Location: Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica.
Area: total: 264 sq km, land: 264 sq km, water: 0 sq km.
Natural resources: Fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism.
Population: 58,441, most of the population lives on Grand Cayman (July 2017 est.).
Capital: George Town (on Grand Cayman).
Time Zone: UTC−5.
Languages: English (official) 90.9%, Spanish 4%, Filipino 3.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.).
Government type: Parliamentary democracy (Legislative Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK.
Legal system: English common law and local statutes.
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU.
Economy: With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 65,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2017, including more than 280 banks, 700 insurers, and 10,500 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Nearly 90% of the islands’ food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy a standard of living comparable to that of Switzerland.
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.
Currency: Caymanian dollar (KYD).