Map of Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands is a country in North America with its capital at George Town, home to about 75,844 people across 264 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 2 ports recorded for Cayman Islands in YearMaps.
- Population
- 75,844
- Area
- 264 km²
- Capital
- George Town
- Continent
- North America
Interactive Map of Cayman Islands
Centred on George Town at 19.2804° N, 81.3300° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean. With a population of over 90,000, it is the most populated of all the British Overseas Territories. The 264-square-kilometre (102-square-mile) territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located south of Cuba and north-east of Honduras, between Jamaica and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. The capital city is George Town on Grand Cayman, which is the most populous of the three islands.
The Cayman Islands is considered to be part of the geographic Western Caribbean zone as well as the Greater Antilles. The territory is a major tax haven mainly due to the state charging no tax on income earned or stored.
With a GDP per capita of $97,750 in 2023, the Cayman Islands has the highest standard of living in the Caribbean, and one of the highest in the world. Despite its population of almost 90,000, immigrants from over 140 countries and territories reside in the Cayman Islands.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Cayman Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Cayman Islands
The British colonized the Cayman Islands during the 18th and 19th centuries, and Jamaica -- also a British colony at the time -- administered the islands after 1863. In 1959, the islands became a territory within the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation dissolved in 1962, the Cayman Islands chose to remain a British dependency. The territory has transformed itself into a significant offshore financial center.
- Location
- Caribbean, three-island group (Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, Little Cayman) in Caribbean Sea, 240 km south of Cuba and 268 km northwest of Jamaica.
- Climate
- Tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)
- Terrain
- Low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs.
- Highest point
- 1 km SW of The Bluff on Cayman Brac 50 m.
- Lowest point
- Caribbean Sea 0 m.
- Coastline
- 160 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 11.2% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 2.1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 8.3% (2023 est.); forest: 53% (2023 est.); other: 35.8% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Hurricanes (July to November)
- Geographic note
- Important location between Cuba and Central America.
- Languages
- English (official) 88.8%, Spanish 3.9%, Filipino 3.8%, other 2.8%, unspecified 0.7% (2021 est.)
- Religions
- Protestant 60.8% (includes Church of God 19.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.7%, non-denominational 8.3%, Baptist 6.9%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Presbyterian/United Church 5.7%, Anglican 2.8%, Wesleyan Holiness 1.5%, Methodist 0.5%), Roman Catholic 13.6%, Hindu 1.7%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 4.8%, none 16.7%, unspecified 1.4% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Cayman Islander 35.4%, Jamaican 24.8%, Filipino 5.5%, British 5.3%, American 5.2%, Honduran 4.2%, Canadian 3.3%, Indian 2.1%, Cuban 1.6%, Nicaraguan 1%, other 11.1%, unspecified 0.5% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- Dominant offshore banking territory; services sector accounts for over 85% of economic activity; recently adopted a fiscal responsibility framework to combat tax evasion and money laundering; large tourism sector; does not have any welfare system; high standard of living.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Cayman Islands in Numbers
- Population
- 75,844
- GDP
- US$7.8 billion
- GDP per person
- US$104,293
- Life expectancy
- 80.5 years
- Population growth
- 1.85% a year
- Population density
- 310 per km²
- Urban population
- 100.0%
- Surface area
- 264 km²
- Forest cover
- 53.0%
- Arable land
- 0.8%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 81.1%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Cayman Islands in Depth
History
Evidence has not been found that the islands were occupied before the arrival of the Europeans. The Cayman Islands got their name from the word for crocodile (caiman) in the language of the Arawak-Taíno people. It is believed that the first European to sight the islands was Christopher Columbus, on 10 May 1503, during his final voyage to the Americas. He named them "Las Tortugas", after the large number of turtles found there (which were soon hunted to near-extinction). However, in succeeding decades, the islands began to be referred to as "Caimanas" or "Caymanes".
No immediate colonisation followed Columbus's sighting, but a variety of settlers from various backgrounds eventually arrived, including pirates, shipwrecked sailors, and deserters from Oliver Cromwell's army in Jamaica.
Geography
The islands are in the western Caribbean Sea and are the peaks of an undersea mountain range called the Cayman Ridge (or Cayman Rise). This ridge flanks the Cayman Trough, 6,000 m (20,000 ft) deep which lies 6 km (3.7 mi) to the south. The islands lie in the northwest of the Caribbean Sea, east of Quintana Roo, Mexico and Yucatán State, Mexico, northeast of Costa Rica, north of Panama, south of Cuba and west of Jamaica. They are situated about 700 km (430 mi) south of Miami, 750 km (470 mi) east of Mexico, 366 km (227 mi) south of Cuba, and about 500 km (310 mi) northwest of Jamaica. Grand Cayman is by far the largest, with an area of 197 km2 (76 sq mi).
Economy
The economy of the Cayman Islands is dominated by financial services and tourism, together accounting for 50–60% of Gross Domestic Product. The nation's zero tax rate on income and storage of funds has led to it being used as a tax haven for corporations; there are 100,000 companies registered in the Cayman Islands, more than the population itself. The Cayman Islands have come under criticism for allegations of money laundering and other financial crimes, including a 2016 statement by then US president Barack Obama that described a particular building which was the registered address of over 12,000 corporations as a "tax scam".
The Cayman Islands holds a relatively low unemployment rate of about 4.24% as of 2015, lower than the value of 4.7% that was recorded in 2014.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cayman Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Cayman Islands: Key Facts
| Currency | Cayman Islands dollar |
|---|---|
| Official language | English |
| Head of state | Charles III |
| Head of government | Andre M. Ebanks |
| Form of government | British Overseas Territories |
| Calling code | +1345 |
| Internet domain | .ky |
Facts from Wikidata Q5785 (CC0).
Visiting Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands are an island group in the Caribbean Sea, 90 mi (140 km) south of Cuba. They are a self-governing British Overseas Territory. The stunning coral reefs and outstandingly clear waters have made this island group a popular destination for divers. Great beaches and fine restaurants and resorts make it an excellent tourist destination as well.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Cayman Islands (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Cayman Islands
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Town | 4,268 | — | Admin-0 region capital |
Highest Mountains in Cayman Islands
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bluff | 43 m | 141 ft | North America |
Ports in Cayman Islands
2 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cayman Brac | 53 m | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
| 2 | Georgetown | — | Very Small | Caribbean Sea | large vessels |
More Maps in North America
Cayman Islands: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Cayman Islands?
- The capital of Cayman Islands is George Town.
- What is the population of Cayman Islands?
- Cayman Islands has a population of about 75,844, the #203 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Cayman Islands?
- Cayman Islands covers 264 km², ranking #213 by area, with about 287 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Cayman Islands in?
- Cayman Islands is in North America.
- What is the largest city in Cayman Islands?
- George Town is the largest city in Cayman Islands, with a metropolitan population of about 4,268.
- What is the highest mountain in Cayman Islands?
- The highest summit recorded for Cayman Islands in YearMaps is The Bluff at 43 m (141 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.