Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 3,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: fair cable and radiotelephone
services

domestic: NA

international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (one inactive), FM 6, shortwave 0
(1998)

Radios: 8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are
received; cable television is established) (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 14 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Turks and Caicos Islands Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 121 km

paved: 24 km

unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Grand Turk, Providenciales

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Airports: 8 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 2

under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Turks and Caicos Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics
destined for the US and Europe

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@Tuvalu

Tuvalu Introduction

Background: In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of
the Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Tuvalu Geography

Location: Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in
the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
Australia

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total: 26 sq km

land: 26 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative: 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 24 km

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

terr