Saint Helena (2002) | Cayman Islands (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | 1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha* | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 18.8% (male 698; female 678)
15-64 years: 71.9% (male 2,727; female 2,531) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 296; female 387) (2002 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da Cunha) | vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 3 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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: 410 sq km
land: 410 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes St. Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island, Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands |
total: 262 sq km
land: 262 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough Island has a meteorological station. | 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. |
Birth rate | 13.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 12.6 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $11.2 million
expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY92) |
revenues: $423.8 million
expenditures: $392.6 million (2004) |
Capital | Jamestown | 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) |
Climate | Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena) | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 60 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1989 | 1959; revised 1962, 1972, and 1994 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Saint Helena |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | Saint Helenian pound (SHP) | - |
Death rate | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.98 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997) | $390,000 (2004) |
Economy - overview | The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from fishing, the raising of livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.65 million kWh (2000) | 372 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 5 million kWh (2000) | 400 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff (Cayman Brac) 43 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments |
Ethnic groups | African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25% | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6047 (1997); note - the Saint Helenian pound is at par with the British pound | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief David HOLLAMBY (since NA June 1999) cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by the monarch |
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 |
Exports | $704,000 f.o.b. (1995) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee, handicrafts | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | South Africa, UK | mostly US (2006) |
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 Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $18 million (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 0.9% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 56 S, 5 42 W | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Highways | total: 158 km (Saint Helena 118 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km)
paved: 138 km (Saint Helena 98km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 km) unpaved: 20 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha 0 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 | $14.434 million c.i.f. (1995) | 2,698 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | UK, South Africa | US, Netherlands Antilles, Japan (2006) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (1997 est.) | 4.4% (2004) |
International organization participation | ICFTU | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 3,500
note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.) |
23,450 (2004) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.) | agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 12.6% services: 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 12.9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 87.1% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2005) |
Languages | English | English |
Legal system | NA | British common law and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.2 years
male: 74.31 years female: 80.23 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 80.2 years
male: 77.57 years female: 82.87 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 20 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 97% female: 98% (1987 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South America and Africa | Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica |
Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | 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) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force |
National holiday | Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun: Saint Helenian(s)
adjective: Saint Helenian |
noun: Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | fish | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 17.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | none | 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 |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 7,317 (July 2002 est.) | 46,600
note: most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.7% (2002 est.) | 2.496% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 3,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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 | NA years of age | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: can communicate worldwide
domestic: automatic network international: HF radiotelephone from Saint Helena to Ascension which is a major coaxial submarine cable relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK ; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,000 (1997) | 38,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1997) | 17,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 0
note: television programs are received in St. Helena via satellite and distributed by cable (2002) |
4 with cable system (2004) |
Terrain | Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin |
low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.53 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.89 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 14% (1998 est.) | 4.4% (2004) |
Waterways | none | - |