General Information
- Name: Turks & Caicos Islands (kay-kos)
- Language: English
- Capital: Cockburn Town, Grand Turk
- Population: Approximately 25,000 people dispersed over eight inhabited islands
- Primary Islands: Grand Turk 7sq miles and Providenciales 37.5sq miles
- Geography: Comprised of 40 islands and cays over 193sq miles and a 22 mile passage, the Caicos Islands fall to the west and the Turks Islands to the east, 575 miles south of Miami, 39 miles south of the Bahamas and north of the Caribbean Sea.
- Airports: Grand Turk, Providenciales, South Caicos. Departure tax of $15 for visitors over the age of 12 years, normally included in air ticket travel.
- Air Travel: 75 minutes from Miami, less than 3 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, 3 hours from New York and 3.5 hours from Boston. Easily accessible from the US, UK, Canada, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Haiti. Islands are only 10-25 minutes by air from Provo and also reachable by boat. Ferries run from North to Middle Caicos.
- Airlines: American Airlines, US Airways, Delta Airlines, Air Canada and British Airways offer direct routes from Miami, New York, Boston, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Toronto and London. BahamasAir, Air Jamaica Express, SkyKing and Air Turks & Caicos from Nassau, Montego Bay, Puerto Plata, Cap Haitien or Cuba.
- Industry: Tourism, fishing (spiny lobster, conch) and offshore financial services.
- Tax: There is no income, capital, inheritance or general sales taxes. There are some taxes on tourism.
- Government: The legal system is based on British common law with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica and the Bahamas.
- Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time. Time zone 4 hours behind GMT
- Temperature: Average 75°-85°F (24°-29°C) November-May. Up to high 90°F (30°C) June-October. Average year-round temperature 83°F (28°C).
- Climate: Sub-tropical. Annual rainfall of 21 inches. Hurricane season is June-October.
- Visibility: Underwater visibility of 200feet.
- Beach: 230 miles of white, powdery beaches. Grace Bay Beach voted World's #1 Beach by Conde Nast Traveler has a 12 mile (19-km) stretch.
- Sports: Provo Golf and Country Club.
- Recreation: Snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, boating, swimming. Motorized sports such as waterskiing, jet skiing, boating adventures, and parasailing. Land activities include shopping, eco tours, tennis, cycling, horseback riding and whale watching.
