Cayman Islands

Coordinates: 19°30′N 80°30′W / 19.500°N 80.500°W / 19.500; -80.500

The Cayman Islands (/ˈkeɪmən/ or /keɪˈmæn/) are a British Overseas Territory in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. The Cayman Islands are considered to be part of the geographic Western Caribbean Zone as well as the Greater Antilles. The territory is often considered a major world offshore financial haven for many wealthy individuals.

History

The Cayman Islands remained largely uninhabited until the 17th century. While there is no archaeological evidence for an indigenous people on the islands, a variety of settlers from various backgrounds made their home on the islands, including pirates, refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, shipwrecked sailors, and deserters from Oliver Cromwell's army in Jamaica.

The first recorded permanent inhabitant of the Cayman Islands, Isaac Bodden, was born on Grand Cayman around 1661. He was the grandson of the original settler named Bodden who was probably one of Oliver Cromwell's soldiers at the taking of Jamaica in 1655.

Law of the Cayman Islands

The law of the Cayman Islands is a combination of common law and statute, and is based heavily upon English law.

Law in the Cayman Islands tends to be a combination of the very old and the very new. As a leading offshore financial centre, the Cayman Islands has extremely modern statutes dealing with company law, insolvency, banking law, trust law, insurance and other related matters. However, in other areas of law, such as family law, the laws of the Cayman Islands are based upon old English statutes which can cause some difficulty in modern times. Other areas of law, such as international law, are essentially regulated externally through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London by Order in Council. A large body of the laws of the Cayman Islands consists of the common law, which continually updates itself through judicial precedent in the Territory and in other common law countries.

The Cayman Islands is a dependent territory of the United Kingdom. Although the local legislature and courts are independent from the United Kingdom, the British Government deals with all international relations on behalf of the Territory. The Cayman Islands does not have a separate vote at the United Nations.