Compare Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2001) - Cayman Islands (2001)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2001)

Cayman Islands (2001)

Administrative divisions

-

8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

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.)

Agriculture - products

-

vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Airports

-

3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

-

total:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

-

total:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)

Area

total:
412 sq km

land:
412 sq km

water:
0 sq km

total:
259 sq km

land:
259 sq km

water:
0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Background

These uninhabited, barren islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

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.

Birth rate

-

13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

-

revenues:
$265.2 million

expenditures:
$248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Capital

-

George Town

Climate

antarctic

tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Coastline

101.9 km

160 km

Constitution

-

1959, revised 1972 and 1992

Country name

conventional long form:
Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional short form:
Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Cayman Islands

Currency

-

Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Death rate

-

5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

-

$70 million (1996)

Dependency status

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of Australia)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$NA

Economy - overview

no economic activity

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.

Electricity - consumption

-

306.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

-

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

-

330 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

-

fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)

Elevation extremes

lowest point:
Southern Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Big Ben 2,745 m

lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
The Bluff 43 m

Environment - current issues

NA

no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment

Ethnic groups

-

mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20%

Exchange rates

-

Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

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

Exports

-

$1.5 million (1998)

Exports - commodities

-

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners

-

mostly US

Fiscal year

-

1 April - 31 March

Flag description

the flag of Australia is used

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

GDP

-

purchasing power parity - $930 million (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

-

agriculture:
1.4%

industry:
3.2%

services:
95.4% (1994 est.)

GDP - per capita

-

purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

4.9% (1999 est.)

Geographic coordinates

53 06 S, 72 31 E

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Geography - note

primarily used for research stations

important location between Cuba and Central America

Highways

-

total:
406 km

paved:
304 km

unpaved:
102 km

Household income or consumption by percentage share

-

lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%

Illicit drugs

-

vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe

Imports

-

$507.6 million (1998)

Imports - commodities

-

foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

-

US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Independence

-

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

NA%

Industries

-

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

Infant mortality rate

-

10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

3% (1998)

International organization participation

-

Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

-

16 (2000)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1993)

NA sq km

Judicial branch

-

Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Labor force

-

19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

-

agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
100%

arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
8%

forests and woodland:
23%

other:
69% (1993 est.)

Languages

-

English

Legal system

the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

British common law and local statutes

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

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population:
79.03 years

male:
76.24 years

female:
81.43 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

-

definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school

total population:
98%

male:
98%

female:
98% (1970 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Map references

Antarctic Region

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 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.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Military branches

-

Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF)

National holiday

-

Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Nationality

-

noun:
Caymanian(s)

adjective:
Caymanian

Natural hazards

Heard Island is dominated by a dormant volcano called Big Ben

hurricanes (July to November)

Natural resources

none

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Net migration rate

-

12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

note:
major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

-

NA

Population

uninhabited (July 2001 est.)

35,527 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.12% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only

Cayman Brac, George Town

Radio broadcast stations

-

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

-

36,000 (1997)

Railways

-

0 km

Religions

-

United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant

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.)

Suffrage

-

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

-

general assessment:
NA

domestic:
NA

international:
1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

-

19,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

2,534 (1995)