Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a British colony in the Caribbean to the northwest of Jamaica;
an international banking center;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Cayman Islands
n 1: a British colony in the Caribbean to the northwest of
Jamaica; an international banking center
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Cayman Islands
Introduction Cayman Islands
---------------------------
Background: The Cayman Islands were colonized
from Jamaica by the British during
the 18th and 19th centuries.
Administered by Jamaica from 1863,
they remained a British dependency
after 1962 when the former became
independent.
Geography Cayman Islands
------------------------
Location: Caribbean, island group in Caribbean
Sea, nearly one-half of the way from
Cuba to Honduras
Geographic coordinates: 19 30 N, 80 30 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 262 sq km
Area - comparative: 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
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 extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m
Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that
foster tourism
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: hurricanes (July to November)
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources;
drinking water supplies must be met
by rainwater catchments
Geography - note: important location between Cuba and
Central America
People Cayman Islands
---------------------
Population: 36,273 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22% (male 3,836; female
4,156)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 12,335;
female 12,929)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,399;
female 1,618) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.03% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 13.45 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans
trying to migrate to the US (2002
est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 0.86 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.18 years
female: 81.59 years (2002 est.)
male: 76.38 years
Total fertility rate: 2.03 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian
Ethnic groups: mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%,
expatriates of various ethnic groups
20%
Religions: United Church (Presbyterian and
Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
Church of God, other Protestant,
Roman Catholic
Languages: English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over has ever
attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.)
Government Cayman Islands
-------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman
Islands
Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK
Government type: British crown colony
Capital: George Town
Administrative divisions: 8 districts; Creek, Eastern,
Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
Bay, West End, Western
Independence: none (overseas 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); Governor
Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary; the governor is
appointed by the monarch
head of government: W. McKeeva BUSH
(since NA December 2001)
cabinet: Executive Council (three
members appointed by the governor,
four members elected by the
Legislative Assembly)
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18
seats, three appointed members from
the Executive Council and 15 elected
by popular vote; members serve four-
year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000
(next to be held NA November 2004)
election results: percent of vote -
NA%; seats - NA
Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman
Islands Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: there are no formal political
parties but the following loose
groupings act as political
organizations; National Team [leader
NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader
NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United
Democratic Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol
participation: (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the none (overseas territory of the UK)
US:
Flag description: 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 Cayman Islands
----------------------
Economy - overview: With no direct taxation, the islands
are a thriving offshore financial
center. More than 40,000 companies
were registered in the Cayman
Islands as of 1998, including almost
600 banks and trust companies;
banking assets exceed $500 billion.
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 1.2
million in 1997, with 600,000 from
the US. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.18
billion (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4.5% (2000)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $30,000
(1999 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2000)
Labor force: 19,820 (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%,
services 86% (1995)
Unemployment rate: 4.1% (1997)
Budget: revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (1997)
Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and
finance, construction, construction
materials, furniture
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 355 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 330.15 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle
farming
Exports: $1.2 million (1999)
Exports - commodities: turtle products, manufactured
consumer goods
Exports - partners: mostly US
Imports: $457.4 million (1999)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK,
Netherlands Antilles, Japan
Debt - external: $70 million (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Caymanian dollar (KYD)
Currency code: KYD
Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars per US dollar -
0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
November 1995), 0.85 (22 November
1993)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Cayman Islands
-----------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 19,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,534 (1995)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: 1 submarine coaxial
cable; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 36,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 with cable system
Televisions: 7,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ky
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)
Internet users: NA
Transportation Cayman Islands
-----------------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 406 km
paved: 304 km
unpaved: 102 km
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Cayman Brac, George Town
Merchant marine: total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 2,034,181 GRT/3,191,597 DWT
ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 4,
chemical tanker 34, container 1,
liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker
14, refrigerated cargo 40, roll on/
roll off 2, specialized tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1,
Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3,
Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden
13, United Kingdom 15, United States
35 (2002 est.)
Airports: 3 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)
Military Cayman Islands
-----------------------
Military branches: no regular indigenous military
forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police
Force (RCIPF)
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the
UK
Transnational Issues Cayman Islands
-----------------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: vulnerable to drug money laundering
and drug transshipment to the US and
Europe