Turks & Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI) 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. The Turks and Caicos Islands are situated in the southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas and north of the island of Hispaniola. Cockburn Town, the capital, is about 1,042 kilometres (647 mi) east-southeast of Miami. 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. While there are some 40 plus islands and cays that make up the Turks & Caicos Islands, only eight islands are inhabited by people.
History
Turks and Caicos Islands, specifically the island of Grand Turk is said to be the first landfall made by Christopher Columbus during his exploration in 1492. The indigenous people that were found living on the islands were the Arawaks and Lucayans or what is commonly referred to as “West Indians”. Subsequently, during the time of the British Empire and trans-atlantic slave trade, West Africans were brought the islands to grow cotton and produce salt. At one point, The Turks and Caicos Islands were the second largest producer of salt in the world. Evidence of this can still be found on the islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
The Turks & Caicos natives are called “Turks and Caicos Islanders” and are predominantly descendants of the freed west African slaves that settled here following the abolishing of slavery in the British Empire. The settlement of Bambarra on the island of Middle Caicos is evidence of this history as its name derives from the Bambara or Bamana tribe, one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The total population of the TCI is approximately 45,000, in which the majority of residents live on the island of Providenciales.
The indigenous local population mixes harmoniously with the large non local community comprising of British, American, French, Canadian, Haitian, Jamaican, Dominican and Filipino residents along with various other nationalities, giving the country an international influence and unique culture.
Economy
The Turks and Caicos Islands is known from its world renowned beaches, specifically the famous Grace Bay beach which has been voted worlds #1 beach by Tripadvisor multiple times, retaining the prestigious title for 2022. Tourism is the main driver of the economy making up nearly 80% of its GDP. The TCI also has a successful real estate and construction sector and a growing financial services sector, in which the three make up the majority of the remainder of the country’s GDP.
Muslims living in TCI
There are an estimated 60 Muslims living in TCI. The Muslim brothers and sisters living and working in TCI are from diverse backgrounds around the world with several from all corners of the African continent, the Middle East, Indonesia, Malaysia as well as local and non-local reverts. Since Ramadan of 2009, Jummah prayers were initially established every Friday at one of the Muslim’s home. In 2021, a space was offered by one of the brothers upstairs his business premises to be used as a masjid.
The TCI Muslim Asscociation is a registered non-profit entity in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the brothers and sisters who reside in the country have committed themselves to practicing Islam within the country.