Turks & Caicos Islands profile

Demography and Health

The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) have a small, tightly knit population that stood at 46,535 in 2024. In 2023, the crude birth rate was 10.7 per 1,000 people and the crude death rate was 7.4 per 1,000, producing a modest natural increase of about 3.3 births per 1,000 people. Life expectancy at birth is 78 years, indicating relatively strong health outcomes for a small island economy. The under-5 mortality rate is 5.6 per 1,000 live births, which reflects decent child health and access to basic health services, while still offering room for continued improvements in maternal and child care. Population growth is shaped not only by natural increase but also by migration: net migration in 2024 was modestly positive at 176 people, suggesting that the territory continues to attract workers or residents in services, construction, and related sectors. With a small population base, even small shifts in birth rates or migration can meaningfully affect labor supply, housing demand, and public service provision. Overall, TCIs demography shows a transition toward an aging-leaning profile with strong health indicators, a stable life expectancy, and modest population growth driven by migration as much as natural increase.

Economy

The economy of Turks and Caicos is characterized by high per-capita income, with GDP per capita (current US$) at 37,507 in 2024 and GDP per capita (PPP) at 37,954 international dollars. This points to a prosperous standard of living driven by services, particularly tourism, plus real estate and financial services. The small population amplifies the impact of high-value service sectors on overall national income, meaning that even a limited arrival of tourists or investors can have outsized effects on growth and government revenues. Foreign direct investment net inflows, measured as a share of GDP, were 1.99% in 2023, signaling a willingness of external capital to support the economy, albeit at a modest scale given the territory’s size. The energy picture suggests economic vulnerability: renewable energy accounted for only 0.8% of total final energy consumption in 2022, indicating heavy reliance on imported fuels and exposure to energy price volatility—an important consideration for cost of living and business operating costs in a tourism-heavy economy. While per-capita metrics imply affluence, the economy’s small scale and tourism concentration also imply sensitivity to global travel cycles, climate events, and external shocks. Diversification into higher-value services, resilience measures, and energy resilience could bolster long-term prosperity and stability.

Trade and Investment

Investment dynamics in Turks and Caicos show a modest but meaningful openness to foreign capital, with net foreign direct investment inflows at 1.99% of GDP in 2023. For a small, service-dominated economy, such FDI typically supports hospitality development, real estate, and infrastructure that underpin tourism and quality of life. The international orientation suggested by FDI inflows is consistent with TCIs reliance on external connectivity—air, sea, and digital networks—to sustain high-value services and mobility. The data imply a policy environment that can attract selective external capital while managing open market status with prudent regulation to preserve ecological and social standards. The absence of detailed trade-mocca metrics (exports, imports, trade balance) in the dataset limits a full assessment of trade structure, but the reliance on tourism and services strongly points toward import-intensive consumption and capital goods rather than heavy export-led activity. The combination of positive investment inflows and a robust per-capita income signals a favorable, if small-scale, integration into regional and global trade and finance networks.

Governance and Institutions

The dataset does not include explicit governance indicators (such as control of corruption, rule of law, government effectiveness, or ease of doing business). However, the observed macro patterns—positive net migration, solid GDP per capita, and a measurable level of FDI inflows—suggest a governance framework capable of delivering stable policy signals and a predictable business environment that can attract and allocate private capital. As a British Overseas Territory with a degree of local governance, TCIs institutions likely emphasize regulatory transparency, financial services integrity, and tourism-sustainable planning. Yet the absence of governance-specific metrics in the data means a cautious interpretation: a complete appraisal would require indicators on public financial management, transparency, public service delivery, disaster risk governance, and environmental regulation. Going forward, Policymakers could benefit from tracking governance-focused indicators to ensure that rising investment and population pressures are managed with strong institutions and accountability.

Infrastructure and Technology

The infrastructure and technology profile of Turks and Caicos reflects a high-value service economy with notable vulnerabilities. A standout stat is renewable energy consumption, which accounted for just 0.8% of total final energy consumption in 2022. This highlights a heavy reliance on imports for energy and suggests opportunities to improve energy security, reduce import costs, and cut emissions through renewables like solar or wind. For a tourism-centric economy, energy costs directly affect hospitality operations, transportation, and overall competitiveness. Infrastructural needs extend beyond energy to housing, water supply, waste management, and transport networks that sustain both residents and a steady stream of visitors. While the data do not provide explicit measures of digital infrastructure, the service economy implies a continued push toward high-quality ICT, broadband access, and e-government services to enhance customer experiences, streamline regulatory processes, and support remote work and digital health initiatives. Investments in climate-resilient infrastructure—coastal defenses, drainage, building standards, and disaster preparedness—are particularly pertinent given the island setting and exposure to severe weather events.

Environment and Sustainability

Environmental indicators show a small but meaningful footprint in per-capita greenhouse gas emissions: 2.39 t CO2e per person (excluding LULUCF) in 2023. While this level is modest by global standards, it reflects a heavy dependence on imported energy and a service-driven economy with transportation and construction activity. The very low renewable energy share (0.8% of total final energy consumption in 2022) signals substantial decarbonization potential. Pursuing an energy transition toward solar, wind, and other renewables would not only cut greenhouse gas intensity but also reduce exposure to fossil fuel price swings, lower import bills, and improve long-term energy security for tourism hubs and residents alike. The island setting also makes climate resilience a central concern: sea-level rise, extreme weather, and ecosystem degradation threaten critical assets such as beaches, coral reefs, and freshwater resources. Proactive policy can align decarbonization with adaptation—investing in resilient infrastructure, protecting coastal ecosystems, and promoting sustainable tourism practices that preserve natural capital while supporting a high standard of living. In sum, TCIs environmental data point to a path where strengthening energy security and embracing sustainable development are central to maintaining ecological integrity and economic vitality in a small island state.