.tc Turks and Caicos Islanders Domain Country Information - .tc Turks and Caicos Country Information

.tc Turks and Caicos Country Information

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the West Indies.

The two island groups are in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas, north of Hispaniola, and 914 kilometres (494 nmi) from Miami, at 21°45?N, 71°35?W. The territory is geographically contiguous to the Bahamas, 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 eight main islands and more than 20 smaller islands have a total land area of 616.3 square kilometres (238.0 sq mi), primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangrove swamps and 370 kilometres (230 mi) of beach front. The weather is usually sunny and relatively dry, but suffers frequent hurricanes. 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. The United Nations Committee on Decolonisation includes the Turks and Caicos Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

The two distinct island groups are separated by the Turks Passage.