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. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center.
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
19 30 N, 80 30 W
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 264 sq km
land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
160 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff on Cayman Brac 43 m
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
agricultural land: 11.2%
arable land 0.8%; permanent crops 2.1%; permanent pasture 8.3%
forest: 52.9%
other: 35.9% (2011 est.)
NA
hurricanes (July to November)
no natural freshwater resources; drinking water supplies are met by reverse osmosis desalination plants
important location between Cuba and Central America
2.05% (2016 est.)
57,268 (July 2013 est.)
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2016 est.)
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
English (official) 90.9%, Spanish 4%, Filipino 3.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Protestant 67.8% (includes Church of God 22.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.4%, Presbyterian/United Church 8.6%, Baptist 8.3%,Pentecostal 7.1%, non-denominational 5.3%, Anglican 4.1%, Wesleyan Holiness 2.4%), Roman Catholic 14.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other 7%, none 9.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)
0-14 years: 18.13% (male 5,226/female 5,154)
15-24 years: 12.59% (male 3,577/female 3,635)
25-54 years: 43% (male 12,010/female 12,615)
55-64 years: 14.22% (male 3,872/female 4,272)
65 years and over: 12.06% (male 3,231/female 3,676) (2016 est.)
total: 39.9 years
male: 39.2 years
female: 40.5 years (2016 est.)
12.1 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
14.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2016 est.)
majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman
urban population: 100% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.54% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
GEORGE TOWN (capital) 31,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
total: 6 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 81.2 years
male: 78.5 years
female: 84 years (2016 est.)
1.85 children born/woman (2016 est.)
improved:
urban: 97.4% of population
rural: NA
total: 97.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.6% of population
rural: NA
total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 95.6% of population
total: 95.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 4.4% of population
total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
NA
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 99% (2007 est.)
total: 24.2%
male: 32%
female: 16.6% (2013 est.)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
etymology: the islands' name comes from the native Carib word "caiman," describing the marine crocodiles living there
overseas territory of the UK
parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK
name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W
time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: a decision has been made to introduce DST in the archipelago for the first time beginning in 2016; a date for implementation is pending, though it seems likely it will match the date used in the US and Canada
6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Constitution Day, first Monday in July
several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009) (2016)
English common law and local statutes
see United Kingdom
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Helen KILPATRICK (since 6 September 2013)
head of government: Premier Alden MCLAUGHLIN (since 29 May 2013)
cabinet: The Cabinet (6 members selected from the Legislative Assembly and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier)
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed premier by the governor
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 members directly elected by majority vote and 2 ex officio members - the deputy governor and attorney general - appointed by the governor; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 22 May 2013 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - PPM 36.1%, UDP 27.8%, C4C 18.6%, PNA 5.7%, independent 11.9%; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 3, C4C 3, PNA 1, independent 2
Coalition for Cayman or C4C
National People's Alliance or PNA
National Trust
other: environmentalists
highest resident court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); Grand Court (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Grand Court judges appointed by the governor on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an 8-member independent body consisting of governor appointees, Court of Appeal president, and attorneys; Court of Appeal judges' tenure based on their individual instruments of appointment; Grand Court judges normally appointed until retirement at age 65 but can be extended until age 70
subordinate courts: Summary Court
green sea turtle
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]
United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica
a blue field 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 crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
name: "Beloved Isle Cayman"
lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS
note: adopted 1993; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930; as a territory of the United Kingdom, in addition to the local anthem, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
2.4% (2016 est.)
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 93,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008, including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 10,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1
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 1.9 million in 2008, wit
$2.507 billion (2014 est.)
$2.465 billion (2013 est.)
$2.435 billion (2012 est.)
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
1.7% (2014 est.)
1.2% (2013 est.)
1.6% (2012 est.)
$43,800 (2004 est.)
household consumption: 55.1%
government consumption: 13.1%
investment in fixed capital: 20.1%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 46.4%
imports of goods and services: -34.8% (2016 est.)
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 7.2%
services: 92.5% (2016 est.)
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
39,000
note: nearly 55% are non-nationals (2007 est.)
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 19.1%
services: 79% (2008 est.)
4% (2008)
4.4% (2004)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $859.5 million
expenditures: $742 million (2016 est.)
38.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
5.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
1 April - 31 March
1.4% (2016 est.)
-2.9% (2015 est.)
$334.3 million (31 December 2008)
$5.564 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
$315.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
$183.5 million (31 December 2007)
$188.4 million (31 December 2006)
$47.6 million (2016 est.)
$45 million (2015 est.)
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
$585.2 million (2016 est.)
$579.5 million (2015 est.)
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels
$NA
$NA
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar -
0.82 (2016 est.)
0.82 (2015 est.)
0.82 (2014 est.)
0.83 (2013 est.)
0.83 (2012 est.)
population without electricity: 5,726
electrification - total population: 91%
electrification - urban areas: 91%
electrification - rural areas: 80% (2012)
600 million kWh (2014 est.)
600 million kWh (2014 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
100,000 kW (2014 est.)
100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
4,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
3,984 bbl/day (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (2013 est.)
0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
500,000 Mt (2013 est.)
total subscriptions: 33,534
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2015 est.)
total: 93,000
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 166 (July 2015 est.)
general assessment: reasonably good overall telephone system with a high fixed-line teledensity
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 boosted subscriptions dramatically
international: country code - 1-345; landing points for the Maya-1, Eastern Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), and the Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System submarine cables that provide links to the US and parts of Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atl (2015)
4 TV stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer a variety of international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman (2007)
.ky
total: 43,000
percent of population: 77% (July 2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 1
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6 (2015)
VP-C (2016)
3 (2013)
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2007)
total: 116
by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 3, chemical tanker 61, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 10, vehicle carrier 16
foreign-owned: 102 (Germany 3, Greece 9, Italy 7, Japan 23, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 57) (2010)
major seaport(s): Cayman Brac, George Town
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2012)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
none
major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe (2008)
