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Background:
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The
Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered
by Jamaica since 1863, they remained a British
dependency after 1962 when the former became
independent. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly
one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
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Geographic coordinates:
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19 30 N,
80 30 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
262 sq km
land: 262 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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1.5 times
the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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160 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical
marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
relatively dry winters (November to April) |
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Terrain:
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low-lying
limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish,
climate and beaches that foster tourism |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 3.85%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 96.15% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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hurricanes (July to November) |
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Environment - current issues:
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no
natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies
must be met by rainwater catchments |
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Geography - note:
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important
location between Cuba and Central America |
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Population:
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44,270
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917)
(2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
36.83 years
male: 36.48 years
female: 37.18 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.64%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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12.92
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.81
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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18.25
migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: major destination for Cubans trying to
migrate to the US (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
8.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.95 years
male: 77.33 years
female: 82.6 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.9
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Caymanian(s)
adjective: Caymanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed
40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
groups 20% |
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Religions:
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United
Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican,
Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
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Languages:
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English
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1970 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
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Dependency status:
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overseas
territory of the UK |
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Government type:
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British
crown colony |
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Capital:
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George
Town |
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Administrative divisions:
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8
districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot
Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
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Independence:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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National holiday:
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Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
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Constitution:
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1959;
revised 1972 and 1992 |
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Legal system:
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British
common law and local statutes |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
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 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three
appointed members from the Executive Council and 15
elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held
2009)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats -
PPM 9, UDP 5, independent 1 |
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Judicial branch:
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Summary
Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
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Political parties and leaders:
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no
national teams (loose groupings of political
organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections;
United Democratic Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH];
People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader Kurt
TIBBETTS] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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Caricom
(associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
(associate), UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(overseas territory of the UK) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 1998, 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 in 1997, with
600,000 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$1.391
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.7%
(2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $32,300 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 3.2%
services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
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Labor force:
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19,820
(1995) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)
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Unemployment rate:
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4.1%
(1997) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA (2002
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8%
(2002) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $265.2 million
expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1997) |
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Agriculture - products:
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vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming |
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Industries:
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tourism,
banking, insurance and finance, construction,
construction materials, furniture |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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410.8
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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382.1
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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2,400
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Exports:
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$1.2
million (1999) |
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Exports - commodities:
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turtle
products, manufactured consumer goods |
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Exports - partners:
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mostly US
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Imports:
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$457.4
million (1999) |
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Imports - commodities:
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foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
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Imports - partners:
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US,
Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan
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Debt - external:
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$70
million (1996) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA |
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Currency (code):
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Caymanian
dollar (KYD) |
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Currency code:
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KYD |
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Exchange rates:
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Caymanian
dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April -
31 March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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38,000
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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17,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: reasonably good system
domestic: liberalization of telecom market in
2003 reflected in falling prices and improving services
international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine
fiber optic cables (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite
earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
4, shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Radios:
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36,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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4 with
cable system (2004) |
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Televisions:
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7,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.ky |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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16 (2000)
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Internet users:
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9,909
(2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
785 km
paved: 785 km (2000) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Cayman
Brac, George Town |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 12, chemical
tanker 39, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 17,
refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 3
foreign-owned: 126 (Denmark 1, Germany 14, Greece
20, Italy 12, Norway 1, Philippines 1, Sweden 13,
Switzerland 11, United Kingdom 9, United States 44)
(2005) |
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Airports:
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3 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no
regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police
Force |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of the UK |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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offshore
financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to
the US and Europe |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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