e financial services
Agriculture:
subsistence farming prevails, based on corn and beans; fishing more
important than farming; not self-sufficient in food
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $110 million
Currency:
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
calendar year

@Turks and Caicos Islands, Communications

Highways:
total:
121 km (including 24 km tarmac)
paved:
NA
unpaved:
NA
Ports:
Grand Turk, Salt Cay, Providenciales, Cockburn Harbour
Airports:
total:
7
usable:
7
with permanent-surface runways:
4
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
4
Telecommunications:
fair cable and radio services; 1,446 telephones; broadcast stations -
3 AM, no FM, several TV; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT
earth station

@Turks and Caicos Islands, Defense Forces

Note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK

@Tuvalu, Geography

Location:
Oceania, Polynesia, 3,000 km east of Papua New Guinea in the South
Pacific Ocean
Map references:
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
26 sq km
land area:
26 sq km
comparative area:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
24 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);
westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)
Terrain:
very low-lying and narrow coral atolls
Natural resources:
fish
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
100%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not potable,
all water needs must be met by catchment systems with storage
facilities
natural hazards:
severe tropical storms are rare
international agreements:
party to - Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

@Tuvalu, People

Population:
9,831 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.66% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
25.73 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
9.15