The Colony of the Turks and the Calico Islands, a British colony situated in the West Indies at the eastern end of the Bahama Islands, has an area of 166 sq. mi. (430 sq. km.) and a population of 10,000. Capital: Cockburn Town, on the Grand Turk. The principal industry of the colony is the production of salt, which is gathered by raking. Salt, crayfish and conch shells are exported. ,The Turks and Calico Islands were discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1512, but were not settled until 1678 when Bermudians arrived to rake sat from the salt ponds. The British settlers were derived from the island by the Spanish in 1710, during the long war of the Spanish Succession. They returned and throughout the remaining years 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 Calicos Islands became a separate Crown Colony with its economy based on the U.S.A. dollar which is currently in circulation. ,, Rulers:,,, ,British,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Shilling = 12 Pence,, ,1 Pound = 20 Shillings to 1971,, ,1 Dollar (U.S.A.) = 100 Cents,,