North Caicos is the second-largest island in the

Turks and Caicos Islands The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...

(after

Middle Caicos Middle Caicos is the largest island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. To the west, it is separated from North Caicos by Juniper Hole, and to the east, from East Caicos by Lorimer Creek, both narrow passages that can accommodate only small boats. T ...

). To the west, the Caicos Cays (the closest is

Parrot Cay Parrot Cay is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The island contains about of land, a mile-long beach and features a high-end beach resort with 61 rooms. Parrot Cay became a private island resort in 1998. It is located about south east ...

) link to

Providenciales Providenciales (known locally as Provo) is an island in the northwest Caicos Islands, part of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory. The island has an area of and a 2012 Census population of 23,769. Providenciales is the la ...

. To the east, it is separated from

by Juniper Hole, a narrow passage that can accommodate only small boats. A 1600-m (1-mile) causeway connects North Caicos to

Geography

North Caicos has an area of 116.4 km² within the high water mark, and of 207.1 km² within the shoreline. The difference between the two values is not accounted for as land area. Sights on or near the island include Cottage Pond, Wade's Green Plantation, Flamingo Pond Overlook, and the tiny Three Marys Cays (0.64 ha) approximately 20 metres off the northwestern shore. North Caicos is 19 km (12 miles) from

, which offers daily ferry trips to the island. Together with

(4.9 km²), and

Bay Cay A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a nar ...

off the eastern shore (at 12.9 km² the sixth-largest island of the territory) and a few more uninhabited offshore cays, it forms the North Caicos District, with an area of 144.9 km².

Population

The population was 1,312 at the 2012 census.

North Caicos Towns

Bottle Creek

With a population of 907 people, Bottle Creek is the island's main village. It is also the district capital and the home of the island's various government offices, its utility companies and its high school. There are a number of old plantation areas situated along the King's Road between Bottle Creek and the causeway to Middle Caicos.

Whitby

Located between the protected snorkeling area of Three Mary Cays and Horsestable Beach, Whitby is a small seaside village on North Caicos' Northern shore.

Kew

This inland village is one of the oldest towns in the Turks and Caicos. It is known for being the centre of the archipelago's farming community. Kew is also the home of the Wades Green Plantation, a historic tourist site. The village has a population of 234.

Sandy Point

This tiny village is located at the northwestern tip of the island facing Parrot Cay. It hosts the North Caicos Yacht Club. It is the location of Sandy Point Marina, where ferry services from Providenciales arrive and a population of 23.

Education

Raymond Gardiner High School is in Bottle Creek, North Caicos.

Images

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

Visit Turks and Caicos Islands - North Caicos
Caicos Islands Ramsar sites in British Overseas Territories