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 Match 48   DB Rec# - 7,500  Dataset-WOFACT

Title         :Cayman Islands 
Text          : 
                                 Cayman Islands 
 
                                     Header 
 
Affiliation: 
    (dependent territory of the UK) 
 
                                    Geography 
 
Location: 
    Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from 
    Cuba to Honduras 
Map references: 
    Central America and the Caribbean 
Area: 
  total area: 
    260 sq km 
  land area: 
    260 sq km 
  comparative area: 
    slightly less than 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC 
Land boundaries: 


    0 km 
Coastline: 
    160 km 
Maritime claims: 
  exclusive fishing zone: 
    200 nm 
  territorial sea: 
    12 nm 
International disputes: 
    none 
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: 
    0% 
  permanent crops: 
    0% 
  meadows and pastures: 
    8% 
  forest and woodland: 
    23% 
  other: 
    69% 
Irrigated land: 
    NA sq km 
Environment: 
  current issues: 
    no natural fresh water resources, drinking water supplies must be met by 
    rainwater catchment 
  natural hazards: 
    hurricanes (July to November) 
  international agreements: 
    NA 
Note: 
    important location between Cuba and Central America 
 
                                     People 
 
Population: 
    33,192 (July 1995 est.) 
Age structure: 
  0-14 years: 
    NA 
  15-64 years: 
    NA 
  65 years and over: 
    NA 
Population growth rate: 
    4.3% (1995 est.) 
Birth rate: 
    14.79 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Death rate: 
    4.98 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) 
Net migration rate: 
    33.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) 


Infant mortality rate: 
    8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) 
Life expectancy at birth: 
  total population: 
    77.1 years 
  male: 
    75.37 years 
  female: 
    78.81 years (1995 est.) 
Total fertility rate: 
    1.43 children born/woman (1995 est.) 
Nationality: 
  noun: 
    Caymanian(s) 
  adjective: 
    Caymanian 
Ethnic divisions: 
    mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% 
Religions: 
    United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman 
    Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant denominations 
Languages: 
    English 
Literacy: 
    age 15 and over has ever attended school (1970) 
  total population: 
    98% 
  male: 
    98% 
  female: 
    98% 
Labor force: 
    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) 
 
                                   Government 
 
Names: 
  conventional long form: 
    none 
  conventional short form: 
    Cayman Islands 
Digraph: 
    CJ 
Type: 
    dependent territory of the UK 
Capital: 
    George Town 
Administrative divisions: 
    8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West 
    End, Western 
Independence: 
    none (dependent territory of the UK) 
National holiday: 
    Constitution Day (first Monday in July) 
Constitution: 
    1959, revised 1972 and 1992 
Legal system: 


    British common law and local statutes 
Suffrage: 
    18 years of age; universal 
Executive branch: 
  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 
Legislative branch: 
    unicameral 
  Legislative Assembly: 
    election last held November 1992 (next to be held November 1996); results - 
    percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total, 12 elected) 
Judicial branch: 
    Grand Court, Cayman Islands Court of Appeal 
Political parties and leaders: 
    no formal political parties 
Member of: 
    CARICOM (observer), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC 
Diplomatic representation in US: 
    none (dependent territory of the UK) 
US diplomatic representation: 
    none (dependent territory of the UK) 
Flag: 
    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 
 
                                     Economy 
 
Overview: 
    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 must be 
    imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one
 
    of the highest standards of living in the world. 
National product: 
    GDP - purchasing power parity - $700 million (1993 est.) 
National product real growth rate: 
    1.4% (1991) 
National product per capita: 
    $23,000 (1993 est.) 
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 
    2.5% (1993 est.) 
Unemployment rate: 
    7% (1992) 
Budget: 
  revenues: 
    $141.5 million 
  expenditures: 
    $160.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991) 
Exports: 


    $10 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.) 
  commodities: 
    turtle products, manufactured consumer goods 
  partners: 
    mostly US 
Imports: 
    $312 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.) 
  commodities: 
    foodstuffs, manufactured goods 
  partners: 
    US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan 
External debt: 
    $15 million (1986) 
Industrial production: 
    growth rate NA% 
Electricity: 
  capacity: 
    80,000 kW 
  production: 
    230 million kWh 
  consumption per capita: 
    6,899 kWh (1993) 
Industries: 
    tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, building materials, 
    furniture making 
Agriculture: 
    minor production of vegetables, fruit, livestock; turtle farming 
Illicit drugs: 
    a major money-laundering center for illicit drug profits; transshipment 
    point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe 
Economic aid: 
  recipient: 
    US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $26.7 million; Western (non-US) 
    countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),  $35 million 
Currency: 
    1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents 
 
                                     Economy 
Exchange rates: 
    Caymanian dollars (CI$) per US$1 - 0.83 (18 November 1993), 0.85 (22 
    November 1993) 
Fiscal year: 
    1 April - 31 March 
 
                                 Transportation 
 
Railroads: 
    0 km 
Highways: 
  total: 
    160 km (main roads) 
  paved: 
    NA 
  unpaved: 
    NA 
Ports: 
    Cayman Brac, George Town 
Merchant marine: 
  total: 
    26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 321,434 GRT/583,348 DWT 


  ships by type: 
    bulk 7, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 1, oil tanker 3, 
    roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 
  note: 
    a flag of convenience registry; UK owns 6 ships, India 5, Norway 3, US 3, 
    Greece 1, Sweden 1, UAE 1 
Airports: 
  total: 
    3 
  with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 
    2 
  with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 
    1 
 
                                 Communications 
 
Telephone system: 
    35,000 telephones 
  local: 
    NA 
  intercity: 
    NA 
  international: 
    1 submarine coaxial cable; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station 
Radio: 
  broadcast stations: 
    AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 
  radios: 
    NA 
Television: 
  broadcast stations: 
    0 
  televisions: 
    NA 
 
                                 Defense Forces 
 
Branches: 
    Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) 
Note: 
    defense is the responsibility of the UK 

This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).

The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995

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Updated: March 12, 1996