convert|6.74|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}},<ref name="depstc.org"/> population 108)

Together with nearby islands, all on Turks Bank, those two main islands form the two administrative [[Districts of the Turks and Caicos Islands|districts]] of the territory (out of six in total) that fall within the Turks Islands. Turks Bank, which is smaller than Caicos Bank, has a total area of about {{convert|324|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="seaaroundus.org">{{cite journal |last=Rudd |first=Murray A. |year=2003 |title=Fisheries landings and trade of the Turks and Caicos Islands |journal=Fisheries Centre Research Reports |publisher=Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=149–161 |doi=10.14288/1.0074792 |doi-access=free |issn=1198-6727 }}</ref>{{rp|p=149}}

The main uninhabited islands are:
* [[Big Sand Cay]]
* [[Cotton Cay]]
* [[East Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands|East Cay]]
* [[Endymion Rock]]
* [[Gibbs Cay]]
* [[Pear Cay]]

===Mouchoir Bank===
{{convert|25|km|mi}} east of the Turks Islands and separated from them by Mouchoir Passage is the [[Mouchoir Bank]]. Although it has no emergent cays or islets, some parts are very shallow and the water breaks on them. Mouchoir Bank is part of the Turks and Caicos Islands and falls within its [[Exclusive Economic Zone]]. It measures {{convert|958|km2|sqmi}} in area.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Clerveaux |first1=Wesley |last2=Fisher |first2=Tatum |editor-last1=Tietze |editor-first1=Uwe |editor-last2=Haughton |editor-first2=Milton |editor-last3=Siar |editor-first3=Susana V. |year=2006 |chapter=Consideration of socio-economic and demographic concerns in fisheries and coastal area management and planning in the Turks and Caicos Islands |title=Socio-economic indicators in integrated coastal zone and community-based fisheries management: Case studies from the Caribbean |url=https://www.fao.org/3/a0690e/a0690e.pdf |url-status=live |series=FAO Fisheries Technical Paper |volume=491 |location=Rome |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization|Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations]] |pages=125–139 |issn=0429-9345 |s2cid=126582556 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220304225358/http://www.fao.org/3/a0690e/a0690e.pdf |archive-date=2022-03-04}}</ref>{{rp|p=127}} Two banks further east, [[Silver Bank]] and [[Navidad Bank]], are geographically a continuation, but belong politically to the Dominican Republic.

===Caicos Islands===
The largest island in the Caicos archipelago is the sparsely inhabited Middle Caicos, which measures {{convert|144|km2|sqmi}} in area, but has a population of only 168 at the 2012 Census. The most populated island is [[Providenciales]], with 23,769 inhabitants in 2012, and an area of {{convert|122|km2|sqmi}}. [[North Caicos]] ({{convert|116|km2|sqmi}} in area) had 1,312 inhabitants. [[South Caicos]] ({{convert|21|km2|sqmi}} in area) had 1,139 inhabitants, and [[Parrot Cay]] ({{convert|6|km2|sqmi}} in area) had 131 inhabitants. [[East Caicos]] (which is administered as part of South Caicos District) is uninhabited, while the only permanent inhabitants of [[West Caicos]] (administered as part of Providenciales District) are resort staff.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.aquamarineconcierge.com/faq/|title=Frequently Asked Questions|website=Aquamarine Concierge|access-date=11 April 2020|archive-date=11 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411222727/http://www.aquamarineconcierge.com/faq/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Caicos Islands comprise the following main islands:
{{Div col|colwidth=10em|rules=yes}}
* [[Ambergris Cays]]
** [[Big Ambergris Cay]]
** [[Little Ambergris Cay]]
* [[Bay Cay]]
* [[Bush Cay]]
* [[Dellis Cay]]
* [[Donna Cay]]
* [[Dove Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands|Dove Cay]]
* [[East Bay Cay]]
* [[East Caicos]]
* [[Fish Cays]]
* [[Five Cays]]
* [[Five Little Cays]]
* [[Fort George Cay]]
* [[French Cay]]
* [[Little Water Cay]]
* [[Long Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands|Long Cay]]
* [[Mangrove Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands|Mangrove Cay]]
* [[Middle Caicos]]
* [[Middleton Cay]]
* [[North Caicos]]
* [[Parrot Cay]]
* [[Pine Cay]]
* [[Plandon Cay]]
* [[Providenciales]]
* [[Seal Cays]]
* [[Six Hill Cays]]
* [[South Caicos]]
* [[Stubbs Cay]]
* [[Water Cay]]
* [[West Caicos]]
* [[West Sand Spit]]
{{Div col end}}

===Climate===
The Turks and Caicos Islands feature a [[Tropical savanna climate|tropical savannah climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|AW]]), with relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Summertime temperatures rarely exceed {{convert|33|°C|°F|abbr=on}} and winter nighttime temperatures rarely fall below {{convert|18|°C|°F|abbr=on}}. Water temperature in the summer is 82 to 84 degrees (28–29 degrees celsius) and in winter about 74 to 78 degrees (23–26 degrees celsius). A constant trade wind keeps the climate at a very comfortable level.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://turksandcaicostourism.com/weather/
 |title=Turks and Caicos Weather
 |website=Turks and Caicos Tourism
}}</ref>

===Biodiversity===
[[File:Blue Tang and Squirrelfish.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Acanthurus coeruleus|blue tang]] and a [[squirrelfish]] in Princess Alexandra Land and Sea National Park, Providenciales]]
[[File:Whale-off-south-caicos.jpg|thumb|[[Humpback whale]] breaching off [[South Caicos]]]]
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a [[biodiversity hotspot]]. The islands have many [[Endemism|endemic species]] and others of international importance, due to the conditions created by the oldest established salt-pan development in the Caribbean. The variety of species includes a number of endemic species of lizards, snakes, insects and plants, and [[Marine life|marine organisms]]; in addition to being an important breeding area for seabirds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/tci2ai.htm |title=Science: UK Overseas Territories – Turks and Caicos Islands |publisher=Kew |access-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108201744/http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/tci2ai.htm |archive-date=8 November 2012}}</ref>

The UK and Turks and Caicos Islands Governments have joint responsibility for the conservation and preservation to meet obligations under international environmental conventions.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/biodiv.htm |title=Science: UK Overseas Territories: Biodiversity |publisher=Kew |access-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502221314/http://www.kew.org/science/ukots/Pages/biodiv.htm |archive-date=2 May 2013}}</ref>

Due to this significance, the islands are on the United Kingdom's tentative list for future [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5682/ |title=Turks and Caicos Islands – UNESCO World Heritage Centre |publisher=Whc.unesco.org |date=27 January 2012 |access-date=29 December 2012 |archive-date=18 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130618032833/http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5682 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Politics==
{{Main|Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
[[File:Cockburn Town.jpg|thumb|A street in [[Cockburn Town]], the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands]]

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a [[British Overseas Territory]].<ref name="cia.gov"/> As a British territory, its sovereign is [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|King]] [[Charles III]] of the United Kingdom, represented by a [[Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands|governor]] appointed by the monarch, on the advice of the [[Foreign Office]].<ref name="cia.gov"/> With the election of the territory's first Chief Minister, [[James Alexander George Smith McCartney|J. A. G. S. McCartney]], the islands first adopted a [[Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands|constitution]] on 30 August 1976. The national holiday, Constitution Day, is celebrated annually on 30 August.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/event/turks-and-caicos-islands-constitution-day/|title=Turks and Caicos Islands – Constitution Day (National Day)|website=www.flaginstitute.org|access-date=6 August 2018|archive-date=6 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180806181318/https://www.flaginstitute.org/wp/event/turks-and-caicos-islands-constitution-day/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The territory's legal system is based on English [[common law]], with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica and the Bahamas. Suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. English is the official language. [[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.

The Turks and Caicos Islands participate in the [[Caribbean Development Bank]], is an associate in [[CARICOM]], a member of the [[Universal Postal Union]] and maintains an [[Interpol]] sub-bureau. The United Nations [[Special Committee on Decolonization]] includes the territory on the [[United Nations list of non-self-governing territories]].

Under the new Constitution that came into effect in October 2012, legislative power is held by a unicameral [[House of Assembly (Turks and Caicos Islands)|House of Assembly]], consisting of 19 seats, 15 elected and four appointed by the governor; of elected members, five are elected at large and 10 from single-member districts for four-year terms.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

In the [[2021 Turks and Caicos Islands general election|2021 elections]] the [[Progressive National Party (Turks and Caicos Islands)|Progressive National Party]] won in a landslide and [[Washington Misick]] became Premier.<ref name="BBC-Top-jobs"/>

===Administrative divisions===
{{Main|Districts of the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
The Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into six administrative districts (two in the Turks Islands and four in the Caicos Islands), headed by district commissioners. For the [[Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly|House of Assembly]], the Turks and Caicos Islands are divided into 15 electoral districts (four in the Turks Islands and eleven in the Caicos Islands).

===Judiciary===
The judicial branch of government is headed by a Supreme Court; appeals are heard by the Court of Appeal and final appeals by the United Kingdom's [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]].<ref name="cia.gov"/> There are three justices of the Supreme Court, a Chief Justice and two others. The Court of Appeal consists of a president and at least two justices of appeal.

Magistrates' Courts are the lower courts and appeals from Magistrates' Courts are sent to the Supreme Court.

As of April 2020, the Chief Justice is Justice [[Mabel Agyemang]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Isles |first=Delana |title=New chief justice takes the bench |url=https://tcweeklynews.com/new-chief-justice-takes-the-bench-p10499-127.htm |url-status=live |date=4 April 2020 |newspaper=Turks and Caicos Weekly News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211216014042/https://tcweeklynews.com/new-chief-justice-takes-the-bench-p10499-127.htm |archive-date=2021-12-16}}</ref>

==== List of chief justices ====
{{Main|Category: Chief justices of the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
* 1985–1987: [[John Fieldsend|John Charles Rowell Fieldsend]]
* 1987–1990: [[Frederick Smith (barrister)|Frederick Smith]]
* 1998–2004: [[Richard Ground|Richard William Ground]]
* 2004–2007: Christopher James Ellis Gardner
* 2008–2012: [[Gordon Ward (judge)|Frederick Gordon Roy Ward]]
* 2014–2020: [[Margaret Ramsay-Hale]]
* 2020–present: [[Mabel Agyemang|Mabel Maame Agyemang]]

===Public safety===
Policing is primarily the responsibility of the [[Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force]]. Customs and border enforcement is the responsibility of the Border Force. At times these may be supported by the [[Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment]].

As of November 2024, the Turks and Caicos Islands had the highest [[List of countries by intentional homicide rate#By country, region, or dependent territory|murder rate of countries worldwide]].

===Military and defence===
The defence of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the responsibility of the [[United Kingdom]]. The [[Royal Navy]] maintains a persistent presence in the [[Caribbean]] through the [[List of Royal Navy deployments|Atlantic Patrol Task (North)]] mission.<ref name=":1" /> [[HMS Medway]], a [[River-class offshore patrol vessel|River-class]] offshore patrol vessel, is regularly deployed to the region, including visits to the Turks and Caicos Islands.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=HMS Medway visits Turks and Caicos during Caribbean patrols |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2024/november/29/20241129-hms-medway-visits-turks-and-caicos-during-patrols |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.royalnavy.mod.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Candlin |first=Alex |date=2024-12-01 |title=HMS Medway strengthens UK's commitment to allies during Caribbean hurricane season |url=https://www.forcesnews.com/services/navy/hms-medway-strengthens-uks-commitment-allies-during-caribbean-hurricane-season |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.forcesnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=HMS Medway {{!}} Royal Navy |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/organisation/units-and-squadrons/river-class/hms-medway |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.royalnavy.mod.uk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Patrol Ship's Visit Underscores Caribbean Commitment |url=https://www.navyleaders.com/news/patrol-ships-visit-underscores-caribbean-commitment |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Navy Leaders 2022 |language=en-GB}}</ref> During a visit in November 2024, HMS Medway conducted disaster response exercises and engaged with local authorities to reinforce the [[United Kingdom|UK]]'s commitment to regional security and humanitarian assistance.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name=":1">{{cite web | url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/january/20/200120-hms-medway-sets-sail-for-the-caribbean | title=HMS Medway sets sail for the Caribbean | publisher=Royal Navy | date=20 January 2020 | access-date=18 October 2022 | archive-date=10 May 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510053232/https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2020/january/20/200120-hms-medway-sets-sail-for-the-caribbean | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Royal Navy ship demonstrates commitment to Caribbean security during visit to Turks and Caicos Islands |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/royal-navy-ship-demonstrates-commitment-to-caribbean-security-during-visit-to-turks-and-caicos-islands |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> In response to a surge in gang-related violence in 2022, the [[Royal Fleet Auxiliary]] deployed [[RFA Tideforce]] to the Turks and Caicos Islands.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-12 |title=RFA Tideforce deployed to Turks and Caicos Islands to help tackle surge in gang violence |url=https://www.forcesnews.com/uk/rfa-tideforce-deployed-turks-and-caicos-islands-combat-surge-gang-violence |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.forcesnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bird |first=Rebecca |date=2022-11-08 |title='Barbaric' homicides surge in Turks and Caicos amid drug-related violence |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/08/turks-and-caicos-homicides-surge-gang-violence |access-date=2025-05-14 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Equipped with a Wildcat helicopter, Tideforce provided surveillance support to local law enforcement agencies to address the escalating security concerns.<ref name=":4">{{cite web | url=https://maritime-executive.com/article/royal-navy-deploys-to-help-fight-gang-violence-in-turks-caicos | title=Royal Navy Deploys to Help Fight Gang Violence in Turks & Caicos | access-date=4 November 2022 | archive-date=4 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104003201/https://maritime-executive.com/article/royal-navy-deploys-to-help-fight-gang-violence-in-turks-caicos | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Royal Navy helps suppress surge in gang violence on UK Overseas Territory |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2022/november/02/221101-tideforce-suppresses-gang-violence-in-turks-and-caicos |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.royalnavy.mod.uk |language=en}}</ref>

====Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment====
{{Main|Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment}}In December 2019, [[Nigel Dakin|Governor Nigel Dakin]] announced the formation of the [[Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment]], with assistance from the [[Ministry of defence|UK's Ministry of Defence]]. The regiment is modeled after similar units in other [[British Overseas Territories]] and focuses on national security, disaster response, and engineering support.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tcweeklynews.com/tci-to-build-its-own-military-regiment-p10218-127.htm|title=TCI to build its own military regiment|website=tcweeklynews.com|access-date=17 December 2019|archive-date=16 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216110839/http://tcweeklynews.com/tci-to-build-its-own-military-regiment-p10218-127.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In spring 2020, a Security and Assistance Team from the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Ministry of Defence]] arrived in Turks and Caicos to assist with the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the Turks and Caicos Islands|COVID-19 pandemic]], the [[2020 Atlantic hurricane season]], and to help build the new Turks and Caicos Regiment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turksandcaicostourism.com/arrival-of-a-security-assistance-team-in-tci-from-the-uk/|title=Arrival Of A Security Assistance Team In TCI From The Uk|date=23 April 2020|access-date=8 August 2020|archive-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708173218/http://turksandcaicostourism.com/arrival-of-a-security-assistance-team-in-tci-from-the-uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> The regiment became operational in 2020, with [[Lieutenant colonel|Lieutenant Colonel]] Ennis Grant appointed as its first [[commanding officer]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-03 |title=In The News |url=https://www.tcicadetcorps.com/in-the-news/ |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Turks & Caicos Islands Cadet Corps |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Since its inception, the regiment has participated in various training exercises and operations, including joint disaster response drills with HMS Medway during its 2024 visit.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://tcweeklynews.com/tci-regiment-gets-its-first-commanding-officer-p10693-127.htm|title=TCI Regiment gets its first commanding officer|website=tcweeklynews.com|access-date=7 July 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822163703/https://tcweeklynews.com/tci-regiment-gets-its-first-commanding-officer-p10693-127.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" />

{{anchor|Demography}}
==Demographics==
===Population===
{{Historical populations
|type =
|footnote = Sources:<ref name=StatisticsYearbook2017/><ref name="tcweeklynews-2012">{{cite web |url=http://tcweeklynews.com/nonbelongers-account-for-per-cent-of-adult-population-population-g-p2768-128.htm |title=Non-Belongers account for 57.5 per cent of adult population - Population growth in sync with TCI's development, Forbes |last=Narine |first=Vanessa |date=6 May 2013 |website=Turks and Caicos Weekly News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130506192404/http://tcweeklynews.com/nonbelongers-account-for-per-cent-of-adult-population-population-g-p2768-128.htm |archive-date=6 May 2013 }}</ref>
|percentages =
|1911|5615
|1921|5522
|1943|6138
|1960|5668
|1970|5558
|1980|7413
|1990|11465
|2000|20014
|2012|31458
}}

Eight of the thirty islands in the territory are inhabited, with a total population estimated from preliminary results of the census of 25 January 2012 (released on 12 August 2012) of 31,458 inhabitants, an increase of 58.2% from the population of 19,886 reported in the 2001 census.<ref name=StatisticsYearbook2017/> July 2021 estimates put the population at 57,196.<ref name="cia.gov"/> 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. The infant mortality rate was 18.66 deaths per 1,000 live births and the life expectancy at birth was 73.28 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%.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

''[[The CIA World Factbook]]'' breaks down the islanders' ethnicity as [[Afro-Caribbean|African]] 87%, [[Demographics of Europe|Europe]]an 7.9%, [[Multiracial|Mixed]] 2.5.%, [[Indo-Caribbean|East Indian]] 1.3% and Other 0.7%.<ref name="cia.gov"/> There is a small Dominican and Haitian community on the islands.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="britannica.com"/>

====Population by island====
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Island
!Capital
!Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
!data-sort-type=number|Population{{efn|Area and population data retrieved from the 2012 census.}}
!Native Taino Name
!Notes
|- style="background:#CEE0F2;"
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;" |'''Caicos Islands'''
|-
||[[South Caicos]]||[[Cockburn Harbour]] ||style="text-align:right;"|21.2 ||style="text-align:right;"|2,013
|''Kasiba''
|
|-
|[[West Caicos]]||[[New Marina]]|| style="text-align:right;" |28 ||style="text-align:right;"|10
|''Makobisa''
|Resort staff only
|-
|[[Providenciales]]||Downtown Providenciales ||style="text-align:right;"|122 ||style="text-align:right;"|33,253
|''Yukanaka'' ''Yanikana''
|
|-
|[[Pine Cay]]||[[South Bay Village]]|| style="text-align:right;" |3.2 ||style="text-align:right;"|30
|''Buyana''
|Resort staff only
|-
|[[Parrot Cay]]||[[Parrot Cay Village]]|| style="text-align:right;" |5 ||style="text-align:right;"|90
|
|Half resort staff, half residential
|-
|[[North Caicos]] ||[[Bottle Creek]]|| style="text-align:right;" |116.4 ||style="text-align:right;"|2,066
|''Kaiko''
|
|-
|[[Middle Caicos]] ||[[Conch Bar Caves|Conch Bar]] ||style="text-align:right;"|136 ||style="text-align:right;"|522
|''Aniyana''
|
|-
|[[Ambergris Cay]]s ||[[Ambergris Cay|Big Ambergris Cay]] ||style="text-align:right;"|10.9 ||style="text-align:right;"|50
|
|
|-
|Other Caicos Islands ||[[East Caicos]]||style="text-align:right;"|146.5||style="text-align:right;"|0
|''Wana''
|
|- style="background:#CEE0F2;"
|colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"|'''Turks Islands'''
|-
|[[Grand Turk]] ||[[Cockburn Town]] ||style="text-align:right;"|17.6 ||style="text-align:right;"|8,051
|''Amuana''
|
|-
|[[Salt Cay, Turks Islands|Salt Cay]] ||[[Salt Cay, Turks Islands|Balfour Town]] ||style="text-align:right;"|7.1 ||style="text-align:right;"|315
|''Kanamani'' ''Kanomani''
|
|-
|Other Turks Islands||[[Cotton Cay]]|| style="text-align:right;" |2.4||style="text-align:right;"|0
|''Makarike''
|
|- style="background:#F2E0CE;" |class="sortbottom"
|'''Turks and Caicos Islands''' ||[[Cockburn Town]] ||style="text-align:right;"|616.3 ||style="text-align:right;"|49000<ref name="cia.gov"/>
|
|
|}

===Structure of the population===

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Population estimates by sex and age group (1 August 2017)<ref>{{Cite web |title= Demographic and Social Statistics |url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/#statistics |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=UNSD }}</ref>
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | {{gaps|20|296}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|19|496}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|39|792}}
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|426}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|398}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|824}}
| align="right" | 7.10
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|270}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|229}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|499}}
| align="right" | 6.28
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|146}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|157}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|303}}
| align="right" | 5.79
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|111}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|155}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|266}}
| align="right" | 5.69
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|306}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|365}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|671}}
| align="right" | 6.71
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|582}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|650}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|3|232}}
| align="right" | 8.12
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|889}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|885}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|3|774}}
| align="right" | 9.48
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|248}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|140}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|4|388}}
| align="right" | 11.03
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|162}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|010}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|4|172}}
| align="right" | 10.48
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|948}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|770}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|3|718}}
| align="right" | 9.34
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|553}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|396}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|2|949}}
| align="right" | 7.41
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|050}}
| align="right" | 933
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|983}}
| align="right" | 4.98
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 730
| align="right" | 636
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|366}}
| align="right" | 3.43
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 445
| align="right" | 375
| align="right" | 820
| align="right" | 2.06
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 258
| align="right" | 213
| align="right" | 471
| align="right" | 1.18
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 112
| align="right" | 94
| align="right" | 206
| align="right" | 0.52
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 60
| align="right" | 90
| align="right" | 150
| align="right" | 0.38
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | {{gaps|3|842}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|3|784}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|7|626}}
| align="right" | 19.16
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | {{gaps|15|579}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|14|940}}
| align="right" | {{gaps|30|519}}
| align="right" | 76.70
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 875
| align="right" | 772
| align="right" | {{gaps|1|647}}
| align="right" | 4.14
|-
|}

===Language===
The official language of the islands is English, but the population also speaks [[Turks and Caicos Islands Creole]].<ref name="EthnologueCreole">{{cite web |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/tch |url-access=subscription |title=Turks and Caicos Creole English |publisher=Ethnologue |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=12 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212205423/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/tch |url-status=live }}</ref> Due to its proximity to Cuba and Hispaniola, large [[Haitian Creole]] and Spanish-speaking communities have developed in the territory due to immigration, both legal and illegal, from Haitian Creole-speaking Haiti and from Spanish-speaking Cuba and Dominican Republic.<ref name="EthnologueTCI">{{cite web |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/TC |url-access=subscription |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |publisher=Ethnologue |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306041026/https://www.ethnologue.com/country/TC |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Grand Turk - Cockburn Town, St. Mary's Cathedral - panoramio.jpg|thumb|St. Mary's Cathedral, Grand Turk]]

===Religion===
{{Main|Religion in the Turks and Caicos Islands}}

86% of the population of Turks and Caicos are [[Christianity|Christian]] ([[Baptists]] 35.8%, [[Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)|Church of God]] 11.7%, [[Roman Catholics]] 11.4%, [[Diocese of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands|Anglicans]] 10%, [[Methodism|Methodists]] 9.3%, [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventists]] 6%, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] 1.8%), with other faiths making up the remaining 14%.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

Catholics are served by the [[Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Turks and Caicos|Mission ''Sui Iuris'' for Turks and Caicos]], which was erected in 1984 with territory taken from the then [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nassau|Diocese of Nassau]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.catholic.tc/history.html |title=History |author=<!--No author given.--> |date=<!--No date given--> |publisher=Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Turks and Caicos |access-date=2022-03-04 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812142511/https://www.catholic.tc/history.html |archive-date=2020-08-12}}</ref>

===Culture===
{{See also|Music of the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
[[File:Turks & Caicos National Museum.jpg|thumb|right|The Turks and Caicos National Museum on Grand Turk]]
The Turks and Caicos Islands are perhaps best known musically for [[ripsaw music]], a genre which originated on the islands.<ref name="RellieHayne2008">{{cite book |last1=Rellie |first1=Annalisa |last2=Hayne |first2=Tricia |title=Turks & Caicos Islands: The Bradt Travel Guide |url={{GBurl|EkeY2SlUEkwC|pg=PA34}} |year=2008 |location=Chalfont St Peter, England |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-84162-268-2 |via=Google Books}}</ref>{{rp|p=34}} The Turks and Caicos Islands are known for their annual Music and Cultural Festival showcasing many local talents and other dynamic performances by many music celebrities from around the Caribbean and United States.

Women continue traditional crafts of using a straw to make baskets and hats on the larger Caicos islands. It is possible that this continued tradition is related to the liberated Africans who joined the population directly from Africa in the 1830s and 1841 from shipwrecked slavers; they brought cultural craft skills with them.<ref name="sadler"/>{{rp|p=216}}

The island's most popular sports are fishing, sailing, [[association football|football]] (soccer) and [[cricket]] (which is the national sport).<ref>{{Cite web |last=icc |title=Turks and Caicos Islands |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/about/members/associate/turks-and-caicos-islands |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=www.icc-cricket.com |language=en}}</ref>{{third-party inline|date=October 2024|reason=Not an independent sources}}

Turks and Caicos cuisine is based primarily around seafood, especially [[conch]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesandstc.com/blog/the-food-and-cuisine-of-turks-and-caicos/ |title=The Food and Cuisine of Turks and Caicos |website=Thesandstc.com |date=2 December 2015 |access-date=22 March 2017 |archive-date=13 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613020840/http://www.thesandstc.com/blog/the-food-and-cuisine-of-turks-and-caicos/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Two common local dishes are [[conch fritter]]s and conch salad.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visittci.com/restaurants-and-dining/cuisine |title=Turks and Caicos Food and Cuisine |author=<!--No author given.--> |date=11 February 2022 |access-date=2022-03-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213161533/https://www.visittci.com/restaurants-and-dining/cuisine |archive-date=2021-12-13}}</ref>

===Citizenship===
{{See also|British Overseas Territories citizen#Access to British citizenship}}
Because the Turks and Caicos is a [[British Overseas Territories|British Overseas Territory]] and not an independent country, its nationality laws are partly determined by [[British nationality law]] and [[History of British nationality law|its history]]. People with close ties to Britain's Overseas Territories all hold the same nationality: [[British Overseas Territories citizen]]ship (BOTC), originally defined by the [[British Nationality Act 1981]] as British Dependent Territories citizenship.<ref>{{cite book |last=Hansen |first=Randall |author-link=Randall Hansen |year=2000 |title=Citizenship and Immigration in Post-war Britain: The Institutional Origins of a Multicultural Nation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qj8GEjW91oEC&pg=PA213 |location=Oxford & New York |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780191583018 |access-date=2022-03-05 |archive-date=6 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220306041027/https://books.google.com/books?id=qj8GEjW91oEC&pg=PA213 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{rp|pp=213–214}} BOTC, however, does not confer any right to live in any British Overseas Territory, including the territory from which it is derived. Instead, the rights normally associated with citizenship derive from what is called [[Belonger status]] and island natives or those descended from natives are said to be [[Belonger status#Belonger status in Turks and Caicos|Belongers]]. The Turks and Caicos government amended its immigration law in 2021 in that regard, making the granting of Belonger Status exclusive to "being married for ten years to a Belonger (other than a Belonger by marriage), or by being the dependent child of someone who becomes a Belonger by marriage."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=New Immigration law changes criteria to become a TCI Belonger |url=https://suntci.com/new-immigration-law-changes-criteria-to-become-a-tci-belonger-p99-106.htm |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=suntci.com |archive-date=10 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810090143/https://suntci.com/new-immigration-law-changes-criteria-to-become-a-tci-belonger-p99-106.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> It was also made possible "for someone who has invested $500,000 or more in Providenciales or West Caicos, or $250,000 or more in Grand Turk or the family Islands, to obtain a residence permit for up to ten years."<ref name=":0" />

In 2002, the [[British Overseas Territories Act]] restored full British citizenship status to all citizens of British Overseas Territories, including the Turks and Caicos.

==Education==
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services oversees education in Turks and Caicos. Public education is supported by taxation and is mandatory for children aged five to sixteen. Primary education lasts for six years and secondary education lasts for five years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Administrator |date=2023-08-03 |title=Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services - Turks and Caicos Islands |url=https://www.gov.tc/education/#:~:text=There%20are%20fourteen%20public%20schools,the%20child's%20compulsory%20school%20life. |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services - Turks and Caicos Islands |language=en-gb}}</ref> In the 1990s the Primary In-Service Teacher Education Project (PINSTEP) was launched in an effort to increase the skills of its primary school teachers, nearly one-quarter of whom were unqualified.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} Turks and Caicos also worked to refurbish its primary schools, reduce textbook costs, and increase equipment and supplies given to schools. For example, in September 1993, each primary school was given enough books to allow teachers to establish in-class libraries.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}} In 2001, the student-teacher ratio at the primary level was roughly 15:1.{{Citation needed|date=April 2010}}

Public secondary schools include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.tc/government|title=Government|publisher=Government of the Turks and Caicos|access-date=19 January 2020|archive-date=3 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803233546/https://www.gov.tc/government|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[HJ Robinson High School]] (Grand Turk)
* [[Clement Howell High School]] (Providenciales)
* [[Long Bay High School]] (Providenciales)
* [[Raymond Gardiner High School]] (North Caicos)
* [[Marjorie Basden High School]] (South Caicos)

International School of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a private school which serves preschool through grade six, is in [[Leeward, Turks and Caicos Islands|Leeward]], [[Providenciales]]. In 2014 it had 106 students. It was known as The Ashcroft School until 2014.<ref>{{cite web|author=Tyson, Vivian|url=https://suntci.com/ashcroft-school-is-now-international-school-of-the-tci-p1371-106.htm|title=Ashcroft School is Now International School of the TCI|work=[[The Sun (Turks and Caicos)|The Sun]]|date=15 September 2014|access-date=18 January 2020|archive-date=18 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200118204530/https://suntci.com/ashcroft-school-is-now-international-school-of-the-tci-p1371-106.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><!--Old URL is http://www.ashcroftschool.tc/ and current URL is https://www.internationalschooltci.com-->

The [[Turks and Caicos Islands Community College]] offers free higher education to students who have successfully completed their secondary education. The community college also oversees an adult literacy program. Once a student completes their education at Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, they are allowed to further their education at a university in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom for free. They have to commit to working in the Turks and Caicos Islands for four years to receive this additional education.

[[Charisma University]] is a non-profit private university recognised by the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.tc/education/system|title=Education System|website=Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services |access-date=23 October 2020|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027085641/https://www.gov.tc/education/system|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tcimall.tc/schools/ |website=TCI Mall |title=Schools|access-date=23 October 2020|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123021306/http://tcimall.tc/schools/|url-status=live}}</ref> that offers accredited undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degree programmes, along with certificate programs in various disciplines taught by over 100 faculty members.

The public [[University of the West Indies Open Campus]] has one site in the territory.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://open.uwi.edu/turks_caicos | title=The Open Campus in Turks & Caicos |website= Open Campus | access-date=11 June 2018 | archive-date=12 June 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142136/http://open.uwi.edu/turks_caicos | url-status=live }}</ref>

==Healthcare==
The Turks and Caicos established a National Health Insurance Plan in 2010.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/34321 |title=Health in the Americas+, 2017 Edition. Summary: Regional Outlook and Country Profiles |year=2017 |publisher=IRIS [[Pan American Health Organization]] |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=9789275119662 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122145244/https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/34321 |archive-date=2022-01-22 }}</ref>{{rp|p=231}} Residents contribute to a National Health Insurance Plan through salary deduction and nominal user fees. The majority of care is provided by private-public-partnership hospitals managed by [[Interhealth Canada]], one hospital in Providenciales and one hospital on Grand Turk. In addition, there are a number of government clinics and private clinics. The hospitals opened in 2010 and have been accredited by Accreditation Canada since 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcihospital.tc/?page_id=3695|title=Our History |access-date=27 December 2020|website=TCI Hospital|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022150010/https://www.tcihospital.tc/?page_id=3695|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Economy==
[[File:TC-grand-turk-cruiseterminal-2.jpg|thumb|left|Cruise terminal at [[Grand Turk]]]]

The economy of Turks and Caicos is dominated by tourism, offshore finance and fishing.<ref name="cia.gov"/><ref name="britannica.com"/> The US dollar is the main currency used on the islands.

Historically, the salt industry, along with small [[sea sponge|sponge]] and [[hemp]] exports, sustained the Turks and Caicos Islands (only barely, however; there was little population growth and the economy stagnated). The economy grew in the 1960s, when American investors arrived on the islands and funded the construction of an airstrip on Providenciales and built the archipelago's first hotel, "The Third Turtle".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turks and Caicos History |url=https://www.visittci.com/nature-and-history/history#:~:text=The%20start%20was%20the%20construction%20of%20the,water,%20exquisite%20reefs,%20and%20white%20sand%20beaches. |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands |language=en}}</ref> A small trickle of tourists began to arrive, supplementing the salt-based economy. [[Club Med]] set up a resort at Grace Bay soon after.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}} In the 1980s, Club Med funded an upgrading of the airstrip to allow for larger aircraft, and since then, tourism has been gradually on the increase.<ref name="britannica.com"/>

In 2009, GDP contributions were as follows:<ref name="quickstat1">{{cite web|url=http://www.depstc.org/quickstats/qstat1.html |title=TCI Stats Box |date=February 25, 2010 |website=Department of Economic Planning and Statistics |access-date=13 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140913165548/http://depstc.org/quickstats/qstat1.html |archive-date=13 September 2014 }}</ref> Hotels & Restaurants 34.67%, [[Tax haven|Financial Services]] 13.12%, Construction 7.83%, Transport, Storage & Communication 9.90%, and Real Estate, Renting & Business Activities 9.56%.{{Clarify|date=February 2009}}<!-- faithfully copied from source, but adds up to 133%and makes no sense to me. Some income allocated to more than one category maybe?? updated July 2014, still needs clarification- now the source doesn't add up to 100% --> Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported.<ref name="cia.gov"/>

In 2010/2011, major sources of government revenue included Import Duties (43.31%), Stamp Duty on Land Transaction (8.82%), Work Permits and Residency Fees (10.03%) and Accommodation Tax (24.95%). The territory's gross domestic product as of late 2009 is approximately US$795 million (per capita $24,273).<ref name="quickstat1"/>

The labour force totalled 27,595 workers in 2008{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}. The labour force distribution in 2006 is as follows:

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; border:1px;"
|-
! Skill level   !! Percentage
|-
|Unskilled/Manual ||53%
|-
|Semi-skilled   ||12%
|-
|Skilled     ||20%
|-
|Professional   ||15%
|}

The unemployment rate in 2008 was 8.3%. In 2007–2008, the territory took in revenues of $206.79 million against expenditures of $235.85 million. In 1995, the island received economic aid worth $5.7 million. The territory's currency is the United States dollar, with a few government fines (such as airport infractions) being payable in pounds sterling. Most commemorative coin issues are denominated in crowns.<ref>"[https://en.numista.com/catalogue/iles_turques-et-caiques-1.html Coins from Turks and Caicos Islands]", Numista. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822204201/https://en.numista.com/catalogue/iles_turques-et-caiques-1.html |date=22 August 2019 }}. Retrieved on 22 August 2019.</ref>

The primary agricultural products include limited amounts of maize, beans, [[cassava]] ([[tapioca]]) and citrus fruits. 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 Kingdom and the United States. 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 this trade has been greatly reduced.{{citation needed|date=July 2019}}

The islands import food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufacture and construction materials, primarily from the United States and the United Kingdom. Imports totalled $581 million in 2007.

The islands produce and consume 236.5 GWh of electricity, per year, all of which comes from fossil fuels.<ref>{{Cite journal |publisher=U.S. Department of Energy |date=May 2020 |title=Turks & Caicos: Energy Snapshot |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/09/f79/ETI-Energy-Snapshot-Turks-Caicos_FY20.pdf |journal=Energy Transition Initiative |access-date=21 March 2022 |archive-date=6 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220706155347/https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/09/f79/ETI-Energy-Snapshot-Turks-Caicos_FY20.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Tourism=== <!--linked from [[Template:Turks and Caicos topics]]-->
{{main|Tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
Tourism is one of the largest sources of income for the islands, with most visitors coming from America via ship.<ref name="cia.gov"/> Tourist arrivals had risen to 264,887 in 2007 and to 351,498 by 2009. In 2010, a total of 245 cruise ships arrived at the Grand Turk Cruise Terminal, carrying a total of 617,863 visitors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.depstc.org/quickstats/qstat2.html |title=TCI Stats Box |website=Department of Economic Planning and Statistics |access-date=15 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113142447/http://www.depstc.org/quickstats/qstat2.html |archive-date=13 November 2009 }}</ref>

[[File:Turks and Caicos Islands sunset.jpg|thumb|right|A Turks and Caicos sunset]]
[[File:Grand Turk beach.JPG|thumb|right|View of the southwestern beach at [[Grand Turk]]]]

The government is pursuing a two-pronged strategy to increase tourism. Upmarket 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. Turks and Caicos Islands has one of the longest coral reefs in the world<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jupitermag.com/nomads-notebook/worlds-third-largest-coral-system-awaits-turks-and-caicos |first1=Gloria |last1=Stuart |title=The World's Third-Largest Coral System Awaits At Turks And Caicos|website=Jupiter Magazine|date=26 February 2019|language=en|access-date=12 August 2019|archive-date=12 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812075026/https://www.jupitermag.com/nomads-notebook/worlds-third-largest-coral-system-awaits-turks-and-caicos|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.visittci.com/about/interesting-facts |title=Interesting Facts about the Turks and Caicos Islands |access-date=14 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405035347/https://www.visittci.com/about/interesting-facts |archive-date= 5 April 2016 }}</ref> and the world's only [[conch]] farm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://caribbeandays.com/destinationguide/turksandcaicos/tourism.aspx |title=Tourism in Turks & Caicos |publisher=Caribbean Days |access-date=20 February 2015 |archive-date=21 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221011500/http://caribbeandays.com/destinationguide/turksandcaicos/tourism.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The French vacation village company of Club Méditerannée ([[Club Med]]) has an all-inclusive adult resort called 'Turkoise' on [[Providenciales]].

The islands have become popular with various celebrities. Several Hollywood stars have owned homes in the Turks and Caicos, including [[Dick Clark]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.visittci.com/about/celebrities-famous-people|title=Celebrities and Famous People in the Turks and Caicos|website=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands|language=en|access-date=10 October 2019|archive-date=25 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425065222/https://www.visittci.com/about/celebrities-famous-people|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Bruce Willis]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/bruce-willis-sells-turks-and-caicos-compound-for-27-million-11564657240|title=Bruce Willis Sells Turks and Caicos Compound for $27 Million|last=Clarke|first=Katherine|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=August 2019|language=en-US|access-date=10 October 2019|archive-date=10 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010035623/https://www.wsj.com/articles/bruce-willis-sells-turks-and-caicos-compound-for-27-million-11564657240|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ben Affleck]] and [[Jennifer Garner]] married on [[Parrot Cay]] in 2005. Actress [[Eva Longoria]] and her ex-husband [[Tony Parker]] went to the islands for their honeymoon in July 2007. Musician [[Nile Rodgers]] has a vacation home on the island.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Alleyne |first1=Mike |title=Interview With Nile Rodgers |journal=Journal on the Art of Record Production |date=October 2007 |issue=2 |url=https://www.arpjournal.com/asarpwp/interview-with-nile-rodgers/ |access-date=8 August 2021 |archive-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808202649/https://www.arpjournal.com/asarpwp/interview-with-nile-rodgers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

To boost tourism during the Caribbean low season of late summer, since 2003 the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board have organised and hosted an annual series of concerts during this season called the Turks & Caicos Music and Cultural Festival.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Turks and Caicos Music & Cultural Festival |url=http://www.musicfestival.tc/ |date=21 April 2008 |access-date=7 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612181412/http://www.musicfestival.tc/ |archive-date=12 June 2008}}</ref> Held in a temporary [[Shell (theater)|bandshell]] at The Turtle Cove Marina in [[The Bight]] on [[Providenciales]], this festival lasts about a week and has featured several notable international recording artists, such as [[Lionel Richie]], [[LL Cool J]], [[Anita Baker]], [[Billy Ocean]], [[Alicia Keys]], [[John Legend]], [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Michael Bolton]], [[Ludacris]], [[Chaka Khan]], and [[Boyz II Men]].<ref name="musicfestival.tc">{{cite news |title=The Turks and Caicos Music & Cultural Festival News Release |url=http://www.musicfestival.tc/go/en/news-info--ID--67.html|date=21 April 2008 |access-date=7 August 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080804034317/http://www.musicfestival.tc/go/en/news-info--ID--67.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 4 August 2008}}</ref> More than 10,000 people attend annually.<ref name="musicfestival.tc"/> In 2024 several American tourists were arrested for being in possession of small arms ammunition, each facing 12 year mandatory prison terms.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ebrahimji |first1=Alisha |title=What we know about the Americans arrested for bringing ammo to Turks and Caicos |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/28/americas/ammo-arrests-turks-and-caicos/index.html |website=CNN |date=28 May 2024 |access-date=4 June 2024}}</ref>

;Resorts
* Grace Bay Club<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gracebayclub.gracebayresorts.com/ |title=Grace Bay Club |website=Grace Bay Resorts |access-date=2022-03-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126203841/https://gracebayclub.gracebayresorts.com/ |archive-date=2022-01-26}}</ref>
* [[The Somerset on Grace Bay]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thesomerset.com/ |title=The Somerset on Grace Bay |website=www.thesomerset.com |access-date=22 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204112417/https://www.thesomerset.com/ |archive-date=2021-12-04}}</ref>
* [[Beaches Resorts]] – Turks & Caicos<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.beaches.com/resorts/turks-caicos/ |title=Beaches Turks & Caicos |work=Beaches Resorts |access-date=2022-03-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216205107/https://www.beaches.com/resorts/turks-caicos/ |archive-date=2022-02-16}}</ref>
* Seven Stars Resort<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sevenstarsgracebay.com/ |title=Seven Stars Resort & Spa |website=www.sevenstarsgracebay.com |access-date=22 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220228013145/https://www.sevenstarsgracebay.com/ |archive-date=2022-02-28}}</ref>
* Alexandra Resort<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alexandraresort.com/ |title=Alexandra Resort |work=www.alexandraresort.com |access-date=11 June 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130040307/https://www.alexandraresort.com/ |archive-date=2022-01-30}}</ref>
* West Bay Club<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thewestbayclub.gracebayresorts.com/ |title=West Bay Club |website=Grace Bay Resorts |access-date=2022-03-05 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225144934/https://thewestbayclub.gracebayresorts.com/ |archive-date=2021-12-25}}</ref>

==Crime==
According to the [[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]], the Turks and Caicos Islands had the highest intentional homicide rate of any country or dependent territory, at 76.5 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.<ref name=UNODC-by-country>{{cite web |title=Intentional Homicide |url=https://dataunodc.un.org/dp-intentional-homicide-victims |website=dataunodc.un.org |publisher=[[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]] (UNODC)}} Table by country. Latest available year varies by country. Some have 2023 data. Can select for few or many countries, regions, years. You can shrink the width of the table to see all the options, and all the years you selected. To do so drag the zoom bar button at the bottom of the page. There is a [https://dataunodc.un.org/sites/dataunodc.un.org/files/data_cts_intentional_homicide.xlsx dataset link to download all the data]. Table last fully updated from dataset retrieved 24 June 2024. Individual countries updated since then.</ref><ref name=UNODC>{{cite web |title=Victims of Intentional Homicide: 2018 |url=https://dataunodc.un.org/content/homicide-rate-option-2 |publisher=UNODC}} [[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]].  Map and table of rates and counts. Pick a country (or countries) in the sidebar "Country" dropdown menu. Then pick a year (1990-2018). Click that country on the map to see a timeline graph of homicide rates. Below the map see a timeline table of the rates and counts for that country or countries. There is a "Bulk data download" link at top right (hover to see name). May need to click twice to download.</ref><ref name=UNODC-graph>{{cite web |url=https://dataunodc.un.org/content/data/homicide/homicide-rate |title=Homicide rate {{!}} dataUNODC |publisher=[[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]]. Timeline graph of "Victims of intentional homicide 1990-2018". Can select a country and a region. Table below graph shows data 1990-2018. Download link icon below table offers multiple formats just for selected country and region. Click "bulk data download" link icon twice at top of page to get Excel file that covers years 1990-2018 for all countries}}</ref>

On 6 March 2025, it was announced that the U.S. State Department had issued a Level 2 travel advisory, warning travellers to be cautious when visiting due to crime. This advisory does not mean that travel is discouraged, but visitors should exercise increased caution.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koch |first=Alexandra |date=2025-03-06 |title=Travel warning issued for popular spring break tropical destination over crime concerns |url=https://www.foxnews.com/travel/travel-warning-issued-popular-spring-break-tropical-destination-crime-concerns |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Turks and Caicos Islands International Travel Information |url=https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/TurksandCaicosIslands.html |access-date=2025-03-07 |website=travel.state.gov |language=en}}</ref>

==Transportation==
[[Providenciales International Airport]] is the main entry point for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The [[Norman B. Saunders Sr. International Airport]] on [[South Caicos]] offers direct international service, with [[American Airlines]] operating flights between Miami and South Caicos (Flight AA 3815),<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Airlines now flies direct from Miami to South Caicos |url=https://www.visittci.com/news/american-airlines-now-flies-direct-from-miami-to-south-caicos |access-date=2025-04-27 |website=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands |language=en}}</ref> as well as domestic flights to Providenciales and Grand Turk.

The [[JAGS McCartney International Airport]] serves the capital, Cockburn Town, on Grand Turk. Altogether, there are [[List of airports in the Turks and Caicos Islands|seven airports]], located on each of the inhabited islands. Five have paved runways (three of which are approximately {{convert|2,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and one is approximately {{convert|1,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} long), and the remaining two have unpaved runways (one of which is approximately {{convert|1,000|m|ft|abbr=on}} long and the other is significantly shorter).<ref name="airporttech">{{cite web|url=http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/-providenciales-international-airport-turks-caicos-islands/|title=Providenciales International Airport, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom|publisher=airport-technology.com|access-date=9 August 2014|archive-date=5 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705070042/http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/-providenciales-international-airport-turks-caicos-islands/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|reason=domain on WP:BLACKLIST|date=June 2016}}

The islands have {{convert|121|km|mi|abbr=off}} of highway, {{convert|24|km|0|abbr=on}} paved and {{convert|97|km|0|abbr=on}} unpaved. Like the [[United States Virgin Islands]] and [[British Virgin Islands]], the Turks and Caicos Islands [[drive on the left]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visittci.com/getting-around/driving |title=Driving in the Turks and Caicos Islands |author=<!--No author given.--> |date=1 January 2022 |publisher=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029204656/https://www.visittci.com/getting-around/driving |archive-date=2021-10-29}}</ref><ref name="turks and caicos">[https://books.google.com/books?id=EkeY2SlUEkwC&dq=%22Turks+and+Caicos%22+%22left+hand+drive%22&pg=PA50 ''Turks and Caicos''], Bradt Travel Guides, Annalisa Rellie, Tricia Hayne, 2008, page 50</ref>

The territory's main international ports and harbours are on [[Grand Turk]], [[Providenciales]], and [[South Caicos]].<ref name="frommers">{{cite web|url=http://www.frommers.com/destinations/turks-and-caicos/730152|title=Turks and Caicos Islands: Getting Around|publisher=frommers.com|access-date=9 August 2014|archive-date=10 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810121903/http://www.frommers.com/destinations/turks-and-caicos/730152|url-status=live}}</ref>

The islands have no significant railways. In the early twentieth century [[East Caicos]] operated a horse-drawn railway to transport [[sisal]] from the plantation to the port. The {{convert|14|km|adj=on|abbr=off}} route was removed after sisal trading ceased.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sinfin.net/railways/world/uk.html |title=Railways in the United Kingdom |publisher=Sinfin.net |access-date=31 July 2011 |archive-date=2 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202053106/http://sinfin.net/railways/world/uk.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Spaceflight===
[[File:Grand_Turk,_Replica_of_Friendship_7_-_panoramio.jpg|thumb|Replica of [[Friendship 7]] at [[JAGS McCartney International Airport|Grand Turk Airport]] ]]

From 1950 to 1981, the United States had a missile tracking station on Grand Turk. In the early days of the American space program, [[NASA]] used it. After his three earth orbits in 1962, American astronaut [[John Glenn]] successfully landed in the nearby ocean and was brought back ashore to Grand Turk.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.visittci.com/about/history |title=History of the Turks and Caicos Islands |publisher=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands |access-date=20 February 2015 |archive-date=12 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212115925/https://www.visittci.com/about/history |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://spacecovers.com/misc/gtkarta.htm |title=The Grand Turk Connection with the Project Mercury/Glenn Flight |publisher=Joe Frasketi's Space and other Topical Covers |access-date=20 February 2015 | author=Frasketi, Joseph J. Jr. |archive-date=21 February 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221013119/http://spacecovers.com/misc/gtkarta.htm }}</ref>

In 2025, [[Starship flight test 7]] exploded above the islands, resulting in several airline flights needing to alter course to avoid falling debris, as well as reports of damage on the ground.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/17/science/spacex-starship-explosion-investigation/index.html | title = Regulators are investigating reports of property damage from SpaceX Starship's explosion | date = 17 January 2025 | publisher = CNN }}</ref>

==Postal system==
There is no postal delivery in the Turks and Caicos; mail is picked up at one of four post offices on each of the major islands.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visittci.com/about/practical-information |title=Practical Information (Know Before You Go) |access-date=11 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212130325/https://www.visittci.com/about/practical-information |archive-date=12 February 2015 }}</ref> Mail is transported three or seven times a week, depending on the destination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tciyellowpages.com/postal-services-tci-yellow-pages-turks-and-caicos-islands |title=Turks & Caicos Postal Services, Mail, post offices &#124; TCI Online |access-date=11 June 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613101612/http://www.tciyellowpages.com/postal-services-tci-yellow-pages-turks-and-caicos-islands |archive-date=13 June 2015 }}</ref> The Post Office is part of the territory's government and reports to the Minister of Government British support services<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tcimall.tc/government/ |title=Government – Turks and Caicos Information – TCI Mall |website=Tcimall.tc |access-date=22 March 2017 |archive-date=30 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170430074250/http://tcimall.tc/government/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Media==
{{see also|Telecommunications in the Turks and Caicos Islands}}
Mobile phone service is provided by [[Cable & Wireless Communications]], through its [[Flow (brand)|Flow]] brand, using [[GSM]] 850 and [[Digital AMPS|TDMA]], and [[Digicel]], using GSM 900 and 1900 and Islandcom Wireless, using 3G 850. Cable & Wireless provides CDMA mobile phone service in Providenciales and Grand Turk. 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. The most popular station is Power 92.5 FM which plays Top 100 hits. 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 {{as of?|date=July 2024}} and WIV4 (a subsidiary of WIV) has been the only broadcast station in the islands for over 15 years {{as of?|date=July 2024}}; broadcasts from the Bahamas can also be received. The territory has two [[internet service providers]] and its [[country codes|country code]] top-level domain (ccTLD) is ".tc". [[Amateur radio]] [[callsign]]s begin with "VP5" and visiting operators frequently work from the islands.

Turks and Caicos is served by the [[ARCOS-1]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Submarine Cable Map - ARCOS |url=https://www.submarinecablemap.com/landing-point/providenciales-turks-and-caicos-islands |website=Submarine Cable Map |access-date=14 July 2023}}</ref> submarine cable, connecting the territory to the Dominican Republic to the south, to the Bahamas to the north and onto the USA and countries in Central America.

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.

In 2013 4NEWS became the islands' first [[High-definition television|high-definition]] cable news service with television studios in Grace Bay, Providenciales. DigicelPlay is the local cable provider.

Turks and Caicos's newspapers include the ''[[Turks and Caicos Weekly News]]'', the ''[[Turks and Caicos Sun]]''<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--No author given.--> |url=https://suntci.com/about-turks-and-caicos-sun-p3651-124.htm |title=About Turks and Caicos Sun |publisher=Turks and Caicos Sun |date=<!--No date given.--> |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015220110/https://suntci.com/about-turks-and-caicos-sun-p3651-124.htm |archive-date=2021-10-15 |access-date=2022-03-05}}</ref> and the ''Turks and Caicos Free Press''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tcifreepress.com/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=25 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111211072010/http://www.tcifreepress.com/ |archive-date=11 December 2011 }}</ref> All three publications are weekly. The ''Weekly News'' and the ''Sun'' both have supplement magazines. Other local magazines ''Times of the Islands'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timespub.tc/ |title=Times of the Islands |access-date=25 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205142102/http://www.timespub.tc/ |archive-date= 5 December 2011 }}</ref> ''s3 Magazine'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.s3magazine.com/ |title=S3 Magazine |publisher=s3magazine.com |access-date=25 November 2011 |archive-date=4 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004184454/http://www.s3magazine.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ''Real Life Magazine'', ''Baller Magazine'', and ''Unleashed Magazine''.

==Sports==
[[Cricket]] is the islands' national sport.<ref name="ICC">{{cite web|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/the-icc/icc_members/profile.php?countryCode=ICC_AFFILIATE_MEMBERS_TCISLANDS|title=ICC Members: Turks and Caicos Islands|work=[[International Cricket Council]]|access-date=7 October 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107132730/http://www.icc-cricket.com/the-icc/icc_members/profile.php?countryCode=ICC_AFFILIATE_MEMBERS_TCISLANDS|archive-date=7 November 2012}}</ref> The [[Turks and Caicos Islands cricket team|national team]] takes part in regional tournaments in the [[ICC Americas Championship]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/2/2319/Other_Matches.html|title=Other Matches played by Turks and Caicos Islands|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=7 October 2012|archive-date=12 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012013433/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/2/2319/Other_Matches.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> as well as having played one [[Twenty20]] match as part of the [[Stanford 20/20#2008 tournament|2008 Standford 20/20]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/2/2319/Twenty20_Matches.html|title=Twenty20 Matches played by Turks and Caicos Islands|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=7 October 2012|archive-date=12 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012013312/http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Teams/2/2319/Twenty20_Matches.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Two domestic leagues exist, one on Grand Turk with three teams and another on Providenciales.<ref name="ICC"/>

As of December 2020, the [[Turks and Caicos Islands national football team|Turks and Caicos Islands' football team]] is ranked 203rd out of 210 teams in the [[FIFA World Rankings]]. Its highest ever ranking was 158th, achieved in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking - Associations - Turks and Caicos Islands |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association/TCA/men/ |website=FIFA.com |access-date=24 December 2020 |archive-date=7 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207203844/https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association/tca/men/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Because the territory is not recognised by the [[International Olympic Committee]], Turks and Caicos Islanders compete for [[Great Britain]] at the [[Olympic Games]].<ref>{{cite web|title=About the Turks and Caicos Government|url=https://www.visittci.com/government/about|website=Visit Turks and Caicos Islands|access-date=27 January 2017|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202041221/https://www.visittci.com/government/about|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Notable people ==
=== Politics ===
* [[Nathaniel Francis (Turks and Caicos Islander politician)|Nathaniel Francis]] (1912 – 2004 both in the Turks and Caicos Islands) was a politician who served as the island territory's acting Chief Minister from 28 March 1985 until 25 July 1986, when he was forced to resign after charges of corruption and patronage were levelled against him
* [[Clement Howell]] (1935 in Blue Hills, Providenciales – 1987 near Nassau, Bahamas) was a politician who served on a four-member interim Advisory Council beginning in July 1986
* [[James Alexander George Smith McCartney]] (1945 in Grand Turk – 1980 in New Jersey) also known as "Jags" McCartney was a politician who served as the island territory's first Chief Minister from August 1976 until 9 May 1980, when he died in a plane crash over New Jersey.
* [[Ariel Misick]] (born 1951) is a former minister of development and commerce. He served on a four-member interim Advisory Council from July 1986 to 3 March 1988
* [[Michael Misick]] (born 1966 in Bottle Creek, North Caicos) is the former chief minister from 15 August 2003 to 9 August 2006 and was the first Premier from 9 August 2006 to 23 March 2009. He is on trial for conspiracy to receive bribes, conspiracy to defraud the government and money laundering.
* [[Washington Misick]] (born 1950 in the Turks and Caicos Islands) is a politician who serves as the current Premier and formerly as the Chief Minister from April 1991 to 31 January 1995.
* [[Norman Saunders (politician)|Norman B. Saunders]] (born 1943 in the Turks and Caicos Islands) is a former politician who served as the island territory's Chief Minister until March 1985, when he was arrested in Miami. In July 1985 he was sentenced to eight years in prison on conspiracy charges related to drug smuggling.
* [[Oswald Skippings]] (born 1953 in the Turks and Caicos Islands) is a politician who served as the island territory's Chief Minister from 19 June 1980 to November 1980 and again from 3 March 1988 to April 1991.

=== Sports ===
* [[Trevor Ariza]] (born 1985 in Miami) is an American professional basketball player. He is of Turks & Caicos Islands and Dominican descent through his parents, Lolita Ariza and Trevor Saunders of Grand Turk
* [[Christopher Bryan]] (born 1960 in the Turks and Caicos Islands) is a former association football player. In 2006 he became the President of the [[Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association]]
* [[Errion Charles]] (born 1965 in Saint Vincent) is a sportsman from the Turks and Caicos Islands who has represented his nation at both association football and cricket 
* [[Billy Forbes (footballer, born 1990)|Billy Forbes]] (born 1990 in Providenciales) is an association football player who currently plays for [[Valour FC]]. He holds the record for the most goals for the national team.
* [[Gavin Glinton]] (born 1979 in Grand Turk) is a footballer who last played for [[Nam Dinh FC]] 
* [[Delano Williams]] (born 1993 in Grand Turk) is a British sprinter. He trains with the [[Racers Track Club]] in Jamaica

=== Celebrities ===
* [[LisaRaye McCoy]] (born 1967 in Chicago Illinois) is an American actress and former first lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands. McCoy married former chief turned premiere Michael Misick back in April 2006. In 2008 LisaRaye released a statement that she and the premiere were divorcing citing his corruption of governmental funds, infidelity and bribery. The divorce was finalized in 2010. She is also the half-sister of hip-hop rapper [[Da Brat]].

== See also ==
{{Portal|Caribbean|United Kingdom}}
* [[Index of Turks and Caicos Islands–related articles]]
* [[Outline of the Turks and Caicos Islands]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* Boultbee, Paul G. ''Turks and Caicos Islands''. Oxford: ABC-Clio Press, 1991.
* Correll, Donovan Stewart and Helen B. Correll. ''Flora of the Bahama Archipelago (including the Turks and Caicos Islands)''. Vaduz: J. Cramer, 1982.
* Keegan, William F. ''Bahamian Archaeology: Life in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands before Columbus.'' Nassau: Media Pub., 1997.
* White, Anthony W. ''A Birder’s Guide to The Bahama Islands (including the Turks and Caicos Islands).'' Colorado Springs: American Birding Association, 1998.
* Cameron, Catherine M., & Gatewood, John B. ''Beyond Sun, Sand and Sea: The Emergent Tourism Programme in the Turks and Caicos Islands''. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 3(1), 55–73, 2008.

==External links==
{{Sister project links|voy=Turks and Caicos Islands}}

=== Government ===
* [http://www.gov.tc/ Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands] – official website
* [https://www.gov.uk/world/turks-and-caicos-islands FCO – UK and Turks and Caicos Islands]

=== General information ===
* [https://www.visittci.com/ Visit Turks & Caicos]
* [http://tcmuseum.org/ Turks & Caicos National Museum]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080407225618/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/turkscaicos.htm Turks and Caicos Islands] from UCB Libraries GovPubs (archived 7 April 2008)
* {{wikiatlas|the Turks and Caicos Islands}}

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