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| Cayman Islands |

Introduction | Cayman Islands

Background: | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Geography | Cayman Islands

Location: | Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
Geographic coordinates: | 19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references: | Central America and the Caribbean
Area: | total: 262 sq km land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 160 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
Terrain: | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources: | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use: | arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land: | NA sq km
Natural hazards: | hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues: | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
Geography - note: | important location between Cuba and Central America

People | Cayman Islands

Population: | 45,436 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700) 15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 37.2 years male: 36.8 years female: 37.5 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.56% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | 17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.07 years male: 77.45 years female: 82.74 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups: | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Religions: | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages: | English
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government | Cayman Islands

Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK
Government type: | British crown colony
Capital: | George Town (Grand Cayman)
Administrative divisions: | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: | Constitution Day, first Monday in July
Constitution: | 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994
Legal system: | British common law and local statutes
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business

Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1
Judicial branch: | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: | no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of the UK)
Flag description: | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy | Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

GDP (purchasing power parity): | $1.391 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | NA
GDP - real growth rate: | 1.7% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $32,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force: | 19,820 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)
Unemployment rate: | 4.1% (1997)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.8% (2002)
Budget: | revenues: $265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)
Agriculture - products: | vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries: | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 441.9 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 411 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2003)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2003)
Oil - consumption: | 2,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2003 est.)
Exports: | $1.2 million (1999)
Exports - commodities: | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Exports - partners: | mostly US (2004)
Imports: | $457.4 million (1999)
Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)
Debt - external: | $70 million (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: | $NA
Currency (code): | Caymanian dollar (KYD)
Currency code: | KYD
Exchange rates: | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March

Communications | Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use: | 38,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 17,000 (2002)
Telephone system: | general assessment: reasonably good system domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios: | 36,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 4 with cable system (2004)
Televisions: | 7,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .ky
Internet hosts: | 5,069 (2005)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 16 (2000)
Internet users: | 9,909 (2003)

Transportation | Cayman Islands

Airports: | 3 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)
Roadways: | total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2002)

Merchant marine:

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,667,086 GRT/4,255,739 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 14, chemical tanker 38, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 26, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 130 (Bermuda 2, Denmark 13, Germany 14, Greece 22, Italy 11, Malaysia 1, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Poland 1, Sweden 12, UK 9, US 42) (2005)

Ports and terminals: | Cayman Brac, George Town

Military | Cayman Islands

Military branches: | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force
Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues | Cayman Islands

Disputes - international: | none
Illicit drugs: | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006