Cruising around the Cayman IslandsBackgroundThe 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. GeographyLocation: Caribbean, three island (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little
Cayman) group in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of
Jamaica Coastline160 km Maritime claimsTerritorial sea: 12 nm ClimateTropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) TerrainLow-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs Elevation extremesLowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m EconomyWith 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. TransportationAirports: 3 (2005) Merchant marineTotal: 132 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,667,086 GRT/4,255,739 DWT Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminalsCayman Brac, George Town Other Sailing Destinations in the RegionAnguilla - Antigua and Barbuda - Aruba - Bahamas - Barbados - British Virgin Islands - Cayman Islands - Cuba - Dominica - Dominican Republic - Grenada - Guadeloupe - Haiti - Jamaica - St. Kitts and Nevis - St. Lucia - Martinique - Montserrat - Netherlands Antilles - Puerto Rico - Trinidad and Tobago - Turks and Caicos - St. Vincent and the Grenadines - Virgin Islands (USA) Further Reading |
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