Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

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 [time series]

George Town, Cayman Brac

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

minor production of vegetables, fruit, livestock; turtle farming

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$15 million (1986)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$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 (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.5% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$23,000 (1991 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

4.4% (1991)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

7% (1992)

Area [time series]

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

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

160 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources [time series]

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Note [time series]

important location between Cuba and Central America

Terrain [time series]

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

George Town

Constitution [time series]

1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Digraph [time series]

CJ

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Executive branch [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

British common law and local statutes

Legislative branch (Legislative Assembly) [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

National holiday [time series]

Constitution Day (first Monday in July)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

no formal political parties

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

dependent territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none (dependent territory of the UK)

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

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

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian

Net migration rate [time series]

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

Population [time series]

31,790 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

4.33% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.46 children born/woman (1994 est.)