Cayman Islands

Airports

total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 0 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Highways

total: 160 km (main roads) paved: NA unpaved: NA

Merchant marine

30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 368,037 GRT/581,060 DWT, bulk 9, cargo 8, chemical tanker 2, oil tanker 3, passenger-cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 note: a flag of convenience registry

Ports

George Town, Cayman Brac

Telecommunications

35,000 telephones; telephone system uses 1 submarine coaxial cable and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station to link islands and access international services; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM, no TV

Branches

Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Agriculture

minor production of vegetables, fruit, livestock; turtle farming

Budget

revenues: $141.5 million expenditures: $160.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

Currency

1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents

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

Electricity

capacity: 74,000 kW production: 256 million kWh consumption per capita: 8,780 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Caymanian dollars (CI$) per US$1 - 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Exports

$2.6 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: turtle products, manufactured consumer goods partners: mostly US

External debt

$15 million (1986)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs

a major money-laundering center for illicit drug profits; transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

Imports

$262.2 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, building materials, furniture making

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1992 est.)

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $670 million (1991 est.)

National product per capita

$23,000 (1991 est.)

National product real growth rate

4.4% (1991)

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 needs must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the region.

Unemployment rate

7% (1992)

Area

total area: 260 sq km land area: 260 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

160 km

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: subject to hurricanes international agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 8% forest and woodland: 23% other: 69%

Location

Caribbean, in the northwestern Caribbean Sea, nearly halfway between Cuba and Honduras

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Note

important location between Cuba and Central America

Terrain

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Administrative divisions

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Capital

George Town

Constitution

1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Digraph

CJ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (dependent territory of the UK)

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

Flag

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

Independence

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Judicial branch

Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Legal system

British common law and local statutes

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)

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

CARICOM (observer), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC

Names

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

National holiday

Constitution Day (first Monday in July)

Political parties and leaders

no formal political parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

dependent territory of the UK

US diplomatic representation

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Birth rate

15.06 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

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)

Languages

English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.1 years male: 75.37 years female: 78.81 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over having ever attended school (1970) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98%

Nationality

noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian

Net migration rate

33.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

31,790 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

4.33% (1994 est.)

Religions

United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (1994 est.)