Cayman Islands

The British colonized the Cayman Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Jamaica -- also a British colony at the time -- administered the islands after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center.

Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica

19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central America and the Caribbean

1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

160 km

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

low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

NA

majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

hurricanes (July to November)

important location between Cuba and Central America

Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)

English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.)

Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.)

1.71% (2025 est.)

11.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

11.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

majority of the population resides on Grand Cayman

35,000 GEORGE TOWN (capital) (2018)

1.81 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.9 (2025 est.)

no natural freshwater resources; trash washing up or being deposited on beaches; no recycling or waste-treatment facilities; deforestation 

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

parliamentary democracy; self-governing overseas territory of the UK

overseas territory of the UK

6 districts; Bodden Town, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, East End, George Town, North Side, West Bay

English common law and local statutes

see United Kingdom

18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands Peoples Party or CIPP<br>People's Progressive Movement or PPM

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Constitution Day, the first Monday in July (1959)

<strong>description:</strong> a blue field with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the right half of the flag; the coat of arms has a pineapple, a turtle, a shield with a golden lion and three green stars, and a scroll below the shield with the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the pineapple represents ties to Jamaica; the turtle represents the Caymans' seafaring tradition; the lion symbolizes Great Britain; the green stars represent the three islands; the white and blue wavy lines on the coat of arms represent the sea

green sea turtle

the Queen of England approved the Cayman Islands' coat of arms -- which was designed with input from the public -- in 1958; the shield features the<em> </em>lion of England and three green stars that symbolize the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman; the green turtle stands for the islands’ seafaring history, the rope under it for the thatch-rope industry, and the pineapple for historical ties with Jamaica; the motto comes from Psalms 24, acknowledging the Caymans’ Christian heritage

dominant offshore banking territory; services sector accounts for over 85% of economic activity; recently adopted a fiscal responsibility framework to combat tax evasion and money laundering; large tourism sector; does not have any welfare system; high standard of living

$7.139 billion (2023 est.)

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

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

3.4% (2022 est.)

UK 40%, Cyprus 21%, Germany 9%, Grenada 8%, Italy 5% (2023)

aircraft, ships, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Germany 30%, USA 29%, Italy 20%, Turkey 5%, China 5% (2023)

ships, refined petroleum, cars, furniture, jewelry (2023)

4 TV stations; cable and satellite subscription services offer&nbsp; international programming; government-owned Radio Cayman operates 2 networks broadcasting on 5 stations; 10 privately owned radio stations operate alongside Radio Cayman

.ky

VP-C

3 (2025)

5 (2025)

no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Service

defense is the responsibility of the UK