1987 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1987 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical marine with warm summers and cool winters
Coastline
160 km
Comparative area
less than twice the size of Washington, D. C.
Environment
within the Caribbean hurricane belt, but rarely affected
Exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Land use
0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 8% meadows and pastures; 23% forest and woodland; 69% other
Special notes
important location between Cuba and Central America
Terrain
low lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
Territorial sea
3 nm
Total area
- —5okm_ Caribbean Sea Little? Cayman Grand Cayman GEORGE TOWN Caribbean Sea
- 260 km2; land area: 260 km?
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
40% mixed, 20% white, 20% black, 20% expatriates of various ethnic groups
Labor force
8,061; 18.7% service workers, 18.6% clerical, 12.5% construction, 6.7% finance and investment, 5.9% directors and business managers (1979)
Language
English
Literacy
97.5%
Nationality
noun—Caymanian(s); adjective—Caymanian
Organized labor
Global Seaman’s Union; Cayman All Trade Union
Population
23,192 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 3.46%
Religion
United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations
Government
Administrative divisions
8 electoral districts
Branches
executive—Governor and Executive Council (3 appointed official members and 4 elected members chosen by the Legislative Assembly from its elected members); legislative—unicameral Legislative Assembly (12 elected members and 3 appointed by Governor), judicial—Summary Court, Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, Her Majesty's Privy Council
Capital
George Town
Communists
none
Elections
elections held every four years Political parties and leaders: no formal political parties
Government leader
George Peter LLOYD, Governor and President of the Executive Council (since 1982)
Legal system
British common law and local statutes
Member of
Commonwealth
National holiday
Constitution Day, 8 July
Official name
Cayman Islands
Suffrage
universal adult over age 18
Type
British dependent territory
Economy
Agriculture
minor production of vegetables and livestock, turtle farming
Budget
current revenues, $41.6 million; current expenditures, $31 million (1983)
Electric power
29,000 kW capacity; 90 million kWh produced, 4,090 kWh per capita (1986) Cayman Islands (continued)
Exports
$2.4 million (1983); turtle products
Fiscal year
1 April-31 March
GDP
$225.0 million, $10,227 per capita (1982)
Imports
$140.4 million (1983)
Major industries
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, real estate and construction
Major trade partners
exports—mostly US; imports—US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles
Monetary conversion rate
.833 Cayman dollar=US$1 (1985)
Communications
Airfields
3 total; 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Highways
160 km of main roads
Ports
1 major (George Town), 1 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
telephone system links islands and to worldwide services via submarine coaxial cable and satellite ground station; 2 AM and 2 FM radio stations
Military and Security
Branches
police force