Map of Cayman Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center.


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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 reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 264 km²
Land: 264 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 160 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 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
Highest point: 1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use
Agricultural land: 11.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 8.3% (2018 est.)
Forest: 52.9% (2018 est.)
Other: 35.9% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)

Geography
Note: important location between Cuba and Central America


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Population
Distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman: 63,131 (July 2021 est.)
Note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman
Growth rate: 1.87% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Caymanian(s)
Adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, White 20%, African descent 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%

Languages: English (official) 90.9%, Spanish 4%, Filipino 3.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

Religions: Protestant 67.8% (includes Church of God 22.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.4%, Presbyterian/United Church 8.6%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 7.1%, non-denominational 5.3%, Anglican 4.1%, Wesleyan Holiness 2.4%), Roman Catholic 14.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other 7%, none 9.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.75% (male 5,535/female 5,457)
15-24 years: 11.86% (male 3,673/female 3,675)
25-54 years: 41.37% (male 12,489/female 13,140)
55-64 years: 14.78% (male 4,398/female 4,755)
65 years and over: 14.24% (male 4,053/female 4,769) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: NA
Youth dependency ratio: NA
Elderly dependency ratio: NA
Potential support ratio: NA

Median age
Total: 40.5 years
Male: 39.7 years
Female: 41.2 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.87% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 11.77 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 5.89 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)
Note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US

Population distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 35,000 GEORGE TOWN (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: no natural freshwater resources; drinking water supplies are met by reverse osmosis desalination plants and rainwater catchment; trash washing up on the beaches or being deposited there by residents; no recycling or waste treatment facilities; deforestation (trees being cut down to create space for commercial use)

Air pollutants
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.55 megatons (2016 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.84 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.49 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.16 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 81.84 years
Male: 79.12 years
Female: 84.59 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.83 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.4% of population
Improved total: 97.4% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.6% of population
Unimproved total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: NA

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 95.6% of population
Improved total: 95.6% of population
Unimproved urban: 4.4% of population
Unimproved total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 13.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 16.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 11.4% (2015 est.)


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Cayman Islands
Etymology: the islands' name comes from the native Carib word 'caiman,' describing the marine crocodiles living there

Government type: parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

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)
Etymology: named after English King George III (1738-1820)

Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009)
Amendments: amended 2016, 2020

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United Kingdom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Martyn ROPER (since 29 October 2018)
Head of government: Premier Wayne PANTON (since 21 April 2021)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier
Elections and appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament (21 seats; 19 members directly elected by majority vote and 2 ex officio members - the deputy governor and attorney general - appointed by the governor; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 14 April 2021 (next to be held on 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by party - independent 79.1%, PPM 19.6%; seats by party - independent 12, PPM 7

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)
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

Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Alden MCLAUGHLIN]
Cayman Democratic Party or CDP [McKeeva BUSH]

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us embassy: 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; a scroll below the shield bears the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

National symbols: green sea turtle

National anthem
Name: Beloved Isle Cayman
Lyrics and 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)

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.78 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

$4.61 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

$4.409 billion (2017 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 1.7% (2014 est.)

1.2% (2013 est.)

1.6% (2012 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $73,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

$71,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

$69,573 (2017 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 65.4% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -64.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 7.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 92.3% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 39,000 (2007 est.)
Note: nearly 55% are non-nationals
By occupation agriculture: 1.9%
By occupation industry: 19.1%
By occupation services: 79% (2008 est.)

Unemployment rate: 4% (2008)

4.4% (2004)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 13.8%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 16.4%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 11.4% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $874.5 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $766.6 million (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 38.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2% (2017 est.)

-0.6% (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$492.6 million (2017 est.)

-$493.5 million (2016 est.)

Exports: $4.13 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$3.96 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Netherlands 82%, Spain 11% (2019)
Commodities: recreational boats, gold, broadcasting equipment, sulfates, collector's items (2019)

Imports: $2.7 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

$2.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Partners: Netherlands 56%, United States 18%, Italy 8%, Switzerland 5% (2019)
Commodities: recreational boats, ships, gold, refined petroleum, cars (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 650 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 612 million kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 132,000 kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products consumption: 4,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 4,285 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 34,768 (2018)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54.85 (2018 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 96,656 (2018)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152.5 (2019 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 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

Internet
Country code: .ky
Users total: 53,600 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 81.07% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 31,232 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49.28 (2017 est.)


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VP-C

Airports
Total: 3 (2020)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2012)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 785 km (2007)
Paved: 785 km (2007)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 160
By type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 1, general cargo 1, oil tanker 23, other 103 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Cayman Brac, George Town


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: major offshore financial center vulnerable to drug trafficking money laundering