Grand Turk Island
Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is the largest island in the Turks Islands with 18 km². Grand Turk contains the territory's capital, Cockburn Town and the JAGS McCartney International Airport. Wikipedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A view of the southwestern beach at Grand Turk, next to the cruise ship dock
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Caribbean |
| Coordinates | 21°28′20″N 71°08′20″W / 21.47222°N 71.13889°W |
| Archipelago | Turks Islands |
| Area | 18 km2 (6.9 sq mi) |
| Country | |
United Kingdom
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| British Overseas Territory |  Turks and Caicos Islands |
| Largest city | Cockburn Town (pop. 3,700) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 3720 |
| Density | 206.67 /km2 (535.27 /sq mi) |
Grand Turk was first colonised in 1681 by Bermudians, who set up the salt industry in the islands.[1] In 1766 it became the capital of the country.
The name comes from a species of cactus on the island, the Turk's Cap Cactus (Melocactus) intortus, which has a distinctive cap, reminiscent of an Ottoman fez.
In 1966 at least five sounding rockets were launched from Grand Turk Island [1]
Columbus Landfall Theory[edit]
It is possibly the landfall island of Christopher Columbus during his discovery of the New World in 1492.[3][4] San Salvador Island or Samana Cay in the Bahamas is traditionally considered the site of Columbus' first landfall, but some believe that studies of Columbus' journals show that his descriptions of Guanahani much more closely fit Grand Turk than they do other candidates.
References[edit]
- Jump up ^ About Grand Turk - Visit Turks and Caicos Islands
- Jump up ^ Turks and Caicos History
- Jump up ^ Dyson, John. Columbus: For Gold, God, and Glory, (Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Madison Press Books, 1991), p. 164-165. ISBN 0-340-48794-1
- Jump up ^ Power, Robert H. (1983). "The Discovery of Columbus's Island Passage to Cuba, October 12–27, 1492". Terrae Incognitae 15: 151–172.
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