Cayman Islands

With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 93,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008, including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 10,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.9 million in 2008, with about half from the US. About 90% of the islands’ food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world.

$2.25 billion (2008 est.)

$2.23 billion (2003 est.)

$2.25 billion (2008 est.)

1.1% (2008 est.)

0.9% (2004 est.)

$43,800 (2004 est.)

39,000

4% (2008)

4.4% (2004)

NA%

4.1% (2008)

4.4% (2004)

$334.3 million (31 December 2008)

$5.564 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$NA (31 December 2008)

$183.5 million (31 December 2007)

$188.4 million (31 December 2006)

vegetables, fruit; livestock; turtle farming

tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture

NA%

546 million kWh (2007 est.)

507.8 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

3,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

3,294 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$13.8 million (2008)

$2.52 million (2004)

turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

$876.5 million (2008)

$866.9 million (2004)

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels

$70 million (1996)

$NA

$NA

Caymanian dollars (KYD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.8496 (2006)