Simple directory > Regional > Cayman Islands

Country : Cayman Islands Official name: Cayman Islands Head of State: Queen Elizabeth II Head of government: Governor Bruce H Dinwiddy (from 29 May 2002); Leader of Government Business: Kurt Tibbetts (PPM) Ruling party: People's Progressive Movement (PPM) (elected 11 May 2005) Area: 259 square km Population: 48,800 (2004) Capital: George Town (Grand Cayman) Official language: English Currency: Cayman Islands dollar (CI$) = 100 cents Exchange rate: CI$0.83 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$30,000 (2003) GDP real growth: 1.70% (2003) Labour force: 19,820 (2003) Unemployment: 4.10% (2003) Inflation: 2.80% (2003) Foreign debt: US$70.00 million (2003)

Historical profile

1503 Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were sighted by Christopher Columbus during his fourth and final voyage to the New World. The islands were first named las Tortugas (turtles). The name was later changed to Lagartos, meaning alligator or large lizard.

1540 The name Caymanas was given to the islands, derived from the Carib word for marine crocodile.

1585–86 Sir Frances Drake visited the islands.

During the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Dutch, English, Spanish and French ships used the islands for watering and provisioning.

1655 The islands came under UK control when Jamaica was captured from the Spanish by Oliver Cromwell's army.

1670 In the Treaty of Madrid, Spain recognised UK sovereignty over Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

The early settlers were ex-soldiers from Oliver Cromwell's army, and other settlers transplanted from Jamaica, together with shipwrecked or marooned sailors.

1773 Grand Cayman's population reached 400.

1831 It was resolved that representatives should be appointed for the five different districts of Grand Cayman for the purpose of forming local laws for better government. After elections in the five districts, the legislative assembly met in George Town.

1833 Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were settled permanently.

1835 The proclamation was read declaring the emancipation of all slaves throughout the colonies.

1962 When Jamaica became independent, Caymanians retained direct links with the Crown and the Cayman islands became a separate British Crown Colony.

1971 The first governor was appointed.

1972 The constitution was adopted.

1994 Ministries were created.

2000 Only independents were elected in the parliamentary elections.

2001 W McKeeva Bush (leader of UDP) became the leader of government business.

2002 A 700,000 gallon seawater breeding pond and 10,000 sq feet turtle beach at the Turtle Farm were opened.

2003 A working party was established by the Department of the Environment (DOE) to submit proposals to protect the welfare of stingrays at Stingray City and Stingray Sandbar. Although wild rays are solitary creatures and tend to forage for food in the evenings and have a distinct breeding season, changes have been recorded in the rays at Stingray City and Stingray Sandbar, which are fed almost continuously, and breed all year round.

2004 In February, the Caymans agreed to comply with the EU's tax evasion directive, providing financial concessions are made available by the UK. Hurricane Ivan, which struck the Caymans in September, flooded and destroyed most of the houses. Even those buildings built to specifications to withstand hurricanes were severely damaged.

2005 The opposition People's Progressive Movement (PPM) won the 11 May parliamentary elections.

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