% (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues Cape Verde
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007
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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, and were administered by Jamaica
after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the
Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in
1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency.
Geography Cayman Islands
Location:
Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman)
group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of
Jamaica
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 (Cayman Brac) 43 m
Natural resources:
fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism
Land use:
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
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:
45,436
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.7% (male 4,708/female 4,700)
15-64 years: 70.9% (male 15,707/female 16,504)
65 years and over: 8.4% (male 1,793/female 2,024) (2006 est.)
Median age:
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