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

top of page


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.


top of page


Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

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

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 11.2% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 8.3% (2023 est.)
Forest: 53% (2023 est.)
Other: 35.8% (2023 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


top of page


Population
Total: 66,653 (2024 est.)
Male: 32,379
Female: 34,274
Distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman
Growth rate: 1.75% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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: 51.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 26.4 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 25.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4 (2024 est.)

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

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

Air pollutants

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

Drinking water source
Urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 6.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 6.5% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

Government type

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: originally named Hogstyes, the town was renamed in honor of English King GEORGE III (1738-1820) around 1800

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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

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 André Martin EBANKS (since 6 May 2025)
Cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier
Election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 21 (directly elected and appointed)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 4/14/2021
Parties elected and seats per party: independent (12); PPM (7)
Percentage of women in chamber: 23.8%
Expected date of next election: 2025

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: a blue field with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a pineapple, a turtle, a shield with a golden lion and three green stars, and a scroll below the shield with the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'God Save the King'
Lyrics/music: unknown
History: official anthem, as an overseas UK territory

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.4% (2023 est.); 5.2% (2022 est.); 4.9% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.4% (2023 est.); 5.2% (2022 est.); 4.9% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.4% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

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

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate 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

Exports: $4.6 billion (2023 est.); $4.215 billion (2022 est.); $3.542 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: aircraft, ships, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $3.444 billion (2023 est.); $3.287 billion (2022 est.); $2.808 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, cars, furniture, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


top of page


Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 176,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 698.767 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 2.117 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 737,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 737,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 143.149 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 36,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 100,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 147 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 81% (2017 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 40,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2022 est.)


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 5 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 130 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 29, container ship 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 20, other 77

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs