Turks and Caicos is famous for a lot of things, most recently as the best place for SUP in the Caribbean, but here are some other fun, little-known facts about our island home:
The Turks & Caicos are actually geographically part of the Bahamas
The Turks & Caicos Islands form the southern tip of the Bahamas chain in the north of the Caribbean region. Their nearest neighbour to the south is the Dominican Republic.
It’s one big giant coral reef…
The islands are low-lying and are basically coral reefs exposed above the sea.
…Disguised as a chain of islands
The name Caicos may derive from ‘caya hico’, a phrase meaning ‘string of islands’ in the language of the indigenous Arawak people.
The Turks and Caicos is for the young
One third of the population is under 15 years old. Only 4% are 65 or older.
Tourists are a big demographic
Each year the islands’ population is outnumbered ten times by tourists who come for the beautiful beaches and ocean resorts.
This is a biodiversity hotspot
You’ll find lizard snakes which look like snakes, but are actually legless lizards.
Cricket is king
The national sport is cricket. Fishing, sailing and soccer are also quite popular.
Igloos in the Caribbean?
The flag of the Turks & Caicos Islands once depicted an igloo. This was caused by a map maker confusing piles of salt with these ice and snow structures.