2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662) 15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Airports

3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Cayman Islands

Area

land

262 sq km

total

262 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. Geography Cayman Islands

Birth rate

12.92 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997)

revenues

$265.2 million

Capital

George Town

Climate

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Coastline

160 km

Constitution

1959; revised 1972 and 1992

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Cayman Islands

Currency (code)

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code

KYD

Death rate

4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$70 million (1996)

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

NA

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.

Electricity - consumption

382.1 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

410.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

The Bluff 43 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Ethnic groups

mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%

Exchange rates

Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)

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

head of government

Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005)

Exports

$1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners

mostly US

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Cayman Islands

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1.4%

industry

3.2%

services

95.4% (1994 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $32,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.391 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Geography - note

important location between Cuba and Central America People Cayman Islands

Government type

British crown colony

Highways

paved

785 km (2000)

total

785 km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

Infant mortality rate

female

6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

9.39 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.19 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (2002)

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Internet country code

.ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

9,909 (2003) Transportation Cayman Islands

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Labor force

19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

3.85%

other

96.15% (2001)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

English

Legal system

British common law and local statutes

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA%; seats - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1

elections

last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.6 years (2005 est.)

male

77.33 years

total population

79.95 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school

female

98% (1970 est.) Government Cayman Islands

male

98%

total population

98%

Location

Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

37.18 years (2005 est.)

male

36.48 years

total

36.83 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 29, cargo 12, chemical tanker 39, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned

126 (Denmark 1, Germany 14, Greece 20, Italy 12, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Sweden 13, Switzerland 11, United Kingdom 9, United States 44) (2005)

total

129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Military branches

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

National holiday

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Nationality

adjective

Caymanian

noun

Caymanian(s)

Natural hazards

hurricanes (July to November)

Natural resources

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Net migration rate

18.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Population

44,270 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

2.64% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Cayman Brac, George Town

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

36,000 (1997)

Religions

United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services

general assessment

reasonably good system

international

country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

17,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

4 with cable system (2004)

Televisions

7,000 (1997)

Terrain

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Total fertility rate

1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.1% (1997)