Facts About Turks and Caicos Islands

Found just north of Hispaniola (the island which includes Haiti and the Dominican Republic), south and east of the Bahamas, and northeast of Cuba, the Turks and Caicos Islands are beautiful lands in the middle of the Caribbean, which belong to Britain. Below are some facts about the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Geography of Turks and Caicos, a British Territory in the Caribbean Sea

At under 170 square miles, these islands do not take up much space in the Caribbean. Grand Turk, which holds the capital of the territory, Cockburn Town, is located in the Turk Islands group, separated from the much larger Caicos Islands to the northeast, where most residents live, by the Turks Island Passage.

Facts About Turks and Caicos Islands People

Over 30,000 people live in the entire territory, some of whom may not be official residents. Of these, nearly half (around 15,000) live on Providenciales, an island on the western side of the Caicos group, making it the most populous island. The island of Grand Turk, which holds the capital, Cockburn Town, has just over 5,500 residents.


About 90% of the people living on the Turks and Caicos Islands are black, and the remaining 10% are mainly mixed or of European descent. The people of the islands speak English.

Brief History of Turks and Caicos Islands

Until 1962, the Turks and Caicos Islands were part of the United Kingdom's Jamaica colony, even though they are not located very close to Jamaica. For a few years, they were alone as a territory of Britain after Jamaica's gaining independence from the UK, and then in 1965, the governor of the Bahamas started having sovereignty over the islands until the Bahamas' independence in 1973, and since then, the Turks and Caicos Islands have remained a British territory in the Caribbean. The name of the islands comes from the indigenous Turk's head cactus, and the phrase "caya hico," which means "string of islands."

Information on Turks and Caicos Islands Travel

These islands are very representative of small Caribbean islands. They have white sand beaches, palm trees, they are mainly flat, and they are surrounded by clear blue-green waters which hold amazing marine life and coral reefs. Many all-inclusive resorts are found on the islands, making finding great vacations very easy for potential visitors.

Popular activities for those vacationing in the islands include beachgoing, fishing, snorkeling, SCUBA diving, sailing, and kayaking. Reefs around the islands let snorkelers and divers see beautiful fish and coral, as well as starfish, spiny lobsters, sea turtles, and more, and snorkeling and diving tours depart regularly from tourist spots all over the islands. Both Cockburn Town and Providenciales have airports that link the small islands to the rest of the world (and there are five other reliable airports as well in various areas), making it easy to get to and from certain parts of the islands.

All in all, though small, the Turks and Caicos Islands are as beautiful as any tropical vacation destinations in the world. They are warm, surrounded by perfectly clear water, populated by friendly people, and they hold countless vacation opportunities for people of all ages and whole families.

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