A background to The Cayman Islands
The three-island archipelago of the Cayman Islands is located in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba and west of Jamaica.
The islands were discovered more than 500 years ago by Christopher Columbus, when they were inhabited by little more than indigenous sea turtles.
The following centuries saw the islands colonised by shipwrecked British sailors and the islands' economy was based on subsistence fishing and turtle meat.
It wasn't until the 1960s and the decision to structure the islands' laws to foster an economy based on the concept of offshore financial services. The move proved to be inspired and an unprecedented success and the following years have seen Grand Cayman evolve into the most developed island in the Caribbean region, boasting one of the highest standards on living in the world.
The economy is not based solely on finance as tourism is also a major industry on the islands. Improved air and sea passenger transport has helped to open up the islands to visitors from around the world - predominantly the United States.
More than two million visitors arrive each year, either by plane into Owen Roberts International Airport on on the succession of cruise ships which anchor off the island's capital of George Town. Up to nine ships can be in port on any one day.
Many tourists come to visit Seven Mile Beach or Stingray City, or simply to purchase tax-free jewelry from George Town's numerous shops.
Here's a few fact you should know about The Cayman Islands:
- Population approx 60,000 (2008)
- Expat population 40,000
- Expats come from all around the world including the UK, US, Australia, Philippines and Canada
- 2.4m tourists per year visit Grand Cayman
- Currency is the CI dollar which is tied to the US dollar.
- Grand Cayman is 22 miles long and four miles wide
- The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory
Grand Cayman is the centrepiece of the country's finance and tourism economies, but we shouldn't forget the two 'Sister Islands' of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Cayman Brac, is a smaller island, 12 miles long and a mile wide located between Grand Cayman and Cuba. The Brac is unique in the Cayman Islands for it's towering limestone bluff which rises from sea-level to 145 feet. The island has received increasing investment in recent years - especially since Hurricane Ivan in 2004 - as it is seen as a perfect location for data recovery systems and, eventually, business offices.
Little Cayman is the smallest of the three islands with a population of only 200 permanent inhabitants. The island, supports a small tourism industry based around its world-class diving and pristine sandy beaches. It is a great get-away island and a throwback to the Caribbean of old.
