from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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 19 30 N, 80 30 W
coordinates:
Map Central America and the Caribbean
references:
Area: total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 160 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
resources:
Land use: arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural hurricanes (July to November)
hazards:
Environment - no natural fresh water resources; drinking water
current supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
issues:
Geography - important location between Cuba and Central America
note:
People
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 2.56% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population
rate: 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 total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 80.07 years
expectancy at male: 77.45 years
birth: female: 82.74 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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 overseas territory of the UK
status:
Government British crown colony
type:
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 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot
divisions: Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National Constitution Day, first Monday in July
holiday:
Constitution: 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994
Legal system: British common law and local statutes
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
branch: 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 unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 appointed
branch: 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 Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of
branch: Appeal
Political no national teams (loose groupings of political
parties and organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections;
leaders: United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH];
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt
TIBBETTS]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,
organization UNESCO (associate), UPU
participation:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of the UK)
representation
from the US:
Flag blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
description: 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 - With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving
overview: 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 $1.939 billion (2004 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official NA
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 0.9% (2004 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $43,800 (2004 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 1.4%
composition by industry: 3.2%
sector: services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 23,450 (2004)
Labor force - agriculture: 1.4%
by occupation: industry: 12.6%
services: 86% (1995)
Unemployment 4.4% (2004)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 4.4% (2004)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997)
Agriculture - vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
products:
Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction,
construction materials, furniture
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 441.9 million kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 411 million kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003)
production:
Oil - 2,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Exports: $2.52 million (2004)
Exports - turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
commodities:
Exports - mostly US (2004)
partners:
Imports: $866.9 million (2004)
Imports - foodstuffs, manufactured goods
commodities:
Imports - US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)
partners:
Debt - $70 million (1996)
external:
Economic aid - $390,000 $NA
recipient:
Currency Caymanian dollar (KYD)
(code):
Currency code: KYD
Exchange Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October
rates: 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications
Telephones - 38,000 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 17,000 (2002)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: reasonably good system
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 AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 36,000 (1997)
Television 4 with cable system (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 7,000 (1997)
Internet .ky
country code:
Internet 8,611 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 16 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 9,909 (2003)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 3 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)
runways:
Airports - total: 1
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Roadways: total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2002)
Merchant total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/
marine: 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 Cayman Brac, George Town
terminals:
Military
Military no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police
branches: Force
Manpower males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.)
available for
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.)
for military
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)
reaching
military
service age
annually:
Military - defense is the responsibility of the UK
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international:
Illicit drugs: offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug
transshipment to the US and Europe