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Guide
Introduction
| |
| Background: |
The Cayman Islands were
colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th
centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British
dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. |
| Location: |
Caribbean, island group in
Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
19 30 N, 80 30 W |
| Map
references: |
Central America and the
Caribbean |
| Area: |
total: 259 sq km
land: 259 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
1.5 times the size of
Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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
extremes: |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
| Natural
resources: |
fish, climate and beaches
that foster tourism |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 8%
forests and woodland: 23%
other: 69% (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
hurricanes (July to November) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
no natural fresh water
resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment |
| Geography
- note: |
important location between
Cuba and Central America |
| Population: |
35,527 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
22.21% (male 3,807; female 4,084)
15-64 years: 69.74% (male 12,102; female 12,676)
65 years and over: 8.05% (male 1,318; female 1,540) (2001
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.12% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
13.79 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.15 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
12.58 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the
US |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 0.86
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
10.16 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
79.03 years
male: 76.24 years
female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.04 children born/woman
(2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
mixed 40%, white 20%, black
20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
| Religions: |
United Church (Presbyterian
and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God,
other Protestant |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
| Dependency
status: |
overseas territory of the UK |
| Government
type: |
British crown colony |
| 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: |
1959, revised 1972 and 1992 |
| 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); Governor and President of
the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999)
head of government: Kurt TIBBETTS (since November 2000)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the
governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Legislative
Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members and 15 elected by popular
vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA
November 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
| Judicial
branch: |
Summary Court; Grand Court;
Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
there are no formal political
parties but the following loose groupings act as political
organizations; National Team; Democratic Alliance; Team Cayman |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
Caricom (observer), CDB,
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of
the UK) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of
the UK) |
| Flag
description: |
blue, with the flag of the UK
in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a
white disk 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
- 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 1997, 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 visitors in 1997. 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 -
$930 million (1997 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.9% (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$24,500 (1997 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (1998) |
| Labor
force: |
19,820 (1995) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 1.4%, industry
12.6%, services 86% (1995) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
4.1% (1997) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $265.2
million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997) |
| Industries: |
tourism, banking, insurance
and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
330 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
306.9 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
vegetables, fruit; livestock,
turtle farming |
| Exports: |
$1.5 million (1998) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
turtle products, manufactured
consumer goods |
| Exports
- partners: |
mostly US |
| Imports: |
$507.6 million (1998) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
foodstuffs, manufactured
goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK,
Netherlands Antilles, Japan |
| Debt
- external: |
$70 million (1996) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA |
| Currency: |
Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Caymanian dollars per US
dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 April - 31 March |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
19,000 (1995) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2,534 (1995) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0
(1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
NA |
| Televisions: |
7,000 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ky |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
16 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total: 406 km
paved: 304 km
unpaved: 102 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Cayman Brac, George Town |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 106 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,452 GRT/2,643,036 DWT
ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 5, chemical tanker 27,
container 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo
30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Denmark 2, Finland 1, Greece 11, Norway
3, UK 3, US 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Royal Cayman Islands Police
Force (RCIPF) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the responsibility
of the UK |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
| Illicit
drugs: |
vulnerable to drug money
laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
|
