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Cayman Islands
Introduction
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
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 |
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
Population: | 46,600 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2007 est.) |
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 4,746/female 4,730) 15-64 years: 71% (male 16,135/female 16,964) 65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,892/female 2,133) (2007 est.) |
Median age: | total: 37.5 years male: 37.1 years female: 37.9 years (2007 est.) |
Population growth rate: | 2.496% (2007 est.) |
Birth rate: | 12.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Death rate: | 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Net migration rate: | 17.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2007 est.) |
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.887 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Infant mortality rate: | total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 80.2 years male: 77.57 years female: 82.87 years (2007 est.) |
Total fertility rate: | 1.89 children born/woman (2007 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
Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Dependency status: | overseas territory of the UK |
Government type: | British crown colony |
Capital: | name: George Town (on Grand Cayman) geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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); represented by 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; to 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: | United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; note - no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections |
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
Economy - overview: | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. 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 2.1 million in 2003, with about half 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): | $1.939 billion (2004 est.) |
GDP (official exchange rate): | NA |
GDP - real growth rate: | 0.9% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $43,800 (2004 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
Labor force: | 23,450 (2004) |
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 1.4% industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995) |
Unemployment rate: | 4.4% (2004) |
Population below poverty line: | NA% |
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 4.4% (2004) |
Budget: | revenues: $423.8 million expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004) |
Agriculture - products: | vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming |
Industries: | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
Electricity - production: | 400 million kWh (2004) |
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Electricity - consumption: | 372 million kWh (2004) |
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2004) |
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2004) |
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Oil - consumption: | 2,600 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
Oil - exports: | NA bbl/day |
Oil - imports: | NA bbl/day |
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
Exports: | $2.52 million (2004) |
Exports - commodities: | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners: | mostly US (2004) |
Imports: | $866.9 million (2004) |
Imports - commodities: | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners: | US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004) |
Debt - external: | $70 million (1996) |
Economic aid - recipient: | $390,000 (2004) |
Currency (code): | Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
Currency code: | KYD |
Exchange rates: | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.8496 (2006) |
Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
Communications
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: | 8,611 (2006) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 16 (2000) |
Internet users: | 9,909 (2003) |
Transportation
Airports: | 3 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
Roadways: | total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2002) |
Merchant marine: | total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 DWT by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006) |
Ports and terminals: | Cayman Brac, George Town |
Military
Military branches: | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force |
Manpower available for military service: | males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.) |
Manpower fit for military service: | males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.) |
Manpower reaching military service age annually: | males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.) |
Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: | none |
Illicit drugs: | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe |