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
Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three-island group
(Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south
of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
total: 37.8 years
male: 37.4 years female: 38.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.449% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.43 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
4.83 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
16.88 migrant(s)/1,000
population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate
to the US (2008 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 (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.1 deaths/1,000
live births male: 8.16 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.32
years male: 77.68 years female: 83 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.89 children born/woman (2008
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
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:
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)
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: 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
Cayman Islands
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.
Caymanian dollars per US dollar
- NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Communications
Cayman Islands
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; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market
in 2004 international: country code - 1-345; landing point for
the MAYA-1 submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US
and parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) (2007)
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:
4,888 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
9,909 (2003)
Transportation
Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2 1,524 to
2,437 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1 914 to
1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways:
total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 124 ships (1000
GRT or over) 2,953,923 GRT/4,597,716 DWT by type: bulk carrier
33, cargo 11, chemical tanker 41, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned: 122 (Denmark 3, Germany 17, Greece 23, Italy 10,
Japan 6, Norway 2, Singapore 10, Sweden 1, UK 9, US 41) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military
Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces;
Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 11,790
(2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,577
(2008 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 16-49: 336
(2008 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility
of the UK
Transnational Issues
Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
offshore financial center;
vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe
