Cayman Islands (2001) | Netherlands (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
22.21% (male 3,807; female 4,084) 15-64 years: 69.74% (male 12,102; female 12,676) 65 years and over: 8.05% (male 1,318; female 1,540) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442) 65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming | grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 28 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total:
19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
9 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
259 sq km land: 259 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey |
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. | The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC, and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. |
Birth rate | 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues:
$134 billion expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | George Town | Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters |
Coastline | 160 km | 451 km |
Constitution | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 | adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland |
Currency | Caymanian dollar (KYD) | Netherlands guilder (NLG); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in the Netherlands at a fixed rate of 2.20371 Netherlands guilders per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Death rate | 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $0 |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Cynthia P. SCHNEIDER embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Joris M. VOS chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Boston |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.) |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
Economy - overview | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1997, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million visitors in 1997. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. | The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. The Dutch economy has expanded by 3% or more in each of the last four years and real GDP growth is likely to be about 3.6% in 2001. The government in 2001 will implement its most comprehensive tax reform since World War II, designed to reduce high income tax levels and redirect the fiscal burden onto consumption. The Dutch were among the first 11 EU countries establishing the euro currency zone on 1 January 1999. |
Electricity - consumption | 306.9 million kWh (1999) | 97.76 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 3.97 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 22.407 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 330 million kWh (1999) | 85.294 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
90.25% hydro: 0.11% nuclear: 4.27% other: 5.37% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
lowest point:
Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment | water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.) |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Netherlands guilders per US dollar - 1.9837 (1998), 1.9513 (1997), 1.6859 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor and President of the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999) head of government: Kurt TIBBETTS (since November 2000) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch |
chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Annemarie JORRITSMA (since 3 August 1998) and Els BORST-EILERS (since 3 August 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: government coalition - PvdA, VVD, and D'66; there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors consulted by the executive on legislative and administrative policy |
Exports | $1.5 million (1998) | $210.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs |
Exports - partners | mostly US | EU 78% (Germany 26%, Belgium-Luxembourg 12%, France 12%, UK 11%, Italy 6%), Central and Eastern Europe, US (2000) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $930 million (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $388.4 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
agriculture:
3.3% industry: 26.3% services: 70.4% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $24,400 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (1999 est.) | 4% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 52 30 N, 5 45 E |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
total:
125,575 km paved: 113,018 km (including 2,235 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,557 km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994) |
Illicit drugs | vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe | major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy |
Imports | $507.6 million (1998) | $201.2 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan | EU 56% (Germany 18%, Belgium-Luxembourg 10%, UK 5%, France 6%), US 9%, Central and Eastern Europe (2000) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 1579 (from Spain) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (2000) |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing |
Infant mortality rate | 10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (1998) | 2.6% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 52 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 6,000 sq km (1996 est.) |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch) |
Labor force | 19,820 (1995) | 7.2 million (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) | services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
25% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 8% other: 39% (1996 est.) |
Languages | English | Dutch |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 6 May 1998 (next to be held May 2002) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 20, VVD 19, PvdA 15, D'66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - PvdA 30.0%, VVD 25.3%, CDA 19.3%, D'66 9.3%, other 16.1%; seats by party - PvdA 45, VVD 38, CDA 29, D'66 14, other 24 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
79.03 years male: 76.24 years female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
78.43 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.44 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (2000 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
106 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,452 GRT/2,643,036 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 5, chemical tanker 27, container 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Denmark 2, Finland 1, Greece 11, Norway 3, UK 3, US 3 (2000 est.) |
total:
596 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,321,500 GRT/4,877,632 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 43, container 59, liquefied gas 21, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 9, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 29, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 5 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) | Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.5% (FY00/01 est.) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
4,083,349 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
3,555,501 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 20 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
96,082 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April |
Nationality | noun:
Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian |
noun:
Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | flooding |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | natural gas, petroleum, arable land |
Net migration rate | 12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US |
2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km |
Political parties and leaders | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team; Democratic Alliance; Team Cayman | Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jaap de Hoop SCHEFFER]; Democrats '66 or D'66 [Tom DE GRAAF]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wim KOK]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Hans F. DIJKSTAL]; a host of minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises |
Population | 35,527 (July 2001 est.) | 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.12% (2001 est.) | 0.55% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayman Brac, George Town | Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 36,000 (1997) | 15.3 million (1996) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
2,739 km standard gauge: 2,739 km 1.435-m gauge; (1,991 km electrified) (1998) |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant | Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.93 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 (2001 est.) |
at birth:
1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
highly developed and well maintained domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in the year 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,000 (1995) | 9,132,400 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,534 (1995) | 4,081,891 (April 1999) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast |
Total fertility rate | 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.1% (1997) | 2.6% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | none | 5,046 km
note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger |