CAYMAN ISLANDS

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. British colony in the Caribbean Sea, composed of the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. The islands are located about 180 miles (290 km) northwest of Jamaica, and their total land area, including inland water, is 102 square miles (264 square km). The capital, George Town, is on Grand Cayman Island. The population in 1990 was estimated to be 25,000. For information about regional aspects of the Cayman Islands, see West Indies: Cayman Islands. The land. The Cayman Islands are low-lying for the most part, although Cayman Brac has a central limestone bluff, and the coasts are reefed and rocky. The white sand of the broad, clean beaches is composed chiefly of coral and thus remains cool even on the hottest days. The largest and most populous island is Grand Cayman, about 22 miles (35 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) across at its widest, with a total area of 76 square miles (197 square km). Cayman Brac, about 89 miles (143 km) northeast of Grand Cayman, is the next largest island; it is about 12 miles (19 km) long, averages about 1 mile (1.6 km) in width, and has the highest elevation of the group, rising to 140 feet (42 m) above sea level. Its total area is 14 square miles (36 square km). The smallest of the islands, Little Cayman, lies 5 miles (8 km) west of Cayman Brac; it is 10 miles (16 km) long, has a maximum width of 2 miles (3 km), and a total area of 10 square miles (26 square km). There are no streams on any of the islands. A pleasant tropical climate is one of the colony's main assets, tourism being of primary importance to the economy. Temperatures are moderate throughout the year, averaging about 81 F (27 C) annually. The rainy season extends from mid-May through October, and the dry season lasts the balance of the year. Rainfall at George Town averages about 60 inches (1,524 mm) yearly. The islands lie in the path of Caribbean hurricanes. Mangrove swamp covers about 30 percent of the land area. A variety of commercially useful trees grow on the islands, among them coconut palms, breadfruit, banana, and mango and those producing citrus fruits. There are also thatch palm and some logwood and mahogany trees. The only indigenous mammal is the agouti. There are many reptiles, including the green sea turtle, which was noted by Columbus when he visited the islands. Iguanas, other lizards, and frogs are also common, and the islands are rich in bird life. Additional reading Pictorial works include Paul Humann, Beautiful Isles, Cayman (1986); and Paul Humann and Feodor Pitcairn, Cayman, Underwater Paradise (1979). Information on the people is available from government publications such as Statistical Abstracts of the Cayman Islands (annual); Cayman Islands, Annual Reports; and Cayman Islands Government, Economic & Financial Review (1982).The most useful source on history remains George S.S. Hirst, Notes on the History of the Cayman Islands, in parts (190910, reprinted 5 vol. in 3, 1967). Neville Williams, A History of the Cayman Islands (1970), is a short survey. Ulf Hannerz, Caymanian Politics: Structure and Style in a Changing Island Society (1974), is also of interest. 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 (caimnes) 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. Carol Ann Winker Elizabeth Pat Ebanks The Editors of the Encyclopdia Britannica