2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

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.)

Agriculture - products

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Airports

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

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, 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

Birth rate

12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)

revenues

$423.8 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

19 20 N, 81 23 W

name

George Town (on Grand Cayman)

time difference

UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

160 km

Constitution

1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Cayman Islands

Currency (code)

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code

KYD

Death rate

4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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

$390,000 (2004)

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 5000 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.

Electricity - consumption

372 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

400 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 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 Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)

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

$2.52 million (2004)

Exports - commodities

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners

mostly US (2004)

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 (PPP)

$43,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.9% (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.939 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

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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Illicit drugs

offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$866.9 million (2004)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)

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

6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

9.16 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2004)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.ky

Internet hosts

8,611 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

9,909 (2003) Transportation Cayman Islands

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Labor force

23,450 (2004)

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% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

Languages

English

Legal system

British common law and local statutes

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)

election results

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

elections

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.74 years (2006 est.)

male

77.45 years

total population

80.07 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, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

10,703 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

8,600 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

257 (2005 est.)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

37.5 years (2006 est.)

male

36.8 years

total

37.2 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1

foreign-owned

130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006)

total

132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 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 gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

hurricanes (July to November)

Natural resources

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Net migration rate

17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note

major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

2,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004)

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

45,436

note

most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.56% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Cayman Brac, George Town Military Cayman Islands

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

Roadways

paved

785 km (2002)

total

785 km

Sex ratio

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

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 (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2004)