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George Town, Cayman Islands

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George Town
From top to the bottom and from left to right: The Lighthouse,West bay Road,Cayman National Bank,7Mile Beach,The Ritz-Carlton Hotel,7 Mile beach Road,Water Front,The Port,Owen Roberts International Airport.
From top to the bottom and from left to right: The Lighthouse,West bay Road,Cayman National Bank,7Mile Beach,The Ritz-Carlton Hotel,7 Mile beach Road,Water Front,The Port,Owen Roberts International Airport.
CountryUnited Kingdom
Overseas TerritoryCayman Islands
IslandGrand Cayman
Area
 • Total11 sq mi (29 km2)
Population
 (2006 est)[1]
 • Total35,600
 • Density3,200/sq mi (1,200/km2)

George Town, Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. The city has a population of 35,600 (2009 estimates) and is the largest city on Grand Cayman.[1]

George Town is the heart of the Cayman Islands financial industry, there are close to 600 Bank and Trust companies in the Cayman Islands.[citation needed]

The town is the largest (by population) in all of the British Overseas Territories.

Government

The Caymanian government offices are located in George Town. These offices include the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands, the Court Houses and the Government Administration Building. The Government Administration Building houses the offices of the Premier and other members of Cabinet, the Deputy Governor and his staff as well as other elected officials and civil servants. The former Old Courts Building located at the corner of Shedden Road and Harbour Drive is now the National Museum of Grand Cayman. The building was built more than 150 years ago and has served the Caymanian government not only as a court building but as a jail and the island's first official Post Office.

Geography

George Town's city limits extend from the east at the edge of the South Shore District, north just beyond Owen Roberts International Airport, south to Hog Sty Bay and west to Seven Mile Beach and the West Bay District. George Town's famous Seven Mile Beach is a long crescent of coral-sand beach extending up to the West Bay region of Grand Cayman and is the most popular and populated area for tourists on the island.[citation needed]

File:George Town Aerial view.jpg
An aerial view of George Town in 1996

Climate

Climate data for George Town
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26
(79) 		26
(79) 		27
(81) 		28
(82) 		29
(84) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		30
(86) 		29
(84) 		28
(82) 		27
(81) 		28
(82)
Daily mean °C (°F) 25
(77) 		25
(77) 		26
(79) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		28
(82) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		25
(77) 		27
(81)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 23
(73) 		22
(72) 		23
(73) 		25
(77) 		26
(79) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		27
(81) 		26
(79) 		26
(79) 		25
(77) 		23
(73) 		25
(77)
Average precipitation days 5 4 4 4 7 7 7 8 9 10 9 6 80
Source: Weatherbase[2]

Economy

Finance

The financial services generated CI$1.2 billion of GDP in 2007 (55% of the total economy), 36% of all employment and 40% of all government revenue.[citation needed] The Cayman Islands currently ranks fifth internationally in terms of value of liabilities booked in the Cayman Islands and sixth in terms of assets booked.[citation needed] It has branches of 40 of the world’s 50 largest banks.[citation needed] The Cayman Islands are the second largest captive domicile in the world with more than 700 captives, writing more than US$7.7 billion of premiums and with US$36.8 billion of assets under management.[citation needed] There are more than 9,500 funds under licence with globally recognised legal, audit/accounting and fund administration services[citation needed] (incl. the Big Four auditors[citation needed]). Major law firms such as Maples and Calder have established themselves in the Cayman Islands.[citation needed] Similarly, large accounting firms such as KPMG, Ogier, Ernst & Young and Deloitte are also present. As a result, Cayman is a leader in captive domiciles, hedge fund registrations and is considered a major international banking center.[citation needed]

Tourism

The Waterfront near Harbour House

George Town is a popular port of call for the Caribbean[citation needed] with cruise ships anchoring in George Town Harbor Tuesday through Friday. Cruise ships calling at George Town anchor offshore and ferry their passengers ashore by tenders, also known as shuttle boats. Passengers disembark in George Town, in the center of the Grand Cayman shopping district and usually remain anchored from early morning until mid-afternoon.[citation needed]

Activities available to tourists in George Town include submarine tours of George Town Harbor, glass-bottom boat tours, snorkeling, scuba-diving, parasailing, charter boat tours, rum distillery tours, art galleries, a historical museum, and of course, shopping and eating. For nightlife, Seven Mile Beach is host to numerous nightclubs and bars. George Town's waterfront is also home to a Hard Rock Cafe, a Harley-Davidson shop, a Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville franchise, and a Guy Harvey art studio and restaurant.

Transportation

Air

George Town, as well as the rest of Grand Cayman, is served by nearby Owen Roberts International Airport.

Road

The following highways serve the city:-

  • East/West Arterial
  • Linford Pierson Highway
  • Esterly Tibbetts Highway

Buses

A fleet of Share taxi minibuses serve the city.[3]

The daily service starts at 6AM from the depot and the schedule is as follows from George Town to:[4]

    • West Bay - every 15 minutes, Su-Th 6AM-11PM; F,Sa 6AM-12AM. CI$1.50 each way.
    • Bodden Town - Every 30 minutes, Su-Th 6AM-11PM; F,Sa 6AM-12AM. CI$1.50 each way.
    • East End and North Side - Every hour, Daily 6AM-9PM, (F until after 12AM). CI$2 each way.
  • The system uses color-coded logos on the front and rear of buses (white mini-vans) to identify routes:
    • Route 1 (yellow) George Town to West Bay.
    • Route 2 (lime green) George Town to West Bay.
    • Route 3 (blue) provides service between the depot in George Town and Bodden Town.
    • Route 4 (purple) operates between the depot and East End.
    • Route 5 (red) goes from the depot to East End and North Side.
    • Route 6 (dark green) operates from North Side to West Bay.
    • Route 7 (dark green with white numbers) is an inter-district service for George Town.
    • Route 8 (orange) runs from the depot to Hutland in North Side.
    • Route 9 (blue) runs from George Town through Frank Sound North Side

Boat

George Town Harbour, home to cruise ships

Many cruise ships dock in George Town.[5]

Education

Cayman Islands Education Department operates George Town Primary School, John Gray High School and the University College of the Cayman Islands. Caymanian children are entitled to free primary and secondary education. Various churches and private foundations operate several private schools that offer American and British based studies starting from nursery up to A Levels and College.[6] Montessori also operates a school in George Town. The school is located on South Church Street and was established in 1988.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b Taken from report - http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/140416/140424/cayman_islands/
  2. ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for George Town, Cayman Islands". July 2011.
  3. ^ http://caymanislandsyp.com/Island/Getting-Around/index-2.php
  4. ^ http://www.grandcayman4u.com/transport/buses.htm
  5. ^ http://www.caymanport.com/shipschedules.php
  6. ^ George Town Primary School
  7. ^ Montessori School of Cayman
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