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General Information
Area: 430 sq km (166 sq miles).
Population: 16,863 (official estimate 1999).
Population Density: 39.2 per sq km.
Capital: Cockburn Town (Grand Turk). Population: 3761 (1990).
GEOGRAPHY: The Turks & Caicos Islands are an archipelago of more than 40 islands forming the southeastern end of the Bahamas chain. There are two principal groups, each surrounded by a continuous coral reef. Caicos is the larger group and includes Providenciales, Middle (or Grand) Caicos, and the islands of North, South, East and West Caicos, plus numerous small cays, some of which are inhabited. The Turks group, separated by a 35km-wide (22-mile) channel of water, consists of Grand Turk, Salt Cay and a number of small uninhabited cays.
Government: British Overseas Territory since 1670. Gained internal autonomy in 1962. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor Jim Poston since 2002. Head of Government: Chief Minister Derek Taylor since 1995.
Language: The official language is English. Some Creole is spoken.
Religion: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist and Pentecostal.
Time: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 1 649. Outgoing international code: 001. There is a good communications network run by Cable & Wireless Ltd, with automatic exchange on all the islands. The local telephone directory lists charges for international calls. There is a ten per cent tax on all calls. Public card-phones are in operation on all the islands; phonecards are available from Cable & Wireless and outlets near phone booths. Cheap rates are in operation Mon-Fri 1900-0600 and Sat-Sun all day.
Mobile telephone
TDMA network operated by Cable & Wireless Caribbean Cellular (website: www.caribcell.com). Compatible with most US handsets but not with GSM phones. Unregistered roaming is available – visitors with TDMA handsets can make calls without registering, provided they can give a credit card number.
Fax
All the islands have services.
Internet
ISPs include Cable & Wireless (website: www.cw.tc). Public access is available in Internet kiosks located at the airport and in Internet cafes around the islands.
Post
The General Post Office is on Grand Turk, with sub-offices in South Caicos, Salt Cay and Providenciales. Airmail to Western Europe takes five days. Post office hours: Mon-Thurs 0800-1630, Fri 0800-1600.
Press
The Turks and Caicos Weekly News and Turks & Caicos Free Press are published weekly, and The Times of the Islands Magazine quarterly. Where, When, How is a travel magazine which appears monthly.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
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