Turks and Caicos Guide

Part of the West Indies and an hour-long flight from Miami, this British Overseas Territory consists of two groups of Caribbean islands southeast of the Bahamas. While more than 40 islands make up the territory, only eight are inhabited; these include Grand Turk, the historical and political capital island, and Providenciales, the most popular vacation destination of the islands and referred to locally as Provo. Virtually undiscovered by tourists, Turks & Caicos is an out-of-the-way spot that not only offers some of the best diving and snorkeling in Caribbean due to the abundance of coral reefs and underwater scenery, but it is also home to Grace Bay Beach, which Condé Nast Traveler recently recognized as the world's best beach.

Capital
Grank Turk

Official Language
English 

Politics
Turks & Caicos has been a British Overseas Territory since 1670 and, as such, a queen-appointed governor represents the British government and presides over an Executive Council formed by an elected local government. The territory's legal system is based on English common law, and government offices are based in Grand Turk, although there are branches on other islands as well.

Population
Approximately 35,000 - Most of the officially registered citizens of Turks & Caicos (known as "Belongers") are descendants of African slaves who worked cotton plantations and salt mines. Americans, Canadians, British, and French make up the majority of the large expatriate population. Recently, the population has grown dramatically, primarily due to an influx of Haitian immigrants.

Industry
As with many other Caribbean islands, tourism drives the economy of Turks & Caicos. Other industries that impact the economy include real estate development, offshore financial services, and fishing. 

Money
The U.S. dollar is official currency of Turks & Caicos. The two main banks on Turks & Caicos, FirstCaribbean and Scotiabank, both have branches with ATM machines on Grand Turk and Providenciales. Bank hours vary, but generally branches on the island are open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m and Friday from 9:00 a.m to 4:30 p.m. Most major businesses, hotels, and restaurants accept major credit cards and travelers' checks.

Electricity
110 Volts alternating at 60 cycles per second (Travelers will not need converters to use American-made appliances.)

Time
The Turks & Caicos islands are in the Eastern time zone, five hours behind Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight savings time is observed from April to October. 

Water
On many of the islands in Turks & Caicos, water is a limited resource, leaving locals to rely on rainfall and desalinated water, an expensive commodity. So, while one can safely drink the tap water, bottled water is available throughout the islands and recommended as a conservation alternative.

Religion
The people of Turks & Caicos are predominantly of the Christian faith; some of the more popular denominations include Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Seventh Day Adventist, and Church of God.

Telephone Calls
The country code for Turks & Caicos is 649. Prepaid calling cards are available from Cable & Wireless (C&W), which provides local and international service on the islands. Most major credit cards can also be used to make calls at public pay phones. C&W and Digicel offer roaming service for mobile phones. 

Media
Turks and Caicos Free Press, a weekly publication, is the most respected newspaper in Turks & Caicos. The Turks & Caicos Weekly News and Turks & Caicos Press are two other newspapers published weekly. A local magazine published on a quarterly-basis, Times of the Islands is self-described as "for people who have more than a casual interest in the Turks and Caicos" and covers natural history as well as the culture and heritage of Turks & Caicos among other subjects. Where, Where, How is a monthly visitor destination guide available free of charge. Satellite service on the islands makes 34 channels available on Providenciales and 21 on Grand Turk.

Postal Service
Generally open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., post offices are located on all inhabited islands in Turks & Caicos. Airmail to the United States and Canada generally takes one to two weeks to reach its destination, while mail addressed to the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe may take up to three weeks. Courier services are also available.

Library
Five public libraries are scattered throughout the Turks and Caicos islands. Victoria Public Library, the central branch located in Grand Turk, is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Providenciales also has a branch, open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Turks and Caicos Guide

About Turks and Caicos

Part of the West Indies and an hour-long flight from Miami, this British Overseas Territory consists of two groups of Caribbean islands southeast of the… more

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