Illicit drugs: major offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe
Military branches: no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 12,238
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,981
females age 16-49: 10,417
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 333
female: 342
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
Airports: 3
country comparison to the world: 194
Roadways: total: 785 km
country comparison to the world: 186
Merchant marine: total: 116
country comparison to the world: 46
by type: bulk carrier 19, cargo 3, chemical tanker 61, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 10, vehicle carrier 16
foreign-owned: 102 (Germany 3, Greece 9, Italy 7, Japan 23, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 57)
Ports and terminals: Cayman Brac, George Town
Telephones - main lines in use: 37,400
country comparison to the world: 173
Telephones - mobile cellular: 99,900
country comparison to the world: 188
Telephone system: general assessment: reasonably good overall telephone system with a high fixed-line teledensity
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004
Broadcast media: 4 TV stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer a variety of international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately-owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman
Internet country code: .ky
Internet hosts: 23,079
country comparison to the world: 113
Internet users: 23,000
country comparison to the world: 188
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 93,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008, including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 10,000 mutual funds. 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 1.9 million in 2008, with about half from the US. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland.
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western
Legal system: English common law and local statutes
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Languages: English (official) 95%, Spanish 3.2%, other 1.8%
Religions: Protestant 67.7% (Church of God 25.5%, Presbyterian/United Church 9.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 8.4%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 6.7%, Anglican 3.9%, non-denominational 5.7%), Roman Catholic 12.6%, other religions 4%, other 6.5%, none 6.1%, unspecified 3.2%
Population: 52,560
country comparison to the world: 206
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman
Median age: total: 39 years
male: 38.4 years
female: 39.5 years
Population growth rate: 2.239%
country comparison to the world: 38
Net migration rate: 15.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 7
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US
Urbanization: urban population: 100% of total population
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change
Major cities - population: GEORGE TOWN (capital) 32,000
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.8 years
country comparison to the world: 23
male: 78.12 years
female: 83.51 years
Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman
country comparison to the world: 145
Education expenditures: 2.6% of GDP
country comparison to the world: 145
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 13.5%
country comparison to the world: 85
male: 13.6%
female: 13.3%
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
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
Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use: arable land: 3.85%, permanent crops: 0%, other: 96.15%
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues:no natural freshwater resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments
Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America
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. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
