Overview: The economy depends heavily on tourism and offshore financial services, with the tourist industry aimed at the luxury market and catering mainly to visitors from North America. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods needs must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the region.

GDP: $254.5 million, per capita $12,100; real growth rate 4.9% (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1986)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $46.2 million; expenditures $47.0 million, including capital expenditures of $9.1 million (1986)

Exports: $2.2 million (f.o.b., 1986 est.); @m5commodities--turtle products, manufactured consumer goods; @m5partners--mostly US

Imports: $134 million (c.i.f., 1986 est.); @m5commodities--foodstuffs, manufactured goods; @m5partners--US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

External debt: $15 million (1986)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 31,000 kW capacity; 112 million kWh produced, 4,860 kWh per capita (1988)

Industries: tourism, banking, insurance and finance, real estate and construction

Agriculture: minor production of vegetables, fruit, livestock; turtle farming

Aid: NA

Currency: Caymanian dollar (plural--dollars); 1 Caymanian dollar (CI$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Caymanian dollars (CI$) per US$1--0.835 (fixed rate)

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

NOTE: The information regarding Cayman Islands on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cayman Islands Economy 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cayman Islands Economy 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.