What is Turks and Caicos?

Turks and Caicos is a series of tropical islands and cays in the Caribbean. The islands are an excellent vacation destination for families, honeymooners, or those simply wishing for a unique getaway, and offer incredible investment opportunities for home buyers as property values continue to increase.The Turks and Caicos Islands, often abbreviated “TCI,” actually consist of two different island groups: larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks and Islands. Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory. The islands are located in the Bahamas island chain. The Turks and Caicos are comprised of eight large cays (pronounced “keys”), smaller cays, islets, reefs, banks and 40 islands. Only six of the islands are currently inhabited and of the eight main cays, only two are inhabited. The principal islands are North Caicos, East Caicos, Middle Caicos (also called Grand Caicos), South Caicos, West Caicos and Providenciales (commonly called Provo). The majority of the population lives on South Caicos, Provo and Grand Turk.

The name Turks was inspired by an indigenous cactus called the Turk’s Head (Melocactus intortus). The cactus has a scarlet top that looks like a fez. Caicos may be derived from the indigenous Lucayan phrase caya hico, which means “string of islands.”

The white sandy beaches and bright turquoise waters have made Turks and Caicos a destination for vacationers and homeowners alike. Glamorous beaches like Grace Bay on Providenciales and Mudjin Harbor on Middle Caicos are frequently photographed and considered world-famous. In fact, Grace Bay Beach is regularly voted one of the world’s top beaches and vacation destinations and was named “One of the best tropical beaches in the world” by Conde Nast’s Traveler magazine.

There are over 30,000 residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Local natives are known as “belongers” and much of the population consists of expatriates and immigrants from nearby islands like the Bahamas. English is the official language, and the country operates under the US dollar.

As a British Overseas Territory, Turks and Caicos is under the rule of Queen Elizabeth II and the British monarchy. The country does have its own constitution and a governor, appointed by the monarch, who is responsible for internal and foreign affairs, security, defense and appointing public officers.

The tropical weather in the Turks and Caicos is relatively consistent, with temperatures remaining about the same throughout the year. While the temperature can occasionally reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer months, the temperature averages between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round. The climate is relatively dry, so humidity is low.