Page last updated on January 28, 2014
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.
Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 264 sq km
country comparison to the world: 211
land: 264 sq km
water: 0 sq km
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff on Cayman Brac 43 m
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
arable land: 0.83%
permanent crops: 2.08%
other: 97.08% (2011)
hurricanes (July to November)
no natural freshwater resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
important location between Cuba and Central America
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
English (official) 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8% (1999 census)
Protestant 67.7% (Church of God 25.5%, Presbyterian/United Church 9.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 8.4%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 6.7%, Anglican 3.9%, non-denominational 5.7%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, other religions 4%, other 6.5%, none 6.1%, unspecified 3.2% (2007)
53,737 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2013 est.)
0-14 years: 18.6% (male 5,030/female 4,962)
15-24 years: 12.9% (male 3,436/female 3,516)
25-54 years: 44.6% (male 11,662/female 12,283)
55-64 years: 13.2% (male 3,388/female 3,729)
65 years and over: 10.7% (male 2,707/female 3,024) (2013 est.)
total: 39.3 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 39.8 years (2013 est.)
2.19% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
12.17 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
15.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 7
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2013 est.)
urban population: 100% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
GEORGE TOWN (capital) 28,000 (2011)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: 6.35 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 168
male: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 80.91 years
country comparison to the world: 23
male: 78.23 years
female: 83.64 years (2013 est.)
1.86 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98.9%
male: 98.7%
female: 99% (2007 est.)
total: 12 years
male: 11 years
female: 13 years (2008)
total: 13.5%
country comparison to the world: 94
male: 13.6%
female: 13.3% (2008)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
overseas territory of the UK
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)
6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Constitution Day, first Monday in July
several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009) (2013)
English common law and local statutes
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Helen KILPATRICK (since 6 September 2013)
head of government: Premier Alden MCLAUGHLIN (since 29 May 2013)
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)
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
unicameral Legislative Assembly (21 seats; 18 members elected by popular vote, Speaker, and 2 ex officio members - Deputy Governor and Attorney General; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 22 May 2013 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - PPM 36.1%, UDP 27.8%, C4C 18.6%, independents 11.9%, PNA 5.7%; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 3, C4C 3, independent 2, PNA 1
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); Grand Court (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Grand Court judges appointed by the governor on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an 8-member independent body consisting of governor appointees, Court of Appeal president, and attorneys; Court of Appeal judges' tenure based on their individual instruments of appointment; Grand Court judges normally appointed until retirement at age 65 but can be extended until age 70
subordinate courts: Summary Court
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]
Coalition for Cayman or C4C
other: environmentalists
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
none (overseas territory of the UK)
none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica
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
name: "Beloved Isle Cayman"
lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS
note: adopted 1993; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930; as a territory of the United Kingdom, in addition to the local anthem, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)
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. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland.
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
$2.25 billion (2008 est.)
1.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
$43,800 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
household consumption: 62.6%
government consumption: 14.7%
investment in fixed capital: 22.3%
exports of goods and services: 60.8%
imports of goods and services: -60.5%
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: 28.2%
services: 72.4% (2012 est.)
vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
39,000
country comparison to the world: 198
note: nearly 55% are non-nationals (2007)
agriculture: 1.9%
industry: 19.1%
services: 79% (2008 est.)
4% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 31
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $680.1 million
expenditures: $741.8 million (2012 est.)
30.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
-2.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
1.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
$334.3 million (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 166
$5.564 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
$NA (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 114
$15 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
$698.1 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels
Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar -
594 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
552 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
151,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 115
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
3,141 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
3,754 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 123
592,800 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
37,400 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 171
96,300 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 194
general assessment: reasonably good overall telephone system with a high fixed-line teledensity
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) (2011)
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 (2007)
23,472 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 114
23,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 189
3 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 196
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)
total: 785 km
country comparison to the world: 188
paved: 785 km (2007)
total: 116
country comparison to the world: 46
by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 3, chemical tanker 61, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 10, vehicle carrier 16
foreign-owned: 102 (Germany 3, Greece 9, Italy 7, Japan 23, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 57) (2010)
major seaport(s): Cayman Brac, George Town
no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (2012)
males age 16-49: 12,238 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 9,981
females age 16-49: 10,417 (2010 est.)
male: 333
female: 342 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of the UK
