Turks and Caicos Islands ( Turks and Caicos Islands) is a country in Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti. Turks and Caicos Islands geographic coordinates 21 45 N, 71 35 W; area 430 sq km; area comparative 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC; land boundaries 0 km; coastline 389 km; maritime claims exclusive fishing zone:introduction The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. government type NA; capital Grand Turk; administrative divisions none (overseas territory of the UK); independence none (overseas territory of the UK); national holiday Constitution Day, 30 August (1976); constitution introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988; legal system based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas; suffrage 18 years of age; universal;

people

Turks and Caicos Islands population 20,556 (July 2005 est.); age structure 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.); median age 26.62 years (2005 est.); population growth rate 2.9% (2005 est.); birth rate 22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.); death rate 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.); net migration rate 11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.); sex ratio 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.); infant mortality rate 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births; life expectancy at birth 76.84 years (2005 est.); total fertility rate 3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.); hiv adult rate NA; hiv people with aids NA; hiv deaths NA; nationality none; ethnic groups black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%; religions Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990); languages English (official); literacy 98%; people note destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US;

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