CAYMAN
OFFICIAL NAME Cayman Islands
CAPITAL CITY George Town
GEOGRAPHY
Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras
Area:
total area: 260 sq km
land area: 260 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 160 km
Maritime
claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
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
Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 8%
forest and woodland: 23%
other: 69%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: no natural fresh water resources, drinking water
supplies must be met by rainwater catchment
natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)
international agreements: NA
Note: important location between Cuba and Central America
PEOPLE
Population: 33,192 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 4.3% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 14.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 33.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy
at birth:
total population: 77.1 years
male: 75.37 years
female: 78.81 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.43 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic divisions: 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 denominations
Languages: English
Literacy:
age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%
Labor
force: 8,061
by occupation: service workers 18.7%, clerical 18.6%, construction
12.5%, finance and investment 6.7%, directors and business managers 5.9%
(1979)
GOVERNMENT
Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Digraph: CJ
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: George Town
Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Independence: none (dependent 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)
head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council
Michael GORE (since 15 September 1992)
cabinet: Executive Council; 3 members are appointed by the governor,
4 members elected by the Legislative Assembly
Legislative
branch: unicameral
Legislative Assembly: election last held November 1992 (next to
be held November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(15 total, 12 elected)
Judicial branch: Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: no formal political parties
Member of: CARICOM (observer), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC
Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)
US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
ECONOMY
Overview: The economy depends heavily on tourism (70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings) and offshore financial services, with the tourist industry aimed at the luxury market and catering mainly to visitors from North America. 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.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $700 million (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate: 1.4% (1991)
National product per capita: $23,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7% (1992)
Budget:
revenues: $141.5 million
expenditures: $160.7 million, including capital expenditures of
$NA (1991)
Exports:
$10 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods
partners: mostly US
Imports:
$312 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods
partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan
External debt: $15 million (1986)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 80,000 kW
production: 230 million kWh
consumption per capita: 6,899 kWh (1993)
Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, building materials, furniture making
Agriculture: minor production of vegetables, fruit, livestock; turtle farming
Illicit drugs: a major money-laundering center for illicit drug profits; transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Economic
aid:
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $26.7 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$35 million
Currency: 1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars (CI$) per US$1 - 0.83 (18 November 1993), 0.85 (22 November 1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
TRANSPORTATION
Railroads: 0 km
Highways:
total: 160 km (main roads)
paved: NA
unpaved: NA
Ports: Cayman Brac, George Town
Merchant
marine:
total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 321,434 GRT/583,348
DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 1,
oil tanker 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7
note: a flag of convenience registry; UK owns 6 ships, India 5,
Norway 3, US 3, Greece 1, Sweden 1, UAE 1
Airports:
total: 3
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
COMMUNICATIONS
Telephone
system: 35,000 telephones
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic
Ocean) earth station
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 0
televisions: NA
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK