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Quick Facts

Capital: George Town
Government: British crown colony
Currency: Caymanian dollar (KYD)
Area: 262 sq km
Population: 45,436 (June 2006 est.)
Language: English
Religion: United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
The Cayman Islands are an island group in the Caribbean Sea, ninety miles south of Cuba. The outstanding coral reefs and outstandingly clear waters have made this island group a favorite destination of divers. Great beaches and fine restaurants and resorts make it an excellent tourist destination as well.

Regions:

Grand Cayman - The largest island and home to most of the population and tourist facilities.

The other two islands are called the Sister Islands by locals and are also tourist destinations. They are: Little Cayman and Cayman Brac

Cities: George Town - the capital

The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent.

In addition to banking (the islands have no direct taxation, making them a popular incorporation site), tourism is a mainstay, aimed at the luxury market and catering mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 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.

Christianity is pervasive here and religion is taken quite seriously. Cayman Islands ports are even closed to cruise ships on Sundays and other religious holidays.

Car rentals are readily available. You must be 21 years old to rent a car. Driving is on the left hand side of the road and seatbelt use is mandatory. Visitors must get a temporary driver's license from the police station or car rental agency. This is obtained by showing a valid drivers licence from their home state, county or parish and paying a US$7.50 fee.

English is the official language and is spoken by virtually everyone.

Most shopping is in George Town and Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman.

Caymanite is the Cayman Islands' own semi-precious stone.

Black Coral is often used in jewelry here.

Rum cake from Tortuga Rum Company is very popular with visitors to Grand Cayman.
There are many tourist shops where you can buy t-shirts, hats, postcards, and much more. Don't buy any seashells though; beachcombing is much more fun and cheaper.

Costs: As most everything must be imported and is subject to a 20% import tax, food and other items are relatively expensive. US currency is accepted everywhere. Be careful and always know if you're paying in CI or US. The basic conversion is US$1.25 to CI$1.00 ($1.00=CI $0.80).

(Article from: http://wikitravel.org )