Note:
 Indicates independent Island
 Indicates dependency or territory
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British colony in the Caribbean Sea, comprising the islands of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac, situated about 180 miles (290 kilometres) northwest of Jamaica. The islands are the outcroppings of a submarine mountain range that extends northeastward from Belize to Cuba. The total area is 102 square miles (264 square kilometres), and the capital is George Town, on Grand Cayman.
Physical and human geography
The land
West Indies
The limestone islands are low-lying, though Cayman Brac has a central bluff that constitutes 90 percent of its landmass. The coasts are ironshore (limestone fringes with numerous marine fossils) interspersed with sandy beaches and enclosed by coral reefs. The largest island is Grand Cayman (76 square miles), which has a magnificent seven-mile beach and a 36-square-mile sound that is a breeding ground for much marine life. There are no rivers.
The Caymans are cool from November to March, with the temperatures ranging from 65 to 75 F (18 to 24 C). Rainfall at George Town averages 60 inches (1,524 millimetres) annually, although the eastern districts of Grand Cayman and the other islands are drier. The Caymans lie in the hurricane zone, and hurricanes can occur from June through November. Quite a few bird species inhabit the islands.
The people
About one-quarter of Caymanians are of European, mainly British, stock; another quarter are blacks, the descendants of African slaves; and about one-half of the population is of mixed ancestry. English is the official language. Most of the major Christian denominations are represented in the islands.
The economy
The physical beauty and superb climate of the islands have made them a haven for tourists. Airports on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac and a private airstrip on Little Cayman facilitate tourism. International finance has become a major industry, owing to the absence of direct taxes and to liberal company and banking laws that generally ensure confidential transactions. More than 500 banks and trust companies, including most of the world's 50 largest banks, are registered in the Caymans; revenue paid by registered businesses contributes considerably to the government budget. There is a shortage of labour, and much of the work force is made up of immigrants on tightly controlled work permits.
Administration and social conditions
The 1972 constitution provides for internal autonomy under a governor, an executive council, and a legislative assembly. The governor is responsible for foreign affairs, defense, internal security, the police, and the civil service. Education is compulsory for all children between the ages of four years, nine months and 16.
Cultural life
The F.J. Harquail Theatre on Grand Cayman is the main venue for local and visiting companies. There is a daily newspaper, a government-owned radio station, and a monthly news magazine.
History
The Caymans were sighted by Christopher Columbus on May 10, 1503, during his last voyage to the West Indies. At first the Spaniards named them Las Tortugas because of the many turtles in the surrounding waters, but by 1530 they were known as the Caimanas or Caymanes after the alligators (caimánes) reported to be native there. After the Treaty of Madrid that ceded Jamaica to Great Britain, the first permanent settlement was established on Grand Cayman. Most of the settlers were British mariners and privateers and shipwrecked passengers and African slaves, as well as land-grant holders from Jamaica. The remoteness of the islands, and integration following the emancipation of slaves in 1835, resulted in a socially homogeneous society.
By the end of the 18th century, uncontrolled fishing eliminated the native turtle population, virtually the only resource of the island. Cayman Islanders searched farther and farther away for new turtle grounds, but, as international restrictions grew, turtle fishing was greatly reduced.
For some time the Cayman Islands were a dependency of Jamaica, becoming internally self-governing in July 1959. When Jamaica declared its independence (1962), the Caymans reverted to direct British rule. A new constitution providing for autonomy on most domestic issues was approved in 1972. The Caymans had by then developed offshore banking and tourism, enabling the colony to relinquish aid from Britain.
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