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.

19 30 N, 80 30 W

hurricanes (July to November)

1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

no natural freshwater resources; trash washing up or being deposited on beaches; no recycling or waste-treatment facilities; deforestation 

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

160 km

Total: 0 km

Agricultural land: 11.2% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 8.3% (2023 est.)

Forest: 53% (2023 est.)

Other: 35.8% (2023 est.)

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

important location between Cuba and Central America

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

Central America and the Caribbean

NA

majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

Highest point: 1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m

Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Total : 264 sq km

Land: 264 sq km

Water: 0 sq km

0-14 years: 17.4% (male 5,845/female 5,767)

15-64 years: 65.9% (male 21,480/female 22,456)

65 years and over: 16.7% (2024 est.) (male 5,054/female 6,051)

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.)

Noun: Caymanian(s)

Adjective: Caymanian

Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)

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

Improved:

Urban: 95.5% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 95.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 4.5% of population (2022 est.)

35,000 GEORGE TOWN (capital) (2018)

Improved:

Urban: 93.5% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 93.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 6.5% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 6.5% of population (2022 est.)

Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)

Note: Data represent population by country of birth

Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.)

English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.)

Note:  data represent main language spoken at home

Total dependency ratio: 51.7 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 26.4 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 25.3 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 4 (2024 est.)

0.9 (2024 est.)

12.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total: 41.2 years (2024 est.)

Male: 40.3 years

Female: 42 years

1.82 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Total: 66,653 (2024 est.)

Male: 32,379

Female: 34,274

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

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

11.5 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Total population: 82.5 years (2024 est.)

Male: 79.8 years

Female: 85.2 years

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

15% national budget (2019 est.)

1.75% (2024 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 60,000 tons (2024 est.)

737,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids: 737,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

143.149 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Embassy: None (overseas territory of the UK); consular services provided through the US Embassy in Jamaica

6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay

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: Originally named Hogstyes, the town was renamed in honor of English King GEORGE III (1738-1820) around 1800

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

Chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Jane OWEN (since 21 April 2023)

Head of government: Premier André Martin EBANKS (since 6 May 2025)

Cabinet: Cabinet selected from the Parliament and appointed by the governor on the advice of the premier

Election/appointment process: The monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the governor appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as premier

Description: A blue field with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a pineapple, a turtle, a shield with a golden lion and three green stars, and a scroll below the shield with the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Meaning: The pineapple represents ties to Jamaica; the turtle represents the Caymans' seafaring tradition; the lion symbolizes Great Britain; the green stars represent the three islands; the white and blue wavy lines on the coat of arms represent the sea

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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) 

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

Note: appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (in London)

English common law and local statutes

Legislature name: Parliament

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Number of seats: 21 (directly elected and appointed)

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 4/14/2021

Parties elected and seats per party: Independent (12); PPM (7)

Percentage of women in chamber: 23.8%

Expected date of next election: 2025

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959)

Cayman Islands Peoples Party or CIPP
People's Progressive Movement or PPM

18 years of age; universal

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Conventional long form: None

Conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Etymology: Spanish explorers named the islands in the early 16th century, using the Carib word for marine crocodiles, caiman

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Title: "Beloved Isle Cayman"

Lyrics/music: Leila E. ROSS

History: Adopted 1960; served as an unofficial anthem since 1930
_____

Title: "God Save the King"

Lyrics/music: Unknown

History: Official anthem, as an overseas UK territory

green sea turtle

see United Kingdom

aircraft, ships, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

Revenues: $874.5 million (2017 est.)

Expenditures: $766.6 million (2017 est.)

ships, refined petroleum, cars, furniture, jewelry (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
0.833 (2024 est.)
0.833 (2023 est.)
0.833 (2022 est.)
0.833 (2021 est.)
0.833 (2020 est.)

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

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

$7.139 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Germany 30%, USA 29%, Italy 20%, Turkey 5%, China 5% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

UK 40%, Cyprus 21%, Germany 9%, Grenada 8%, Italy 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

0.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$234 million (2023 est.)
$225.4 million (2022 est.)
$228.3 million (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

$5.705 billion (2023 est.)
$5.467 billion (2022 est.)
$5.199 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

2% (2017 est.)
-0.6% (2016 est.)
-2.3% (2015 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

-$712.684 million (2023 est.)
-$749.482 million (2022 est.)
-$794.205 million (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$78,100 (2023 est.)
$76,400 (2022 est.)
$74,200 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

$3.444 billion (2023 est.)
$3.287 billion (2022 est.)
$2.808 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

$4.6 billion (2023 est.)
$4.215 billion (2022 est.)
$3.542 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

4.4% (2023 est.)
5.2% (2022 est.)
4.9% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

3.4% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

Electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Fossil fuels: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Solar: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption: 5,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity: 176,000 kW (2023 est.)

Consumption: 698.767 million kWh (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses: 2.117 million kWh (2023 est.)

Percent of population: 81% (2017 est.)

.ky

4 TV stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer  international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman

Total subscriptions: 100,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 147 (2021 est.)

Total: 40,000 (2022 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 56 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions: 36,000 (2021 est.)

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 50 (2022 est.)

VP-C

3 (2025)

Total: 130 (2023)

By type: Bulk carrier 29, container ship 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 20, other 77

5 (2025)

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Refugees: 65 (2024 est.)

overseas territory of the UK

Total ports: 2 (2024)

Large: 0

Medium: 0

Small: 0

Very small: 2

Ports with oil terminals: 2

Key ports: Cayman Brac, Georgetown

the Queen of England approved the Cayman Islands' coat of arms -- which was designed with input from the public -- in 1958; the shield features the lion of England and three green stars that symbolize the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman; the green turtle stands for the islands’ seafaring history, the rope under it for the thatch-rope industry, and the pineapple for historical ties with Jamaica; the motto comes from Psalms 24, acknowledging the Caymans’ Christian heritage