Cayman Islands
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Geography
The Cayman Islands comprise Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The islands are located about 290 kilometers northwest of Jamaica and the total land area is 264 sq. kilometers. These islands are low-lying for the most part, although Cayman Brac has a central limestone bluff and the coasts are reefed and rocky. Georgetown is the capital, located on Gran Cayman Island.

History
Although the Cayman Islands were first sighted by the Spaniards in 1503 they were never colonized but only visited by Spanish, English and French ships. In 1670 they were ceded to the British and settlers mostly from Jamaica began arriving on the islands which became a favorite haunt of pirates and buccaneers. The early settlers were mainly interested in turtle fishing and also developed a reputation as ship builders. The "remote" location of the islands hampered development until the 1940's when they became more easily accessible through air transportation.

Economy
The Cayman Islands has a thriving offshore financial center and is a popular tourist mecca. Offshore insurance companies, banks and other companies registered in the Cayman Islands contribute annually some 46.6 million in local currency to the economy in licenses and company registration fees. Tourism accounts for 20% of GDP and 75% of hard currency earnings, employing at least 50% of the labor force. The country's principal export is seafood which is transshipped from other countries. Shipping registry and agriculture are two developing industries.

People & Culture
About 25% of Cayman Islanders are Europeans, mostly of British extraction. Another 25% are descendants of African slaves and the remainder are of mixed ancestry. The main spoken and official language is English which occurs in a variety of dialects. Spanish is frequently used. Major religious groups are Presbyterians, who are found mostly on Grand Cayman and Baptists mostly located on Cayman Brac.