Karl WP Beyer About 550 miles southeast of Miami / Florida are the islands of the in the Atlantic Ocean Turks and Caicos. Together with Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands and Montserrat, the two archipelagos are the British West Indies assigned.
Only eight of the 40 islands and cays are inhabited. Magnificent beaches, pristine coral reefs and various water sports are the hallmarks of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The area of the islands is only 497 square kilometers, and the population is estimated by the authorities at around 30.000. Just like that Bahamas the islands in the Atlantic are geographically assigned to the Caribbean.
Grand Turk - cruise ship and beach
The islands are British Overseas territory and Crown colony. Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II; it is represented by a governor. On Grand Turk lies with Cockburn Town the main town and administrative center of the entire archipelago. Some historians believe that Christopher Columbus discovered the island during his first voyage in 1492; but this is not proven. Regardless of this, the “Columbus Landfall Marine National Park” nature reserve, which encompasses the entire west coast of Grand Turk, commemorates the discoverer's achievement.
Grand Turk - Historic houses in Cockburn Town
In the south and west of the island are pristine white beaches. To the northeast, on the windward side, the coast is ragged and wild. The interior of the island, overgrown by cacti, looks desolate and in the south-east are the famous Watapana trees, which are curiously curved by the trade winds, which are colloquially called "Divi-Divi". Tourists appreciate the archipelago because the sun shines there on an average of 350 days a year.
The economy and finances of the archipelago stand or fall with tourism. To a lesser extent, fish and seafood are also processed and exported. Offshore financial services are also provided on Grand Turk. Together with other areas of the British Virgin Islands, Grand Turk can be found on an unflattering list of tax havens presented by the EU Commission in 2016.
Grand Turk - Boarding at Carnival
An average of 8.000 cruise ship passengers and crew visit the island each day during the cruise season. The shipping companies have to pay a fee of US $ 30 per passenger and crew member. The island budget is essentially borne by this income generated by the cruise ships. Otherwise, the Turks and Caicos lack an effective tax system. - A curiosity of the British mandate area is that the US dollar is the official currency of the Turks and Caicos.
Grand Turk Beach and Hawkes Nest Salina
We report on what you can do on a day on the island and in Cockburn Town A day on Grand Turk.
