OFFICIAL NAME: Cayman Islands
CAPITAL: George Town
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: British Dependent Territory
AREA: 260 Sq Km (100 Sq Mi)
ESTIMATED 2000 POPULATION 27,000
  LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY: The Cayman Islands which consist of
Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac are located
in the Caribbean Sea. The islands are a part of the Cayman
Ridge that extends west from Cuba and both Grand Cayman
and Little Cayman are flat with little surface drainage.
Cayman Brac has a central limestone plateau which rises
easterly to an elevation of 42 metres (138 feet). All the
islands lie within the hurricane belt and are ringed by
coral reefs.
CLIMATE: The Cayman Islands has a tropical maritime climate with
warm rainy summers from May to October and cool relatively dry winters
from November to April. Average annual precipitation is 1,420 mm (56 inches)
while the hurricane season is from July to November. Average temperature
ranges are from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius (75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit)
in May through to October and from 16 to 24 degrees Celsius (61 to 75 degrees
Fahrenheit) during the rest of the year.
PEOPLE: The principal ethnic majority are of mixed descent and
account for around 60% of the population, while 35% of the population is
under 18 years of age.
RELIGIONS: Mostly Christians with denominations of the Uniting
Church, Anglican, Baptist and Roman Catholic Churches represented.
LANGUAGES: The official language is English.
MODERN HISTORY - WWII TO 1990: The Cayman Islands were under
the administration of Jamaica, until Jamaica gained its independence in
1962. The islands then became a British dependency with a Governor as the
islands' administrator. Under the 1959 constitution the territory is a
member of the Commonwealth and there are no formal political parties, although
independent candidates often join together to form teams. In 1991 a constitutional
review recommended that the posts of chief minister and leader of the opposition
be established. Subsequently, McKeeva Bush a member of the Legislative
Council formed the Progressive Democratic Party, the first political party
established since the 1960's.
CURRENCY: The official currency is the Dollar divided into 100
Cents.
MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Its main trading partners are the UK,
the USA, Jamaica and Costa Rica.
MAIN PRIMARY PRODUCTS: Cattle, Poultry, Vegetables.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES: Construction, Handicrafts, Jewelry, Offshore Financial
Services, Oil Transshipment.
MAIN EXPORTS: Fish and Turtle Products.
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