Cayman Islands (2004) | Nauru (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | 14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21.4% (male 4,608; female 4,616)
15-64 years: 70.6% (male 14,858; female 15,593) 65 years and over: 8% (male 1,607; female 1,821) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years:
40.33% (male 2,510; female 2,365) 15-64 years: 57.97% (male 3,475; female 3,533) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 103; female 102) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming | coconuts |
Airports | 3 (2003 est.) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
21 sq km land: 21 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. | Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by Australian forces in World War I. Upon achieving independence in 1968, Nauru became the smallest independent republic in the world; it joined the UN in 1999. |
Birth rate | 13.11 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 27.22 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997) |
revenues:
$23.4 million expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96) |
Capital | George Town | no official capital; government offices in Yaren District |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | tropical; monsoonal; rainy season (November to February) |
Coastline | 160 km | 30 km |
Constitution | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 | 29 January 1968 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
conventional long form:
Republic of Nauru conventional short form: Nauru former: Pleasant Island |
Currency | Caymanian dollar (KYD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 4.76 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $33.3 million |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone: (212) 937-0074
consulate(s): Hagatna (Guam) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA (1999) | $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.) |
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. | Revenues of this tiny island have come from exports of phosphates, but reserves are expected to be exhausted within five to ten years. Phosphate production has declined since 1989, as demand has fallen in traditional markets and as the marginal cost of extracting the remaining phosphate increases, making it less internationally competitive. While phosphates have given Nauruans one of the highest per capita incomes in the Third World, few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, including fresh water from Australia. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. The government has been borrowing heavily from the trusts to finance fiscal deficits. To cut costs the government has called for a freezing of wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments, privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the registration of offshore banks and corporations. Tens of billions of dollars have been channeled through their accounts. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's per capita GDP varying widely. |
Electricity - consumption | 355.2 million kWh (2001) | 27.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 381.9 million kWh (2001) | 30 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments | limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8% |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) |
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 Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Bernard DOWIYOGO (since 19 April 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term; election last held 8 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: Bernard DOWIYOGO elected president by a vote in Parliament of nine to eight note: former President Rene HARRIS was deposed in a no-confidence vote; this is the eighth change of government in Nauru since the fall of the Lagumont HARRIS government in a no-confidence motion in early November 1996; six of the last eight governments have resulted because of parliamentary no-confidence motions |
Exports | NA (2001) | $25.3 million (f.o.b., 1991) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | phosphates |
Exports - partners | mostly US | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms 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 narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.27 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $59 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $35,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.7% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 0 32 S, 166 55 E |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator |
Highways | total: 785 km
paved: 785 km (2000) |
total:
30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 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 | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $21.1 million (c.i.f., 1991) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery |
Imports - partners | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan | Australia, UK, NZ, Japan |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | 31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | phosphate mining, financial services, coconut products |
Infant mortality rate | total: 8.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
10.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2002) | -3.6% (1993) |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, ICAO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 19,820 (1995) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) | employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2001) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English | Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law |
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 17 November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - NA |
unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held NA April 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 18 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.81 years
male: 77.21 years female: 82.45 years (2004 est.) |
total population:
61.2 years male: 57.7 years female: 64.88 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974 DWT
by type: bulk 27, cargo 7, chemical tanker 36, container 2, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 4, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Germany 9, Greece 25, Hong Kong 3, Italy 14, Norway 4, Singapore 1, Spain 11, Sweden 13, Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 18, United States 43 registered in other countries: 2 (2004 est.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force | no regular armed forces; Directorate of the Nauru Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
3,018 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
1,661 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Independence Day, 31 January (1968) |
Nationality | noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
noun:
Nauruan(s) adjective: Nauruan |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | periodic droughts |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | phosphates |
Net migration rate | 18.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2004 est.) |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS] | loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal) [Bernard DOWIYOGO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 43,103 (July 2004 est.) | 12,088 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA (2002 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.71% (2004 est.) | 2% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cayman Brac, George Town | Nauru |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 7,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
5 km; note - used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic | Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 20 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-345; 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment:
adequate local and international radiotelephone communications provided via Australian facilities domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 38,000 (2002) | 2,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,000 (2002) | 450 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 with cable system | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center |
Total fertility rate | 1.9 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 3.61 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.1% (1997) | 0% |
Waterways | - | none |