Nationality
British and Caymanian
Size
76 square miles
Population
52 601 (2011 census)
Currency & Credit Cards
CI Dollar. Major Credit Cards are accepted. ATM machines are located in banks and selected commercial outlets
Banks
Cayman Island has more than 250 licensed banks, only a few are full-service retail banks. These include Scotiabank & Trust (Cayman) Ltd., Butterfield Bank (Cayman) Limited, Royal Bank of Canada, Cayman National Bank Ltd., First Caribbean International Bank (Cayman) Limited.
Taxation
No direct taxation is imposed on residents and Cayman Islands companies. The government receives the majority of its income from indirect taxation. Duty is levied against most imported goods, which is typically in the range of 22% to 25%.
Animals
Blue Iguanas (
Cyclura lewisi), Grand Cayman Amazon parrots (
Amazona leucocephala caymanensis), Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata),
Food
Breadfruit, papaya, avocado, citrus, mango and naseberry are the predominant fruit trees. Citrus, bananas, plantains, mangoes, yams, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cassava, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, green and hot peppers, tomatoes, leafy vegetables, and coconuts. Tropical marine life are found in the Caribbean waters surrounding the Islands, especially in Cayman's coral reefs.
Plants
Wild Banana Orchids, Ghost Orchids, Thatch Palm trees, Red Birch trees, Mahogany trees, various fruit trees such as Plantain, Mango, Breadfruit, and Tamarind. Also Yellow Mastics and Black Mastics
Lingo
The language of the locals is predominantly English, either with a British accent, or a A Creole language, Bay Islands English, is thought to have developed in the Caymans during the eighteenth century, and spread to islands farther west. However Creole forms are more common on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
Brief History
The Cayman Islands were first sighted by Christopher Columbus, European explorer on 10 May, 1503. Columbus was blown off course. This detour allowed him to sight the sister islands, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
He called these islands Las Tortugas after the many sea turtles he found there.