Turks And Caicos Facts: A Group Of 40 Low-Lying Coral Islands

When you imagine a Caribbean holiday with your family, the first place that comes to your mind is the Turks and Caicos Islands.

These islands are among the Caribbean's most picturesque, and their closeness to the United States makes them a popular vacation choice for the people. The Turks and Caicos Islands are also close to popular tourist destinations like the Bahamas' islands.

Grace Bay Beach and Sandy Beaches Point are some of the most beautiful beaches. You can see a variety of brilliant coral, tropical fish, turtles, dolphins, and much more. This island is home to the world's third-largest barrier reef, which is a major draw for divers from all over the world.

So, sit back, and enjoy these intriguing and fun facts about the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Government And Society

These first inhabitants appear to have arrived from neighboring Caribbean islands around 750 AD. The Turks and Caicos Islands were initially claimed by Europe, but in the end, the British took control over the islands.

The Spanish, French, and Britishers all had control over the Turks and Caicos Islands over the last 300 years. The Turks and Caicos Islands were uninhabited, devalued, and had little mineral richness, but the European powers fought over their control. In the end, The Britishers gained control over the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Tainos, sometimes known as 'Lucayans,' were the first recorded occupants of the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1513, The Molasses Reef Wreck was once assumed to be Christopher Columbus's ship Pinta, however, this was later revealed to be false. The National Museum on Grand Turk houses antiquities from the shipwreck.

In an attempt to reclaim the island from the French, Horatio Nelson was deployed on Grand Turk and experienced the loss. The French took Grand Turk on February 12, 1783, and left a military there. An igloo was originally shown on the Turks and Caicos flag! A mapmaker in England mistook salt dunes for the ice formation on a draught drawing received from the Turks and Caicos Islands. The flag was used for over 100 years.

Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Jamaica administered the islands indirectly for many years. The Bahamas obtained their governor when they earned independence, and they have been an autonomous territory since 1973. The Constitution appoints a governor who takes charge of foreign relations, domestic security, public officer nominations, defense, as well as representing the British monarch as leader of the country.

The governor appoints a premier, the deputy governor, the attorney general, and some other ministers. The House of Assembly is a senate legislature consisting of 21 members: 15 who are appointed without any voting, four members are appointed by voting, one attorney general, and the speaker is chosen by the legislature. The speaker is a prominent member of the legislature who is not a cabinet member. Children up to the age of 17 are required to attend school. In government schools, the primary tuition is given for free.

Associate's degrees in technical and vocational education are available in the Grand Turk community institution which also has a campus in Providenciales. Students from the islands can go and study in the University of the West Indies' campuses. Grand Turk hospital and several other hospitals on the islands have health care centers. Around 87% of the population of Turks and Caicos are African.

The islands' official language is English, with Christian as the majority population. Thousands of islanders in pursuit of work fled to The Bahamas and the United States, mainly throughout the '60s and '70s, but with the return of relative prosperity, many expatriates have returned.

Providenciales has experienced substantial population growth since the '80s, thanks in part to the expanding tourism business, which has attracted migrants from all over the Caribbean, especially Haiti.

Economy

The rise of tourism and offshore finance has been a major contributor to the Turks and Caicos Islands' rapidly growing prosperity.

The Turks and Caicos Islands government doesn't enforce a personal or corporate income tax system. The government encourages the expansion of international financial services like insurance, banking, and investment companies. Agriculture is limited on the islands, but some crops are still grown here, like corn, cassava, and some fruit varieties.

Many acres of land are undeveloped, and beef cattle graze in a variety of tough, uneven terrain. The Turks and Caicos cuisine are primarily based around seafood, especially conch shell. The two most common dishes on the islands are conch fritters and conch salad.

Boatbuilding and fishing for spiny lobster, jack, snapper, conch, and other marine life are conventional occupations. The lobster and the conch shell are exported, but the majority of food and other necessities are imported. Before the arrival of the Europeans, the Turks and Caicos Islands exported salt. Natural sea salt is accumulated in several places across the country.

Local Tainos took advantage of this by bartering harvested salt for honey, fruit, and vegetables with Hispaniolan inhabitants.

Tourism

Tourism is one of the islands' most important sources of revenue, with the majority of visitors arriving by ship from the United States.

South Caicos, North Caicos, East Caicos, Middle Caicos, West Caicos, and Providenciales are the six main island groups. The Turks and Caicos islands also comprise some of the main islands such as Parrot Cay, Pine Cay, Fish Cays, Donna cay, Seal Cays, and many more. East and Middle Caicos, according to anthropologist Theodore de Booy, had the biggest numbers of Tainos in the entire Bahamas–Turks and Caicos archipelago.

On Molasses Reef off the coast of West Caicos, the first archaeological European shipwreck ruins in the Americas were discovered. There are caves structures under the ocean in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the Turks and Caicos Islands' Salt Ponds, there is nearly 80 mi (130 km) of handcrafted dividing walls. The dividing walls were built to divide the preexisting shallow ponds on Grand Turk, South Caicos, and Salt Cay so that seawater could be evaporated efficiently for salt extraction.

Christopher Columbus' first landfall in America is almost inevitable on Grand Turk, which is one of the three best plausible locations. Grand Turk, together with Watling Island, which was later known as San Salvador and Samana Cay in the Bahamas region, matches the hazy accounts given by the historic voyage's sailors. The two challengers for the highest altitude in the Turks and Caicos Islands are Blue Mountain on Providenciales and Flamingo Hill in the East Caicos region.

Skeletal remains discovered in caves on the islands while looking for bat guano revealed the presence of gigantic tortoises, giant iguanas, and probably crocodiles. The islands collectively comprise a huge area of land covered of protected nature reserves, national parks, and historical sites, thanks in large part to the enormous Ramsar conservation site off the south coast of North, East, and Middle Caicos islands. This translates to around 44% of the country's total land area.

A virtually intact canoe paddle, one of the greatest still-surviving artifacts of the Taino aborigine tribe, was discovered when it became trapped in a boat shaft.

Salt Cay is the island to visit if you want to observe whales migrating through the Turk's Head Passage on their way south to Silver Banks. You may hire a whale watching boat or simply stand up high on a coastal hill to witness the magic.

The Turks and Caicos islands have been featured in several films and television programs, including 'Paradise Virus' (Grand Turk), 'Life's a Beach,' 2012 filmed at Grace Bay, 'Turks and Caicos,' 2014, filmed at Blue Hills and Amanyara Resort. In terms of music, the Turks and Caicos Islands are most known for ripsaw music, a genre that evolved on the islands. The yearly Music and Cultural Festivals on the Turks and Caicos Islands are well-known. Several music legends from the Caribbean and the United States have performed on the islands.

Although cricket is named the national sport of the island, other games such as football and sailing are more popular. At the International Olympic Committee-recognized Olympics, Turks and Caicos Islanders play for Great Britain.

Conclusion

Turks and Caicos have grown in popularity as a result of multiple non-stop flights from both Canada and the United States. These sunny islands have earned their reputation for lovely beaches, friendly residents, and incredible scuba diving.

 FAQs

Why are Turks and Caicos called so?

The term 'Turks' came to be associated with the Islamic invaders that looted ships in the Mediterranean region. This was paired with a variant of the Lucayan phrase 'cayo hico,' which means 'string of islands,' by early mapmakers. They acted as a warning to stay away from the pirate islands.

What are Turks known for?

The Turkish people are hospitable and friendly. hey are welcoming and generous, and it will be an honor for them to host you and look after you because you are known as 'Misafer,' a treasured visitor.

What country are Turks and Caicos in?

The Turks and Caicos Islands are located around 600 mi (965 km) southeast of Miami, Florida. The island is wedged between the Bahamas and Hispaniola.

Is Grand Turk a U.S. territory?

No, Grand Turk is a British Overseas Territory situated between the Bahamas as well as the Dominican Republic in the tropical Atlantic Ocean.

What is the currency of Turks and Caicos?

The currency of Turks and Caicos is U.S. Dollars.

Where should you stay in Turks and Caicos?

Grace Bay is the best area to stay in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The best hotels and beautiful resorts may be found on the beach, which spans 4 mi (6.5 km).

What should you pack for Turks and Caicos?

It's ideal to wear smart casual clothing made of natural fibers that are lightweight. Wearing a sweater or shawl is a good idea to keep in your bag. T-shirts, camisoles, sarongs, shorts, and swimwear are all daytime beach requirements. Wear plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

When is hurricane season in Turks and Caicos?

The Caribbean hurricane season begins around June 1 every year. The Hurricane season ends by November 30.

Can you fly to Turks and Caicos?

The major point of entry into Turks and Caicos is on Providenciales, however, there are also airports on Grand Turk, North Caicos, and South Caicos.