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.

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

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

Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)

Geography
Note: important location between Cuba and Central America

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.)

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.)

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.)

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)

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.)

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.)

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

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

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

Legal system: English common law and local statutes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.)

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

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.)

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.)

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

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

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 5 (2025)

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