Cayman Islands - KY - CYM - CAY - Central America and the Caribbean

overseas territory of the UK

embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica

0-14 years: 17.48% (male 5,761/female 5,684)

15-64 years: 66.48% (male 21,271/female 22,261)

65 years and over: 16.04% (2023 est.) (male 4,792/female 5,714)

19 30 N, 80 30 W

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

hurricanes (July to November)

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

The British colonized the Cayman Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Jamaica -- also a British colony at the time -- administered the islands 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.

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)

NA

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA

recreational boats, aircraft, ships, gold, refined petroleum, natural gas (2021)

6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service

revenues: $874.5 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: $766.6 million (2017 est.)

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)

recreational boats, ships, gold, refined petroleum, cars (2019)

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

160 km

history: several previous; latest approved 10 June 2009, entered into force 6 November 2009 (The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009)

amendments: amended 2016, 2020

Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
0.833 (2021 est.)
0.833 (2020 est.)
0.833 (2019 est.)
0.833 (2018 est.)
0.833 (2017 est.)

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Jane OWEN (since 21 April 2023)

head of government: Premier Juliana O'CONNOR-CONNOLLY (since 15 November 2023)

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

1 April - 31 March

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

major offshore financial center vulnerable to drug trafficking money laundering

 

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

highest court(s): 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

total: 0 km

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.)

English common law and local statutes

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 in 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - independent 79.1%, PPM 19.6%; elected seats by party - independent 12, PPM 7; ex-officio members 2; composition as of April 2023 - men 16, women 5, percent of women 23.8%

total population: 98.9% NA

male: 98.7% NA

female: 99% (2021) NA

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

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

Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959)

noun: Caymanian(s)

adjective: Caymanian

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

important location between Cuba and Central America

dominant offshore banking territory; services sector accounts for over 85% of economic activity; recently adopted a fiscal responsibility framework to combat tax evasion and money laundering; large tourism sector; does not have any welfare system; high standard of living

Cayman Islands Peoples Party or CIPP [Ezzard MILLER]
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Roy McTAGGART]

major seaport(s): Cayman Brac, George Town

cruise port(s): George Town, Grand Cayman

18 years of age; universal

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 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: 53 per 100 fixed-line and 150 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

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)

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

defense is the responsibility of the UK

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

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

Central America and the Caribbean

NA

none (overseas territory of the UK)

.ky

$6.845 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Moody's rating: Aa3 (1997)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

urban population: 100% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.13% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

improved: urban: 97.4% of population

total: 97.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 2.6% of population

total: 2.6% of population (2015 est.)

name: "Beloved Isle Cayman"

lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS

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

35,000 GEORGE TOWN (capital) (2018)

green sea turtle

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.)

see United Kingdom

majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6

VP-C

improved: urban: 95.6% of population

total: 95.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population

total: 4.4% of population (2015 est.)

Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)

note: data represent population by country of birth

Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.)

English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.)

note:  data represent main language spoken at home

highest point: 1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

NA

NA

NA

total dependency ratio: 32.6

youth dependency ratio: 22.3

elderly dependency ratio: 10.4

potential support ratio: 9.6 (2021)

Netherlands 56%, United States 18%, Italy 8%, Switzerland 5% (2019)

Netherlands 82%, Spain 11% (2019)

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.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.55 megatons (2016 est.)

5 (2024)

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

fossil fuels: 97.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 2.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 5,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

0.9 (2023 est.)

51.4% (2023 est.)

0.13% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.15% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.16% of GDP (2020 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

39,000 (2007 est.)

note: nearly 55% are non-nationals

total: 13.8% (2015 est.)

male: 16.4%

female: 11.4%

12.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US

total: 41 years (2023 est.)

male: 40.2 years

female: 41.8 years

$216.8 million (2020 est.)
$183.5 million (2019 est.)
$162.074 million (2018 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

4,285 bbl/day (2015 est.)

1.82 children born/woman (2023 est.)

4% (2008)
4.4% (2004)

65,483 (2023 est.)

note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman

4.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

total: 55,148 (2021 est.)

percent of population: 81.1% (2021 est.)

808,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 808,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total: 264 sq km

land: 264 sq km

water: 0 sq km

38.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

$4.902 billion (2022 est.)
$4.729 billion (2021 est.)
$4.546 billion (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

total: 785 km

paved: 785 km (2007)

3 (2024)

total: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total subscriptions: 100,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 150 (2021 est.)

2% (2017 est.)
-0.63% (2016 est.)
-2.35% (2015 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

-$821.404 million (2021 est.)
-$827.492 million (2020 est.)
-$646.843 million (2019 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$71,400 (2022 est.)
$69,400 (2021 est.)
$67,500 (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

total: 3,200 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2020 est.)

175.578 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

11.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 174,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 655.165 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 40 million kWh (2019 est.)

total: 130 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 29, container ship 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 20, other 77

NA

$2.743 billion (2021 est.)
$2.51 billion (2020 est.)
$2.743 billion (2019 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$4.054 billion (2021 est.)
$3.951 billion (2020 est.)
$4.205 billion (2019 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

total subscriptions: 36,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53 (2021 est.)

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

total population: 82.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 79.6 years

female: 85 years

3.67% (2022 est.)
4.03% (2021 est.)
-5.11% (2020 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

6.89% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agriculture: 0.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 7.4% (2017 est.)

services: 92.3% (2017 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

2.1% of GDP (2019)

1.79% (2023 est.)