Cayman Islands (2001) | Sweden (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | 21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas, Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar, Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane, Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens, Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands |
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% (male 817,688; female 776,018)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,922,095; female 2,824,770) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 651,120; female 885,053) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming | barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 255 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 25 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2002) |
Area | total:
259 sq km land: 259 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 449,964 sq km
land: 410,934 sq km water: 39,030 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than California |
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. | A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets. Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999. |
Birth rate | 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 9.81 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $119 billion
expenditures: $110 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | George Town | Stockholm |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north |
Coastline | 160 km | 3,218 km |
Constitution | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 | 1 January 1975 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
conventional short form: Sweden local long form: Konungariket Sverige local short form: Sverige |
Currency | Caymanian dollar (KYD) | Swedish krona (SEK) |
Death rate | 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $66.5 billion (1994) (1994) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Charles A. HEIMBOLD, Jr.
embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $1.7 billion (1997) (1997) |
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. | Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and 2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown, revenue declines, and spending increases. The Swedish central bank (the Riksbank) is focusing on price stability with its inflation target of 2%. Growth should pick up to 2.3% in 2003, assuming a moderate global recovery. |
Electricity - consumption | 306.9 million kWh (1999) | 139.18 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 13.628 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 18.306 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 330 million kWh (1999) | 144.62 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 6%
hydro: 54% nuclear: 37% other: 3% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment | acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea |
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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) | Swedish kronor per US dollar - 10.4381 (January 2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000), 8.2624 (1999), 7.9499 (1998), 7.6349 (1997) |
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: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March 1996) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the prime minister is elected by the Parliament; election last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131 out of 349 votes |
Exports | $1.5 million (1998) | $80.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals |
Exports - partners | mostly US | EU 54.6% (Germany 10.6%, UK 8.8%, Denmark 6.1%, Finland 5.7%), US 10.5%, Norway 8.6% (2001) |
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 | blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $930 million (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $227.4 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
agriculture: 2%
industry: 29% services: 69% (2001) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.) | purchasing power parity - $25,400 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.9% (1999 est.) | 1.8% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 62 00 N, 15 00 E |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North Seas |
Heliports | - | 2 (2002) |
Highways | total:
406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
total: 210,760 km
paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of expressways) unpaved: 48,053 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 20% (1992) (1992) |
Illicit drugs | vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $507.6 million (1998) | $68.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan | EU 66.3% (Germany 17.8%, UK 8.7%, Denmark 8.2%, Netherlands 6.9%, France 6.5%), Norway 8.5%, US 6.7% (2001) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 0.9% (2002 est.) |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods, motor vehicles |
Infant mortality rate | 10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 3.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (1998) | 2.2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTAET, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 29 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 1,150 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the prime minister and the cabinet) |
Labor force | 19,820 (1995) | 4.4 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) | agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,205 km
border countries: Finland 586 km, Norway 1,619 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 6.8%
permanent crops: 0% other: 93.2% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Swedish
note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | civil law system influenced by customary law; 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 |
unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%, Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats 33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
79.03 years male: 76.24 years female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 79.84 years
male: 77.19 years female: 82.64 years (2002 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% (1979 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines territorial sea: 12 NM (adjustments made to return a portion of straits to high seas) |
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: 174 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,255,344 GRT/1,609,844 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 37, chemical tanker 33, combination ore/oil 4, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 27, railcar carrier 1, roll on/roll off 38, short-sea passenger 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 18 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 8, Finland 8, Germany 3, Italy 3, Japan 2, Norway 7 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) | Army, Royal Navy (including Coast Artillery and Naval Helicopter Service), Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $4,395.1 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2.1% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 2,060,205 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,800,991 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | NA |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 51,506 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Flag Day, 6 June |
Nationality | noun:
Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian |
noun: Swede(s)
adjective: Swedish |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | zinc, iron ore, lead, copper, silver, timber, uranium, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US |
0.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | natural gas 84 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 | Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Alf SVENSSON]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or VP (formerly Communist) [Gudrun SCHYMAN]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Bo LUNDGREN]; Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 35,527 (July 2001 est.) | 8,876,744 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.12% (2001 est.) | 0.02% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayman Brac, George Town | Gavle, Goteborg, Halmstad, Helsingborg, Hudiksvall, Kalmar, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Solvesborg, Stockholm, Sundsvall |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 36,000 (1997) | 8.25 million (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | total: 12,821 km
standard gauge: 12,600 km 1.435-m gauge (7,918 km electrified) narrow gauge: 221 km 0.891-m gauge (2001) |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant | Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist |
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: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 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: excellent domestic and international facilities; automatic system
domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some additional telephone channels international: 5 submarine coaxial cables; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,000 (1995) | 6.017 million (December 1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,534 (1995) | 3.835 million (October 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west |
Total fertility rate | 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.54 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.1% (1997) | 4% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | none | 2,052 km
note: navigable to small steamers and barges |