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Turks and Caicos Islands
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dependency of Great Britain (1995 est. pop. 14,000), 166 sq mi (430 sq km), West Indies. There are more than 30 cays and islands, of which only six are inhabited. The islands are geographically a southeastern continuation of the Bahamas. The capital is Jamestown on Grand Turk. Lobster and conch are primary exports; the economic mainstay is offshore banking. There is also an underground economy based on the transportation of illegal narcotic drugs. Tourism is being rapidly developed, especially for scuba diving. The population is largely of African descent. The islands were first visited by Europeans in 1512 when Ponce de León landed there.—continue at Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. (Copyright © 2002-2008 Columbia University Press.)
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Pronunciation:  tûrks; k ´k s, k ´k s from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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