Turks and Caicos Islands
 
 
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of sub-tropical islands in the West Indies, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The Turks and Caicos Islands are southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas and north of the island of Hispaniola. Cockburn Town, the capital is on Grand Turk Island and is about 1,042 kilometres (647 mi) east-southeast of Miami in the United States, The islands have a total land area of 430 square kilometres (170 sq mi). The islands are geographically contiguous to the Bahamas, but are politically a separate entity.
The Turks and Caicos Islands were discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1512, but were not settled until 1678 when Bermudians arrived to rake salt from the salt ponds. The Spanish drove the British settlers from the island in 1710, during the long War of the Spanish Succession. They returned and throughout the remaining years of the war repulsed repeated attacks by France and Spain. In 1799 the islands were granted representation in the Bahamian assembly, but in 1848, on petition of the inhabitants, they were made a separate colony under Jamaica. They were annexed by Jamaica in 1873 and remained a dependency until 1959 when they became a unit territory of the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation was dissolved in 1962, the Turks and Caicos Islands became a separate Crown Colony. The islands' political troubles in recent years have resulted in a rewritten constitution promulgated in 2006. In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption.
In 1917, the Prime Minister of Canada, Robert Borden first suggested that Canada annex the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1974, Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Max Saltsman introduced a failed attempt at consolidating the islands. The islands have had their own government headed by a chief minister, the first of whom was James Alexander George Smith McCartney, since August 1976. In 1979, a move towards independence was agreed upon in principle for 1982, but a change in government caused a policy reversal, and they instead approached the Canadian government to discuss a possible union, but at the time the Canadian Government was embroiled in a debate over free trade with the U.S., and little attention was paid to the suggestion. For the islands to join Canada as a full province would require an amendment to the Canadian constitution ratified by seven provincial legislatures representing at least half of the national population. This seems to the difficult as a population of about 30,000 people is considered insufficient for provincial status. If such act is done then it will be unfair decision against Canadian territories of Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
 
               12 Oct 1492  Discovered by Columbus and claimed for Spain.
               1678         Turk Islands settled by English salt collectors from Bermuda.
             
 1706 - 1710         Spanish occupation.
        1753 - 1754         French occupation.

               1778         French occupation.
        1783 - 03 Sep 1783  French occupation.
               1783         Caicos Islands settled by British loyalists.
            1799         Both island groups annexed by Britain as part of the Bahamas.
            1848         Separate colony.
            1873         Part of Jamaica.
               04 Jul 1959  Separate colony (Turks and Caicos).
 04 Jul 1959 - 31 May 1962  Part of the Federation of the West Indies under
                             Trinidad and Tobago
               06 Aug 1962  Crown colony.
               1979         Independence agreed upon in principle for 1982, a
change in
                             government causes a policy reversal.
 

 
  • Claimed (but not occupied) by Spain..............12 Oct 1492 - 1678
  • Discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1512.
  • Occupied by salt collectors from Bermuda................1678 - 1783
    • Spain..............................................1706 - 1710
    • France.............................................1753 - 1754
    • France....................................................1778
  • France..................................................1783 - 03 Sep 1783
  • Occupied by displaced British...........................1783 - 1799
  • These British were loyalists coming after the American Revolution.
  • Great Britain...........................................1799 - date
    • Administered from the Bahamas......................1799 - 1848
    • Separate Colony....................................1848 - 1873
    • Administered from the Jamaica......................1873 - 04 Jul 1959
    • Part of West Indies Federation..............04 Jul 1959 - 31 May 1962
    • Separate Colony.............................06 Aug 1962 - 1965
    • Administered from the Jamaica......................1965 - 1973
    • Separate Colony....................................1973 - date
    • Independence was tentatively agreed upon in 1982, but the district could not achieve economic viability, and the territory remains a British possession.
 
Currency: East Caribbean Dollar is used along with U.S. Dollar. East Caribbean Dollar is also pegged to US Dollar. Despite that commemorative coins since 1969 have been produced  for collection purpose. One Crown is equal to One US Dollar.
 

KM#1 1 Crown. Year: 1969. Weight: 28.05g. Metal: Copper-Nickel. Diameter: 38.50 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: British Royal Mint. Obverse: National Arms. Reverse: Young bust right. Mintage: 50,000 + 6,000 Proofs. Minted Years: One year type. Ruler: Elizabeth II [Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor].
KM#63 10 Crowns. Year: 1985. Weight: 23.28g. Metal: 0.925 Silver. Diameter: 38.60 mm. Edge: Reeded. Alignment: Medal. Mint: CNI - Valcambi, Balerna, SA. Obverse: Young bust right. Reverse: Female figure facing holding shell and stylized dove within circle. Mintage: 1,001. Minted Years: One year type. Subject: Decade for Women. Ruler: Elizabeth II [Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor].
 
 
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