Cayman Islands (2002) | United Arab Emirates (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | 7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn |
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.) |
0-14 years: 27.7% (male 345,077; female 331,545)
15-64 years: 69.7% (male 1,069,443; female 635,275) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 45,989; female 18,660) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming | dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 38 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002) |
total: 19 22
over 3,047 m: 8 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 3 under 914 m: 4 4 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 19 19
over 3,047 m: 1 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 9 under 914 m: 5 5 (2002) |
Area | total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 82,880 sq km
land: 82,880 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Maine |
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 Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in the affairs of the region. |
Birth rate | 13.45 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 18.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
revenues: $20 billion
expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | George Town | Abu Dhabi |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | desert; cooler in eastern mountains |
Coastline | 160 km | 1,318 km |
Constitution | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 | 2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
conventional short form: none local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah local short form: none former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States abbreviation: UAE |
Currency | Caymanian dollar (KYD) | Emirati dirham (AED) |
Death rate | 5.24 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $12.6 billion (2001 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Marcelle M. WAHBA
embassy: Al-Sudan Street, Abu Dhabi mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi telephone: [971] (2) 4436691 FAX: [971] (2) 4435441 consulate(s) general: Dubai |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI
chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 |
Disputes - international | none | Oman signed boundary treaty with the UAE in 1999, and the UAE-Oman boundary line was formally recognized in June 2000;; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto; UAE seeks United Arab League and other international support against Iran's occupation of Greater Tunb Island (called Tunb al Kubra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Bozorg in Persian by Iran) and Lesser Tunb Island (called Tunb as Sughra in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Tonb-e Kuchek in Persian by Iran) and attempts to occupy completely a jointly administered island in the Persian Gulf (called Abu Musa in Arabic by UAE and Jazireh-ye Abu Musa in Persian by Iran) |
Economic aid - donor | - | $NA |
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 1998, 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 in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. 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 UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas output (about 33% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since 1973, the UAE has undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. |
Electricity - consumption | 330.15 million kWh (2000) | 35.991 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 355 million kWh (2000) | 38.7 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments | lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982) |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) | Emirati dirhams per US dollar - central bank mid-point rate: 3.6725 (since 1997), 3.6710 (1995-96) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
head of government: Chief Secretary W. McKeeva BUSH (since NA December 2001) 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; the chief secretary is appointed by the governor |
chief of state: President ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan (since 2 December 1971), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 6 August 1966) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime Minister SULTAN bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power elections: president and vice president elected by the FSC (a group of seven electors) for five-year terms; election last held 2 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president election results: ZAYID bin Sultan Al Nuhayyan reelected president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous; MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum elected vice president; percent of FSC vote - NA%, but believed to be unanimous |
Exports | $1.2 million (1999) | $47.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates |
Exports - partners | mostly US | Japan 30%, India 7%, Singapore 6%, South Korea 4%, Oman, Iran (1999) |
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 green (top), white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.18 billion (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - $51 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 3% services: 95% (1994 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 46% services: 51% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $30,000 (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - $21,100 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4.5% (2000) | 5.6% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 24 00 N, 54 00 E |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil |
Heliports | - | 2 (2002) |
Highways | total: 406 km
paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
total: 4,835 km
paved: 4,835 km unpaved: 0 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the US and Europe | The UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering legislation was signed into law by the president on 25 January 2002 |
Imports | $457.4 million (1999) | $28.6 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food |
Imports - partners | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan | Japan 9%, UK 8%, US 8%, Italy 6%, Germany, South Korea (1999) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 2 December 1971 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 4% (2000) |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | petroleum, fishing, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building, handicrafts, pearling |
Infant mortality rate | 9.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 16.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.3% (2000) (2000) | 4.5% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) | ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 720 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 19,820 (1995) | 1.6 million
note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 2002 est.) (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1995) | services 78%, industry 15%, agriculture 7% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 867 km
border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.49% other: 99.03% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English | Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | federal court system introduced in 1971; all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular and Islamic law for civil, criminal, and high courts |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members from the Executive Council 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 Federal National Council or Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
elections: none note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.18 years
male: 76.38 years female: 81.59 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 74.52 years
male: 72.06 years female: 77.1 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: 79.2% male: 78.9% female: 79.8% (1995 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras | Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Middle East |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,034,181 GRT/3,191,597 DWT
ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 4, chemical tanker 34, container 1, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 40, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Bahrain 2, China 1, Germany 4, Greece 27, Hong Kong 3, Italy 2, Japan 1, Norway 14, Sweden 13, United Kingdom 15, United States 35 (2002 est.) |
total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 833,401 GRT/1,251,015 DWT
ships by type: cargo 13, chemical tanker 3, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 25, roll on/roll off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 2, Italy 1, Kuwait 2 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) | Army, Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $1.6 billion (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 3.1% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 773,938
note: includes non-nationals (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 419,851 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 25,482 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Independence Day, 2 December (1971) |
Nationality | noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
noun: Emirati(s)
adjective: Emirati |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | frequent sand and dust storms |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | petroleum, natural gas |
Net migration rate | 12.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2002 est.) |
1.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 830 km; natural gas, including natural gas liquids, 870 km |
Political parties and leaders | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team [leader NA]; Democratic Alliance [leader NA]; Team Cayman [leader NA]; United Democratic Party [leader NA] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 36,273 (July 2002 est.) | 2,445,989
note: includes 1,576,472 non-nationals (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.03% (2002 est.) | 1.58% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayman Brac, George Town | 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Das Island, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Khalid, Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Umm al Qaywayn |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 13, FM 7, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 36,000 (1997) | 820,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic | Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4% |
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 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.46 male(s)/female total population: 1.48 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: modern system of microwave radio relay and coaxial cable; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
domestic: microwave radio relay and coaxial cable international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,000 (1995) | 915,223 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,534 (1995) | 1 million (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 with cable system | 15 (1997) |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east |
Total fertility rate | 2.03 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.16 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.1% (1997) | NA% |
Waterways | none | none |