As a country located in Central America according to allcountrylist.com, Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory dependent on the United Kingdom and located northwest of Jamaica, between the island of Cuba and the coast of Honduras, in the waters of the Caribbean Sea.
History
Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage, in 1503, set out from Hispaniola, and came across three small islands near Jamaica, inhabited by so many turtles, which is why he gave them the name of Tortugas Islands.
In the seventeenth century, Cromwell resolved that England should dispute the dominions in the Caribbean from Spain, and in 1654 invaded Jamaica. Legendary stories tell that a group of these soldiers deserted, taking refuge in the Cayman Islands, and that they were the first settlers of European origin. In 1670, by the Treaty of Madrid, Spain ceded Jamaica and the Cayman Islands to England.
Following a shipwreck of 10 ships on the eastern reefs of one of the islands, the Grand Cayman, which occurred in 1778, the islanders of the Colony saved the crew, and, in gratitude for this, King George III of England granted the exemption from payment of taxes for life and the exemption of summons to war service of the islanders. Legend has it that a member of the royal family was traveling in one of these ships.
During the seventeenth century they were a refuge for pirates. A Pirate Week celebration is still held on the islands.
Geography
The Cayman Islands are located in the western part of the Caribbean Sea, about 240 kilometers south of Cuba and about 290 kilometers northwest of Jamaica. The archipelago is mainly made up of three islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Lesser Cayman, Grand Cayman being the largest with an area of 197 km². The two other islands, Cayman Brac and Lesser Cayman, located 145 kilometers east of Grand Cayman, have an area of 36 km² and 26 km² respectively. There are no prominent landforms on the islands, except for the cliff “The Bluff” in Cayman Brac, which rises to more than 40 meters above sea level, being the highest point on the island.
Flora
For nature lovers there is also an almost secret place, that few tourists know, and it is the Grand Cayman’s Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, where you can appreciate various native trees and shrubs, wild orchids and plants in a park of more than 26 hectares, where not only natural landscapes of the islands are preserved but also offers a walk through time in the rich floral history of these islands.
Economy
Considered a tax haven, the Cayman Islands economy is one of the strongest in the Caribbean. Of the almost 40 thousand companies that are registered on the island, 600 are banks, which manage 500 billion US dollars in assets. Tourism is also one of the main sources of income and is geared towards high-income travelers, mainly from the North American area. The Cayman Islands have been an associate member of the Caribbean Community since 2002. The issuance of stamps for collection is also a source of income.
Among the large corporations established in the Cayman Islands are: Seagate Technology, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC), Garmin Ltd. and Transocean Inc. The Cayman Islands Stock Exchange was opened in 1997.
Sightseeing
Although very small – the total area of the three islands is only 160 square kilometers – the Cayman Islands offer visitors an attractive vacation, with an almost perfect climate throughout the year, being the best time to go between the months of December and April, which, although it is when there are more tourists, is also when there is more fun.
One of the most popular and delicious places on these islands is the famous Seven Mile Beach, where the Sunshine Suites Resort hotel is located. In its excellent facilities I could enjoy a freshwater pool, bar and even diving equipment, thus creating a unique place, which combines an excellent price-quality ratio with an ideal location and environment. One of the biggest tourist attractions is Stingray City, where I was able to swim and feed swarms of stingrays in just 4 meters of water deep. A unique adventure for those of us who love diving!
Although it may seem strange, although most people come looking for water-related activities, this fantastic island also offers attractions for those who do not like water sports. One of them is to get on board a minisubman and explore the seabed.
While the true beauty of these islands is underwater, they also have a lot to offer on land, where they have gone to great lengths to restore monuments and bring the true history and beauty of the place to life. An excellent place to visit is Pedro St. James Historic Site, the birthplace of democracy and its first national monument, where you will come across an exact historical reconstruction of the Great House from 1780, formerly known as Pedro Castillo.
Demography
In July 2000, there were 34,763 residents in the Cayman Islands, of which just over half were born on the islands. Sixty percent of the population is of mixed race, and the remaining 40% is divided evenly between Caucasians and those of African descent. The population considers itself almost exclusively Christian, with a large percentage of Anglicans and Prebisterians. Most of the island’s residents reside on Grand Cayman Island, while only about 2,000 live in Cayman Brac and about 200 in Lesser Cayman. Approximately a quarter of the Cayman population left the country due to the arrival of Hurricane Ivan.. The capital and most populous city of the islands is George Town, located on the east coast of Grand Cayman.
Education
Education is compulsory at the age of 16 and is free to all Caymanian children. Most of the schools follow the British educational system. Ten elementary schools, one special education, one high school and one middle school (Junior High School) are run by the government, along with three private high schools. In addition, there is a law school, a university and a medical school.
