Cayman Islands

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.

highest point:

1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m

lowest point:

Caribbean Sea 0 m

noun:

Caymanian(s)

adjective:

Caymanian

total:

41.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

40.3 years

female:

42 years

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 (2024 est.)

total:

7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

8.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

82.5 years (2024 est.)

male:

79.8 years

female:

85.2 years

total population:

98.9% NA

male:

98.7% NA

female:

99% (2021) NA

• 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)

urban population:

100% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

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.)

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

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)

history:

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

amendments:

amended 2016, 2020

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

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 - men 16, women 5, percentage women 23.8%

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

• 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

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)

• 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

agriculture:

0.5% (2022 est.)

industry:

8.2% (2022 est.)

services:

85.4% (2022 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

• vegetables, fruit;
• livestock;
• turtle farming

total:

13.8% (2015 est.)

male:

16.4%

female:

11.4%

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)

• 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

total:

785 km

paved:

785 km (2007)

total ports:

2 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

2

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Cayman Brac, Georgetown