Cayman Islands

§1. 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.

§2. Cayman Islands 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 km²
  land: 262 km²
  water: 0 km²

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 km²

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

§3. Cayman Islands 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 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.)

§4. Cayman Islands 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:
  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

§5. Cayman Islands Economy

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 - 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 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (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)

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

§6. Cayman Islands 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)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 with cable system (2004)

Internet country code:
  .ky

Internet hosts:
  5,069 (2005)

Internet users:
  9,909 (2003)

§7. Cayman Islands Transportation

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

§8. Cayman Islands Military

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

§9. Cayman Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and
  Europe


<Factbook 2006>
