Cayman Islands
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- What are the Cayman Islands and where are they located?
- How many islands make up the Cayman Islands, and what are their names?
- What is the primary language spoken in the Cayman Islands?
- Who were the first people to inhabit the Cayman Islands?
- What are the main industries that support the economy of the Cayman Islands?
- How is the Cayman Islands governed and what is its relationship with the United Kingdom?
- What are some of the unique wildlife and natural habitats found in the Cayman Islands?
- Why are the Cayman Islands a popular destination for tourists around the world?
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Cayman Islands, island group and overseas territory of the United Kingdom in theCaribbean Sea,comprising the islands ofGrand Cayman,Little Cayman, andCayman Brac, situated about 180 miles (290 km) northwest ofJamaica. The islands are the outcroppings of a submarine mountain range that extends northeastward fromBelize toCuba. The capital is George Town, on Grand Cayman.
Land
The islands are generally low-lying, though Cayman Brac has a central bluff thatconstitutes 90 percent of its landmass. The coasts are ironshore (limestone fringes with numerous marine fossils) interspersed with sandy beaches and enclosed by coral reefs. Grand Cayman is the largest and most populous island, about 22 miles (35 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) across at its widest, with a total area of 76 square miles (197 square km). It has a 36-square-mile (93-square-km) sound that is a breeding ground for much marine life. Cayman Brac, about 89 miles (143 km) northeast of Grand Cayman, is the next largest island; it is about 12 miles (19 km) long, averages about 1 mile (1.6 km) in width, and has the highest elevation of the group, rising to 140 feet (42 metres) abovesea level. Its total area is 14 square miles (36 square km). The smallest of the islands, Little Cayman, lies 5 miles (8 km) west of Cayman Brac; it is 10 miles (16 km) long and has a maximum width of 2 miles (3 km) and a total area of 10 square miles (26 square km). There are no rivers.
- Head Of Government:
- Premier: G. Wayne Panton
- Capital:
- George Town
- Population:
- (2025 est.) 77,800
- Head Of State:
- British Monarch:King Charles III, represented by Governor: Martyn Roper
- Official Language:
- English
- Official Religion:
- none
- Official Name:
- Cayman Islands
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 197
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 76
- Monetary Unit:
- Cayman Islands dollar (CI$)
- Population Rank:
- (2025) 206
- Population Projection 2030:
- 75,000
- Density: Persons Per Sq Mi:
- (2025) 762.7
- Density: Persons Per Sq Km:
- (2025) 294.7
- Urban-Rural Population:
- Urban: (2024) 100%
- Rural: (2024) 0%
- Life Expectancy At Birth:
- Male: (2023) 80.3 years
- Female: (2023) 86 years
- Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate:
- Male: (2017) 99%
- Female: (2017) 99%
- Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000):
- (2022) 4,423
- Gni Per Capita (U.S.$):
- (2022) 61,780
- Political Status:
- overseas territory (United Kingdom) with one legislative house (Legislative Assembly [18])
The Caymans are located on the boundary between two tectonic plates, one moving eastward and one westward; minor tremors resulting from the movement of the plates are sometimes recorded. In December 2004 an earthquake of greater than usual magnitude was felt on Grand Cayman, although there were no injuries and no damage was caused to property.
A pleasant tropical climate is one of the territory’s mainassets, tourism being of primary importance to the economy. Temperatures are moderate throughout the year, averaging about 81 °F (27 °C) annually. The rainy season extends from mid-May through October, and the dry season lasts the balance of the year. The Caymans are cool from November to March, with temperatures ranging 65–75 °F (18–24 °C). Rainfall at George Town averages 60 inches (about 1,500 mm) annually, although the eastern districts of Grand Cayman and the other islands are drier. Hurricanes can occur from June through November.
Mangrove swamps cover nearly one-third of the land area. A variety of commercially useful plants grow on the islands; among them are coconut palms andbreadfruit, banana, mango, and citrus fruit trees. There are also thatch palms and some logwood and mahogany trees. The onlyindigenous mammals are agoutis. There are many reptiles, including green sea turtles, which were noted byChristopher Columbus when he visited the islands. Iguanas, other lizards, and frogs are also common, and the islands are rich in birdlife.
People
About one-fifth of Caymanians are of European, mainly British, ancestry; another fifth are blacks, the descendants of African slaves; and two-fifths are of mixed African and European ancestry. The remainder of the residents are of other mixed ancestry or are expatriates. English is the official language and the mainspoken language, heard in a variety ofdialects. Spanish is frequently a second language.
The main population centre is George Town, where more than half the population lives. Grand Cayman has more than four-fifths of the population. The majority of Caymanians are Christian; the chief religious denominations areChurch of God, United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (Presbyterian/Congregational), Baptist, Anglican, Roman Catholic, andSeventh-day Adventist.
Economy
The economy depends on banking,tourism, and other services. The Caymans have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean.
The physical beauty and superb climate of the islands have made them a haven for tourists. The government invested heavily in promoting tourism, which increased eightfold between the mid-1970s and the early 1990s. Since then tourism has continued to grow steadily, as the islands have developed a good reputation for diving. Most visitors are from theUnited States. Airports on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac and a private airstrip on Little Caymanfacilitate tourist traffic. Cruise ships call at Grand Cayman, bringing some one million visitors annually on day trips. In addition, hundreds of thousands of stopover tourists (those who stay one or more nights) visit the islands each year.
International finance has become a major component of the economy. The Cayman Islands are renowned as anoffshore banking centre, owing to the absence of direct taxes and to liberal banking laws that generally ensureconfidential transactions. Hundreds of banks and trust companies, including most of the world’s 50 largest banks, are registered in the Caymans, making the islands one of the largest financial centres in the world. Revenue paid by registered businesses contributes considerably to thegovernment budget. There is a shortage of labour, and much of the workforce is made up of immigrants on tightly controlled work permits.
The chief occupations on the Cayman Islands are in clerical and service work and in the construction trades. Agriculture occupies only a small number of Caymanians, and most of the islands’ food must be imported. The main crops are citrus fruits and bananas, as well as mangoes,plantains, coconuts, sweet potatoes, yams, and tomatoes. Some livestock is raised, chiefly cattle and poultry. Turtles raised on a government-operated turtle farm provide food, shells, and leather.
Exports are few. The major imports are machinery and transport equipment, other manufactured items, fuels, and foods. The United States is the Caymans’ primary trading partner in both imports and exports; other major sources of imports are Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The United Kingdom and Jamaica are the Cayman Islands’ other major export destinations.