Internet country code [time series]

.ky

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

8,611 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

9,909 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: reasonably good system domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

17,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

4 with cable system (2004)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Budget [time series]

revenues: $423.8 million expenditures: $392.6 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Debt - external [time series]

$70 million (1996)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$390,000 $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

411 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production [time series]

441.9 million kWh (2003)

Exchange rates [time series]

Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Exports [time series]

$2.52 million (2004)

Exports - commodities [time series]

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners [time series]

mostly US (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

NA

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

$1.939 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$43,800 (2004 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

0.9% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$866.9 million (2004)

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners [time series]

US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.4% (2004)

Labor force [time series]

23,450 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 1.4% industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

2,450 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2003)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

4.4% (2004)

Area [time series]

total: 262 sq km land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

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

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geographic coordinates [time series]

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Geography - note [time series]

important location between Cuba and Central America

Irrigated land [time series]

NA

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005)

Location [time series]

Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

hurricanes (July to November)

Natural resources [time series]

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

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]

name: George Town (on Grand Cayman) geographic coordinates: 19 20 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status [time series]

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005) head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

blue, 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 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

Government type [time series]

British crown colony

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation [time series]

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Judicial branch [time series]

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

British common law and local statutes

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms) elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1

National holiday [time series]

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

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

no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS]

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

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 10,703 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 8,600 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 257 (2005 est.)

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700) 15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504) 65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

12.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.89 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 8 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.16 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 80.07 years male: 77.45 years female: 82.74 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 37.2 years male: 36.8 years female: 37.5 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian

Net migration rate [time series]

17.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

45,436 note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.56% (2006 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.9 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe

Airports [time series]

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,746,290 GRT/4,366,790 DWT by type: bulk carrier 32, cargo 14, chemical tanker 42, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 23, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 130 (Denmark 5, Germany 13, Greece 21, Italy 12, Japan 1, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 4, Norway 2, Philippines 1, Singapore 10, Sweden 9, UK 10, US 41) (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Cayman Brac, George Town

Roadways [time series]

total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2002)