Cayman Islands (2007) | Tokelau (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 4,746/female 4,730)
15-64 years: 71% (male 16,135/female 16,964) 65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,892/female 2,133) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats |
Airports | 3 (2007) | none; lagoon landings by amphibious aircraft from Samoa |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2007) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
- |
Area | total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
10 sq km land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries, and were administered by Jamaica after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies, but when the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. According to a UN report, these low-lying islands will disappear in the 21st century, if global warming continues to raise sea levels. |
Birth rate | 12.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million (2004) |
revenues:
$430,830 expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
Capital | name: George Town (on Grand Cayman)
geographic coordinates: 19 18 N, 81 23 W time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
none; each atoll has its own administrative center |
Climate | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 160 km | 101 km |
Constitution | 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994 | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948, as amended in 1970 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Tokelau |
Currency | - | New Zealand dollar (NZD) |
Death rate | 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $70 million (1996) | $0 |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution, developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with Wellington |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $390,000 (2004) | $3.8 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 68,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2003, including almost 500 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. 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 2.1 million in 2003, with about half 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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people must rely on aid from New Zealand to maintain public services, annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | 372 million kWh (2005) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 400 million kWh (2005) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
Ethnic groups | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.8496 (2006) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 2.2502 (January 2001), 2.1863 (2000), 1.8886 (1999), 1.8632 (1998), 1.5083 (1997), 1.4543 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Stuart JACK (since 23 November 2005)
head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS (since 18 May 2005) 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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the governor Leader of Government Business |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and New Zealand are represented by Administrator Lindsay WATT (since NA March 1993) head of government: Aliki Faipule FALIMATEAO (since NA 1997) cabinet: the Council of Faipule, consisting of three elected leaders, one from each atoll; functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $98,000 (f.o.b., 1983) |
Exports - commodities | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | mostly US (2006) | NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | the flag of New Zealand is used |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.5 million (1993 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 - $1,000 (1993 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.9% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 19 30 N, 80 30 W | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | important location between Cuba and Central America | - |
Highways | - | total:
NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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 bbl/day | $323,400 (c.i.f., 1983) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, manufactured goods | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2006) | NZ |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.4% (2004) | NA% |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU | SPC, WHO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | 23,450 (2004) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995) |
- |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005) |
arable land:
0% (soil is thin and infertile) permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) |
Languages | English | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | British common law and local statutes | British and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats; 3 appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1 |
unicameral General Fono (45 seats - 15 from each of the three atolls; members chosen by each atoll's Council of Elders or Taupulega to serve three-year terms); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers legislative power on the General Fono |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.2 years
male: 77.57 years female: 82.87 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
- |
Location | Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica | Oceania, group of three islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 124 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,953,923 GRT/4,597,716 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 11, chemical tanker 41, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 122 (Denmark 3, Germany 17, Greece 23, Italy 10, Japan 6, Norway 2, Singapore 10, Sweden 1, UK 9, US 41) (2007) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force | - |
National holiday | Constitution Day, first Monday in July | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
noun:
Tokelauan(s) adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | hurricanes (July to November) | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 17.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2007 est.) |
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | United Democratic Party or UDP [McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Kurt TIBBETTS]; note - no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 46,600
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2007 est.) |
1,445 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.496% (2007 est.) | -0.92% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: each atoll has a radio broadcast station of unknown type that broadcasts shipping and weather reports (1998) |
Radios | - | 1,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.003 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.951 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.887 male(s)/female total population: 0.956 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003; introduction of competition in the mobile-cellular market in 2004 international: country code - 1-345; landing point for the MAYA-1 submarine telephone cable network that provides links to the US and parts of Central and South America; submarine cable provides connectivity to Jamaica; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2007) |
general assessment:
adequate domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 38,000 (2002) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,000 (2002) | 0 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 with cable system (2004) | NA |
Terrain | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | 1.89 children born/woman (2007 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | 4.4% (2004) | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |