The islands have a total land area of 616.3 square kilometres (238.0 sq mi).[b] and they are on a tentative list of UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites.[7]
Government
The government of Great Britain is also the ruler of the Turks and Caicos, but that ruler always acts through a governor. There are local elections for premier (similar to a president). Government offices are in the Grand Turk Island.
The eight main islands and more than 299 smaller islands have a total land area of 616.3 square kilometres (238.0 sq mi),[b] consisting primarily of low, flat limestone with extensive marshes and mangroveswamps and 332 square kilometres (128 sq mi) of beach front. The weather is usually sunny and relatively dry, but hurricanes are frequent during summer. 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 Islands
The Turks Islands are separated from the Caicos Islands by Turks Island Passage, which is more than 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) deep,[8] The islands form a chain that goes from north to south.
There are only two inhabited islands, and these are:
Grand Turk. Here is the capital city, Cockburn Town, of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and all government offices are here. There is an international airport.
Salt Cay. It is the second largest of the Turks Islands. The main income used to be salt, but now it is tourism.
Caicos Islands
The inhabited islands of the group are:
North Caicos is the largest island in the country.
Middle Caicos is the second largest island in the country.
South Caicos, or The Big South, is the fishing capital of the country.
Providenciales, or more commonly known as "Provo". In this island is the "Providenciales International Airport" and there are many holiday resorts. A large coral reef is situated to the north of the island.
Turks and Caicos Islands features a relatively dry and sunny marine tropical climate[3] with relatively consistent temperatures throughout the course of the year. The temperature during summer rarely is over 33 °C (91 °F) and during winter rarely is below 18 °C (64 °F).
Climate data for Turks and Caicos Islands : Grand Turk
Eight of the thirty islands in the territory are inhabited, with a total population in 2012 of 31,458: 16,037 males and 15,421 females. The population density is 214 persons per square mile.
↑Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with responsibility for the British Overseas Territories
↑ 2.02.1Different sources give different figures for the Islands' area. The CIA World Factbook gives 430 km2,[3] the Statistics Division of the United Nations says 948 km2,[4] and the Encyclopædia Britannica says "Area at high tide, 238 square miles (616 square km); at low tide, 366 square miles (948 square km)".[5] 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.[6]