Location
The Cayman Islands comprise of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. They lie south of Cuba and north west of Jamaica, timezone GMT -5. Grand Cayman is by far the biggest with an area of 76 square miles. The two “Sister Islands” of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are located about 80 miles east of Grand Cayman and have areas of 14 square miles and 10 square miles respectively. All three islands are surrounded by healthy coral reefs, which lie at the top of dramatic walls and drop-off’s close to shore, creating ideal conditions for diving and sport fishing.

History
Christopher Columbus discovered the Caymans in 1503. They remained uninhabited until well after the 1670 acquisition of the islands by the British Crown, which has held dominion over the three islands ever since. Its superior diving conditions put the Cayman Islands on the international tourist map in the early 1950s. Despite its diminutive size, Little Cayman quickly established itself as a top diving site. Bloody Bay Marine Park has some of the best wall diving anywhere in the world. During the next decade, Caymanians began to draw up the tax structure that would make Grand Cayman an economic powerhouse and at the same time put in place an infrastructure that has made it the undisputed capital of Caribbean tourism.

Money
With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial centre. More than 87,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 2008, including almost 300 banks, 800 insurers, and 5,000 mutual funds. A stock exchange was opened in 1997.The Cayman Islands have more registered businesses than they have people. With an average income of around $42,000, Caymanians enjoy the highest standard of living in the Caribbean, indeed, one of the highest in the world. The official currency is the Cayman Islands dollar (CI$) and permanently fixed at an exchange rate of CI$0.80 to US$1 (US$1 equals CI$1.25).

Travel
Several airlines serve the Islands, which are just over one hour south of Miami. These include the national airline Cayman Airways, American Airlines, USAIR, Northwest, Delta, Continental, Air Canada, British Airways, and Air Jamaica. The national carrier serves Miami, Houston, Tampa, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Boston, Chicago; Kingston and Montego Bay, Jamaica; Havana, Cuba; and Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Direct links with other US gateways such as Atlanta, New York and Charlotte are provided by the US carriers serving the Islands. Regular, direct scheduled flights departing from London Heathrow to Grand Cayman’s Robert Owen International Airport are available with British Airways.

Climate
The Cayman Islands boast an exotic, tropical climate throughout the year, with trade winds moderating high temperatures which range from 25oC in winter to approximately 30oC in summer. High season runs from December to April where temperatures are generally cooler and more favorable for tourism. The rainy season is typically from May to October with short burst showers Strict building codes are in place to withstand hurricanes. The government has appropriate measures in place to prepare for such conditions and offers a hurricane protection policy guarantee in order to maintain tourism growth.