Cayman Islands

Facts & Figures

Map of Cayman Islands

Status: Overseas territory

Governor: Stuart Jack (2005)

Total area: 101 sq mi (262 sq km)

Population (2008 est.): 47,762 (growth rate: 2.4%); birth rate: 12.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.6/1000; life expectancy: 80.3; density per sq mi: 182

Capital (2003 est.): George Town (on Grand Cayman), 29,400

Monetary unit: Cayman Islands dollar

More Facts & Figures

The Caymans consist of three islands—Grand Cayman (76 sq mi; 197 sq km), Cayman Brac (22 sq mi; 57 sq km), and Little Cayman (20 sq mi; 52 sq km)—situated about 180 mi (290 km) northwest of Jamaica. They were dependencies of Jamaica until 1959, when they became a unit territory within the Federation of the West Indies. In 1962, upon the dissolution of the federation, the Cayman Islands became a British dependency, and a new constitution approved in 1972 provided for a greater degree of autonomy. Tourism and finance are the Cayman Islands' major industries. For a time, the Cayman Islands were blacklisted by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for its allegedly loose policy concerning money laundering. It was removed from the list in 2001.

See also Encyclopedia: Cayman Islands .
U.S. State Dept. Country Notes: Cayman Islands