Cayman Islands Online Business Administration. Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Cayman Islands
Online Business Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Capital City: George Town

Internet Links

Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce

Cayman Islands Information

Cayman Islands

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Destination Cayman

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Introduction

Cayman Islands

Background: The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863,
they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became
independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of
the way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 262 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 160 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)

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: 36,273 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 3,836; female 4,156) 15-64 years:
69.7% (male 12,335; female 12,929) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,399;
female 1,618) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.03% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 13.45 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major
destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.92
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 9.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 81.59 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2002 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: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population:
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

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 1972 and 1992

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 Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002) elections: none;
the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch head
of government: (three members appointed by the governor, four members
elected by the Legislative Assembly)

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three
appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular
vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 8 November 2000
(next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote -
NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court
of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: there are no formal political parties but
the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National
Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader
NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (observer), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate)

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 on a white disk 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 - $1.18 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2000)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $30,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services:
95.4% (1994 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000)

Labor force: 19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services
86% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 4.1% (1997)

Budget: revenues: $265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction,
construction materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 355 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 330.15 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Exports: $1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners: mostly US

Imports: $457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles,
Japan

Debt - external: $70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient: $NA

Currency: 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: 19,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,534 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: 1
submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 with cable system

Televisions: 7,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Cayman Islands

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine: total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,034,181
GRT/3,191,597 DWT ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 4, chemical tanker
34, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated
cargo 40, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some
foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bahrain 2,
China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3, Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14,
Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United States 35 (2002 est.)

Airports: 3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman
Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment
to the US and Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002