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Introduction - Cayman Islands
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. 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
Geographic coordinates:
19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 264 sq km
country comparison to the world: 210
land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
160 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
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 extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues:
no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by
rainwater catchments
Geography - note:
important location between Cuba and Central America
People - Cayman Islands
Population:
50,209
country comparison to the world: 206
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 19.3% (male 4,877/female 4,814)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 17,385/female 18,322)
65 years and over: 9.6% (male 2,262/female 2,549) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.4 years
male: 38 years
female: 38.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.338% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Birth rate:
12.29 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Net migration rate:
16.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 2
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.016 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.78 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 172
male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.57 years
country comparison to the world: 17
male: 77.91 years
female: 83.27 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.88 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
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:
Church of God 25.5%, Roman Catholic 12.6%, Presbyterian / United Church 9.2%,
Seventh Day Adventist 8.4%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 6.7%, Anglican 3.9%, other
religions 4%, non-denominational 5.7%, other 6.5%, none 6.1%, unspecified 3.2%
(2007)
Languages:
English 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 13 years
male: 12 years
female: 13 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 150
Government - Cayman Islands
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Dependency status:
overseas territory of the UK
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
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:
The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, 6 November 2009
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 Duncan TAYLOR (since 15 January 2010)
head of government: Premier McKeeva BUSH (since 6 November 2009)
cabinet: The Cabinet (six members are appointed by the governor on the advice of
the premier, selected from among the elected members of the Legislative
Assembly)
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; the governor appointed by the monarch;
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition
appointed by the governor as premier
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; 18 members elected by popular vote
and 2 ex officio members from The Cabinet; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 20 May 2009 (next to be held not later than May 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UDP 9, PPM 5,
independent 1
Judicial branch:
Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal; Summary Court
Political parties and leaders:
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; United Democratic Party or
UDP [McKeeva BUSH]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
National Trust
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU,
WFTU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US
Embassy in Jamaica
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 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 93,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008,
including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 10,000 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 1.9 million in 2008, 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$2.23 billion (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
0.9% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$43,800 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force:
39,000
country comparison to the world: 198
note: nearly 55% are non-nationals (2007)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 19.1%
services: 79% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 37
4.4% (2004)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 132
4.4% (2004)
Stock of money:
$334.3 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 137
Stock of quasi money:
$5.23 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 85
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 110
$183.5 million (31 December 2007)
$188.4 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries:
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials,
furniture
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
546 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - consumption:
507.8 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Oil - consumption:
3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205
Oil - imports:
3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Exports:
$13.8 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 210
$2.52 million (2004)
Exports - commodities:
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
Imports:
$876.5 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 172
$866.9 million (2004)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels
Debt - external:
$70 million (1996)
country comparison to the world: 184
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)
Communications - Cayman Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
38,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 172
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33,800 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 202
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 points for the MAYA-1, Eastern
Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS), and the Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System submarine
cables that provide links to the US and parts of Central and South America;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 0 (2009)
Television broadcast stations:
4 with cable system (2004)
Internet country code:
.ky
Internet hosts:
21,428 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 102
Internet users:
23,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 186
Transportation - Cayman Islands
Airports:
3 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 194
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 785 km
country comparison to the world: 187
paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 109
country comparison to the world: 49
by type: bulk carrier 30, cargo 2, chemical tanker 42, petroleum tanker 15,
refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 7
foreign-owned: 107 (Denmark 3, Germany 15, Greece 16, Italy 4, Japan 13, Norway
1, Singapore 10, UK 3, US 42) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Cayman Brac, George Town
Military - Cayman Islands
Military branches:
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,108 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,860
females age 16-49: 10,287 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 326
female: 347 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the UK
Transnational Issues - Cayman Islands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and
Europe (2008)
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