ic prosperity has made Chile more attractive to
traffickers seeking to launder drug profits; imported precursors passed
on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002

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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 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 e