Map of Cayman Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: The British colonized the Cayman Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Jamaica -- also a British colony at the time -- administered the islands 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
Country comparison total: 0 km

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.)
Agricultural land forest: 52.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land 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
Total: 66,653
Male: 32,379
Female: 34,274 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.75% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Caymanian(s)
Adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups: Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent population by country of birth

Languages: English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.)
Note: data represent main language spoken at home

Religions: Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 5,845/female 5,767)
15-64 years: 65.9% (male 21,480/female 22,456)
65 years and over: 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 5,054/female 6,051)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 32.6
Youth dependency ratio: 22.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.4
Potential support ratio: 9.6 (2021)

Median age
Total: 41.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.3 years
Female: 42 years

Population growth rate: 1.75% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 11.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
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
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 79.8 years
Female: 85.2 years

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

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

Current health expenditure

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

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 2.1% of GDP (2019)

Literacy
Total population: 98.9% NA
Male: 98.7% NA
Female: 99% (2021) NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

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


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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: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Jane OWEN (since 21 April 2023)
Head of government: Premier Juliana O'CONNOR-CONNOLLY (since 15 November 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier
Elections/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 in 2025)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - independent 79.1%, PPM 19.6%; elected seats by party - independent 12, PPM 7; ex-officio members 2; composition - men 16, women 5, percentage women 23.8%

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: Cayman Islands Peoples Party or CIPP, People's Progressive Movement or PPM

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/music: Leila E. ROSS
Note: adopted 1993; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930; as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, in addition to the local anthem, 'God Save the King' is official (see United Kingdom)

National heritage


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Economy overview: dominant offshore banking territory; services sector accounts for over 85% of economic activity; recently adopted a fiscal responsibility framework to combat tax evasion and money laundering; large tourism sector; does not have any welfare system; high standard of living

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $5.467 billion (2022 est.); $5.199 billion (2021 est.); $4.956 billion (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 5.16% (2022 est.); 4.9% (2021 est.); -4.95% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $79,600 (2022 est.); $76,300 (2021 est.); $73,600 (2020 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 62.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 2.6% (2020 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 59.6% (2020 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -45.8% (2020 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.5% (2022 est.)
Industry: 8.2% (2022 est.)
Services: 85.4% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.45% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

Unemployment rate: (2008)

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

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $874.5 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $766.6 million (2017 est.)

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

Public debt

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

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2% (2017 est.); -0.63% (2016 est.); -2.35% (2015 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

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: -$821.404 million (2021 est.); -$827.492 million (2020 est.); -$646.843 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $4.054 billion (2021 est.); $3.951 billion (2020 est.); $4.205 billion (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Malta 30%, Norway 22%, Seychelles 16%, Grenada 8%, US 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: ships, aircraft, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $2.743 billion (2021 est.); $2.51 billion (2020 est.); $2.743 billion (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 47%, Italy 19%, Turkey 7%, Germany 6%, Switzerland 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, diamonds, cars, gold (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $216.8 million (2020 est.); $183.5 million (2019 est.); $162.074 million (2018 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 175,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 697.351 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.117 million kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 718,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 718,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 144.845 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 36,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 100,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 147 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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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: 3 (2024)

Heliports: 5 (2024)

Pipelines

Railways

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

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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