ancial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@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 since
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
land: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
160 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 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 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: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2001)

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:
44,270 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917) (2005 est.)

Median age:
total: 36.83 years
male: 36.48 years
female: 37.18 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
12.92 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
18.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2005
est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male