

Topic: Photos of Cayman Islands

Topic: Introduction
Background: 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. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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
Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 264 sq km

land: 264 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use: agricultural land: 11.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.9% (2018 est.)

other: 35.9% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: NA
Population distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)
Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America
Map description: Cayman Islands map showing the islands that comprise the UK territory in the Caribbean Sea.Cayman Islands map showing the islands that comprise the UK territory in the Caribbean Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 64,309 (2022 est.)

note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman
Nationality: noun: Caymanian(s)

adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, White 20%, African descent 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%
Languages: English (official) 90.9%, Spanish 4%, Filipino 3.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
Religions: Protestant 67.8% (includes Church of God 22.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 9.4%, Presbyterian/United Church 8.6%, Baptist 8.3%, Pentecostal 7.1%, non-denominational 5.3%, Anglican 4.1%, Wesleyan Holiness 2.4%), Roman Catholic 14.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other 7%, none 9.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2010 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.75% (male 5,535/female 5,457)

15-24 years: 11.86% (male 3,673/female 3,675)

25-54 years: 41.37% (male 12,489/female 13,140)

55-64 years: 14.78% (male 4,398/female 4,755)

65 years and over: 14.24% (2020 est.) (male 4,053/female 4,769)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: NA

youth dependency ratio: NA

elderly dependency ratio: NA

potential support ratio: NA
Median age: total: 40.5 years

male: 39.7 years

female: 41.2 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.83% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 11.69 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 5.97 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 12.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US
Population distribution: majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman
Urbanization: urban population: 100% of total population (2022)

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

15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 7.65 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.26 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.04 years

male: 79.35 years

female: 84.79 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 97.4% of population

total: 97.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population

total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: NA
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 95.6% of population

total: 95.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population

total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA
Education expenditures: NA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 13.8%

male: 16.4%

female: 11.4% (2015 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: no natural freshwater resources; drinking water supplies are met by reverse osmosis desalination plants and rainwater catchment; trash washing up on the beaches or being deposited there by residents; no recycling or waste treatment facilities; deforestation (trees being cut down to create space for commercial use)
Air pollutants: carbon dioxide emissions: 0.55 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate: tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
Land use: agricultural land: 11.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 52.9% (2018 est.)

other: 35.9% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 100% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 60,000 tons (2014 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 12,600 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 21% (2013 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Cayman Islands

etymology: the islands' name comes from the native Carib word "caiman," describing the marine crocodiles living there
Government type: parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
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: named after English King George III (1738-1820)
Administrative divisions: 6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay
Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday: Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009)

amendments: amended 2016, 2020
Legal system: English common law and local statutes
Citizenship: see United Kingdom
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Martyn ROPER (since 29 October 2018)

head of government: Premier Wayne PANTON (since 21 April 2021)

cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed premier by the governor
Legislative branch: description: unicameral Parliament (21 seats; 19 members directly elected by majority vote and 2 ex officio members - the deputy governor and attorney general - appointed by the governor; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 14 April 2021 (next to be held on 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - independent 79.1%, PPM 19.6%; seats by party - independent 12, PPM 7; composition of elected members - men 15, women 4, percent of women 21.1%; ex-officio members - men 2
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); Grand Court (consists of the court president and at least 2 judges); note - appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and Grand Court judges appointed by the governor on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, an 8-member independent body consisting of governor appointees, Court of Appeal president, and attorneys; Court of Appeal judges' tenure based on their individual instruments of appointment; Grand Court judges normally appointed until retirement at age 65 but can be extended until age 70

subordinate courts: Summary Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Alden MCLAUGHLIN]
Cayman Democratic Party or CDP [McKeeva BUSH]
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica
Flag description: a blue field 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 crest with a pineapple, representing the connection with Jamaica, and a turtle, representing Cayman's seafaring tradition, above a shield bearing a golden lion, symbolizing Great Britain, below which are three green stars (representing the three islands) surmounting white and blue wavy lines representing the sea; a scroll below the shield bears the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS
National symbol(s): green sea turtle
National anthem: name: "Beloved Isle Cayman"

lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS

note: adopted 1993; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930; as a territory of the United Kingdom, in addition to the local anthem, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom)

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland.   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 2.1 million in 2016, with more than three-quarters from the US.With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland. 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 2.1 million in 2016, with more than three-quarters from the US.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.78 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$4.61 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$4.409 billion (2017 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: 1.7% (2014 est.)

1.2% (2013 est.)

1.6% (2012 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $73,600 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$71,800 (2018 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

$69,573 (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $2.25 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2017 est.)

-0.6% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: Aa3 (1997)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 7.4% (2017 est.)

services: 92.3% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 62.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 14.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.1% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 65.4% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -64.2% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming
Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 39,000 (2007 est.)

note: nearly 55% are non-nationals
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 1.9%

industry: 19.1%

services: 79% (2008 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4% (2008)

4.4% (2004)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 13.8%

male: 16.4%

female: 11.4% (2015 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 874.5 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: 766.6 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): 4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 38.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Current account balance: -$492.6 million (2017 est.)

-$493.5 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $4.13 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.96 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Netherlands 82%, Spain 11% (2019)
Exports - commodities: recreational boats, gold, broadcasting equipment, sulfates, collector's items (2019)
Imports: $2.7 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.52 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: Netherlands 56%, United States 18%, Italy 8%, Switzerland 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities: recreational boats, ships, gold, refined petroleum, cars (2019)
Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar -

0.82 (2017 est.)

0.82 (2016 est.)

0.82 (2015 est.)

0.82 (2014 est.)

0.83 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity - production: 650 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption: 612 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity: 132,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption: 4,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 4,285 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports: 0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: 0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 36,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 55 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 100,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 152 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one major casualty may be the region’s second largest telco operator, Digicel; the company filed for bankruptcy in the US in April 2020; it continues to operate in all of its Caribbean markets as it seeks to refinance billions of dollars of debt; the other major telco, regional incumbent Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), is experiencing similar drops in subscriber numbers and revenue; CWC is expanding and enhancing its fixed and mobile networks in many of the countries it serves around the Caribbean, despite many locations being small islands with very small populations; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage. (2021)

domestic: introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 boosted subscriptions; nearly 55 per 100 fixed-line and 153 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)

international: country code - 1-345; landing points for the Maya-1, Deep Blue Cable, and the Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System submarine cables that provide links to the US and parts of Central and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
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 users: total: 53,233 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 81% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 3,200 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VP-C
Airports: total: 3 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)
Roadways: total: 785 km (2007)

paved: 785 km (2007)
Merchant marine: total: 160

by type: bulk carrier 32, container ship 1, general cargo 1, oil tanker 23, other 103 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Cayman Brac, George Town

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: nonenone
Illicit drugs: major offshore financial center vulnerable to drug trafficking money laundering  major offshore financial center vulnerable to drug trafficking money laundering 