Cayman Islands
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.

geography

location

Central America and the Caribbean
19.30° N, 80. 30° W
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

area

264 sq km
land
264 sq km
water
0 sq km

land boundaries

0 km

coastline

160 km

climate

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

terrain

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

elevation

lowest point
Caribbean Sea
0

natural resources

  • fish
  • climate
  • beaches that foster tourism

land use

arable land
0.8 %
permanent crops
2.1 %
permanent pasture
8.3 %
forest
52.9 %
other
35.9 %

population distribution

majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

people

population

  • 61,944
  • 205
    global rank

nationality

  • Caymanian(s)
    noun
  • Caymanian
    adjective

ethnic groups

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

languages

  • English
    official
  • Spanish
  • Filipino
  • other
  • unspecified

religions

Protestant
67.8 %
Roman Catholic
14.1 %
Jehovah's Witness
1.1 %
other
7 %
none
9.3 %
unspecified
0.7 %

birth rate

  • 11.9
    per 1,000 population
  • 164
    global rank

death rate

  • 6.1
    per 1,000 population
  • 159
    global rank

urban population

100 %

major urban areas

  • George Town
    pop. 35,000

life expectancy

  • 81.6
    total population
  • 29
    global rank
78.9
male
84.4
female

government

government type

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

capital

George Town (on Grand Cayman)
19.18 N, 81.23 W

independence

national holidays

  • Constitution Day
    the first Monday in July

legal system

English common law and local statutes

age of suffrage

18

flag description

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; a scroll below the shield bears the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

national anthem

Beloved Isle Cayman

economy

overview

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland. 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 2016, with more than three-quarters from the US.

GDP

2,507,000,000 USD
2014

agriculture products

  • vegetables
  • fruit
  • livestock
  • turtle farming

budget

  • 874,500,000
    revenue (USD)
  • 766,600,000
    expenditures (USD)

communications

telephones

    fixed lines

  • 34,116
    total subscriptions
  • 169
    global rank

    mobile cellular

  • 95,656
    total subscriptions
  • 195
    global rank

broadcast media

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

internet

.ky
country code

    users

  • 45,242
    total
  • 79
    % of population
  • 196
    global rank

energy

electricity access

100%
2016

transportation

air transport

    airports

  • 3
    total
  • 3
    paved

roadways

785 km
total length

military

This entry doesn't have any available military data.