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| | Need to Know | Capital City George Town | | Tipping 5-10% | | Electricity 110 V | | Weights and Measurements Imperial system |
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Sneak Preview
A strong dose of the Big Brother, a touch of the stiff upper lip and a dash of reggae; all this in a perfect blend called the Cayman Islands. Its stunning marine life and ideal taxation structure are its strongest attractions - Cloud No. 9 for divers and bankers!
Brilliant blue waters, soft sand and warm warm sun – backed by a good infrastructure that makes the Cayman Islands the tourism capital in the Caribbean. And if you really want get away from it all, just dive into the warm waters and admire the stunning colours that greet you.
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Historically Speaking
Nothing is known of the original inhabitants, if there were any on Cayman Islands. The existence of the islands was first recorded in 1503 when a gust of wind landed Columbus in the path of the islands. He sighted two islands – Cayman Brac and Little Cayman – and named them Las Tortugas after the multitude of turtles that inhabited the islands. However, they were re-christened Lagartos, meaning large lizards before being finally named Caymanas, the Carib name for the marine crocodiles that resided there.
Before the colonisation of Cayman Islands by Britain in 1670, the islands attracted pirates and sailors in the search of turtles. Over fishing in the area by the sailors had drastically reduced the turtle population in the waters. Under the British Crown, Islands were more or less left to their own devices and were populated by pirates and privateers. The administration of the islands fell under the purview of Jamaica though there was a noticeable level of internal self-government.
The coral reef surrounding the islands were responsible for many disasters, consequently the main occupation of the locals was salvaging the wrecks. In 1794, a ship supposedly carrying a member of the Royal Family was wrecked on the reef in Gun Bay, on the east end of Grand Cayman. According to legend, the help and bravery of the locals in rescuing passengers of the ship earned them the gratitude of King George III who granted the islanders tax-free status.
A legislative assembly was established in 1832 the members of which were appointed by the Governor of Jamaica. Two years later, slavery was abolished. The dependency status of Cayman Islands changed in 1959 when Jamaica joined the Federation of West Indies though the Governor Of Jamaica remained the Governor of the Cayman Islands. In 1962, the islands became a direct dependent territory of Britain when Jamaica became independent.
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Habitat
The Cayman Islands include three islands – Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac and a collection of tiny, scattered islands. The largest of the three islands, the Grand Cayman, stretches over an area of 76 square miles. The island is low-lying and mostly flat. Wetlands form the cover for almost half the island. North Sound, a shallow reef-protect lagoon is the largest inland mangrove area in the Caribbean.
Little Cayman lies 80 miles east of the Grand Cayman. It is low-lying and tiny, barely 1 mile across and 10 miles in length. About 90 miles from the Grand Cayman is Cayman Brac. It derives its name from the high limestone bluff that rises to a height of 140 feet.
The Caymans support a fair variety of flora and fauna. Cochineel, pingwing and mahogany form the natural cover to the islands. However, large-scale deforestation has reduced the mahogany trees. Among the plant life, watch out for the manchineel tree, the maiden plum and the cowitch that can be hazardous to health. Among the flora is the rare Cayman blue iguana.
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Travel Tools
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