Cayman Info

Area

The Cayman Islands are located in the Western Caribbean 480 miles south of Miami, Florida and 180 miles west of Jamaica. The Cayman Islands are made up of three islands, Grand Cayman (75 square miles), Cayman Brac (15 square miles) and Little Cayman (11 square miles). The terrain is flat with the highest point, the Bluff in the Brac, just 140 feet. The population of Grand Cayman is approximately 52,000 people, many living and working in the main town, George Town.

The country is divided into seven districts. The sister islands of Little Cayman and Cayman Brac constitute one district. The other six are on Grand Cayman: West Bay, George Town, Savannah, Bodden Town, East End and North Side. George Town is considered the capital and is the centre of commerce and government.

Climate

The temperature seldom drops below 70° Fahrenheit or rises above 90° Fahrenheit, with a winter average of 78°F and summer average of 86°F. It rains heavily in spells between May and November and the average total rainfall per year is approximately 65 inches. Some days are sunny with a few clouds but mostly there is perpetual sunshine.

Time Zone

The Cayman Islands operate on US Eastern Standard time year round. There is no daylight savings time. Cayman is -5 Greenwich Mean Time.

Economy

The Cayman Islands have a modern first-world economy. Financial services are one of the main industries, along with tourism. Service businesses operate Monday through Saturday; banking hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. Because it is an international financial centre with an international population, banks trade in several currencies including the US dollar, Canadian dollar, the pound and the Euro.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in the Cayman Islands is high but much of this is offset by the TAX FREE salaries. If you choose to live inland or away from the downtown area accommodation prices can be significantly less. As a rough guideline, the following are approximate monthly rental costs for accommodation:

• Studio apartment - US$750 - $1375
• One bedroom apartment US$1000.00 - US$2250.00
• Two bedroom apartment US$1750.00 - US$4000.00

The majority of units are fully furnished and may include dishes, linen and kitchen/household appliances. Note, they do not include utilities. The following monthly figures should be allowed for setting up and running an apartment:

Household Goods

House wares and other personal goods are significantly cheaper if bought in North America rather than Cayman. Items such as clothes, linens, small appliances, decorating items, bicycles, etc. can all be purchased in Cayman but will be more expensive here than what most people are used to. Each returning resident is allowed CI$350.00 duty free exemption on household goods (not including bicycles).

International Population

Cayman’s businesses rely heavily on imported workers to fill a wide range of jobs. There are over 120 nationalities represented in Cayman. The United States, Jamaica and Canada have consulates here. English is the official language, but Spanish is also widely spoken. The expatriate population is made up largely of Jamaican, Canadian, United States, British, Philippine and South African citizens.

Airlines

Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) on Grand Cayman has numerous flights each day to the US, Jamaica, London, Cuba, Honduras, and Canada. Connecting flights are through Miami, New York, Kingston, and other main cities.

Government

Although the Cayman Islands gained independence from Jamaica in 1959, they are still an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. The form of government is the Legislative Assembly headed by the Premier. The Governor of the Cayman Islands is appointed by the British government. There are currently two political parties represented in government as well as independent candidates. Elections are held every four years with each district voting to elect representatives to the Legislative Assembly.

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