George Town, Cayman Islands facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Town
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.jpg)    .jpg)  Top: George Town skyline; top middle: Camana Bay, Esterly Tibbitts Highway; Center: Camana Bay street; Bottom middle: National Museum, 1919 Peace Memorial; Bottom: George Town waterfront street
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 George Town, Cayman Islands
Location in Cayman Islands
George Town, Cayman Islands
Location in Caribbean
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| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Overseas Territory |  Cayman Islands |
| Island | Grand Cayman |
| Area | |
| • Total | 29 km2 (11 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Population
(2022)
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| • Total | 40,957 |
| • Density | 1,412/km2 (3,660/sq mi) |
| Area code(s) | +1-345 |
George Town is the capital city of the Cayman Islands. It is also the largest city in this British territory. George Town is located on the island of Grand Cayman.
In 2022, about 40,957 people lived in George Town. This makes it the biggest city in all the British Overseas Territories. George Town is a very important place for money and business in the Cayman Islands. Many banks and financial companies are located here. The main government offices are also in the city.
Contents
People Living in George Town
| George Town’s residents by background | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationalities | percent | |||
| Cayman Islands | 37.9% | |||
| Jamaica | 27.0% | |||
| The Philippines | 8.1% | |||
| United Kingdom | 7% | |||
| United States | 5.3% | |||
| Canada | 4.0% | |||
| Honduras | 3.5% | |||
| India | 2.7% | |||
| South Africa | 1.5% | |||
| Nicaragua | 1.1% | |||
| Ireland | 1% | |||
| Other | 0.9% | |||
Almost half of all people in the Cayman Islands live in George Town. People from over 100 different countries call George Town home. About 37.9% of residents are Caymanian. The rest are people who have moved there from other countries.
Most of these new residents come from places like Jamaica, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. Many also come from the United States, Canada, Honduras, and India. There is also a growing community from South Africa.
Christianity is the most common religion in George Town. Most Christians are Protestant, but there is also a large Catholic community. The city also has a Jewish center and an Islamic Society.
George Town's Location
George Town is on the western side of Grand Cayman. Its city limits stretch from the South Shore District in the east. They go north past the Owen Roberts International Airport. To the south, they reach Hog Sty Bay. To the west, they extend to Seven Mile Beach and the West Bay District.
Seven Mile Beach
George Town is famous for its Seven Mile Beach. This is a long, beautiful beach made of coral sand. It stretches north towards the West Bay area of Grand Cayman. This beach is the most popular spot for tourists on the island.
Climate
George Town has a tropical savanna climate. This means it has a hot and wet season from May to November. It also has a very warm and dry season from December to April. Temperatures stay pretty much the same all year round.
| Climate data for George Town (Owen Roberts International Airport) 1981-2010, extremes 1971-2013 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high humidex | 39.2 | 42.6 | 43.3 | 43.5 | 45.4 | 43.8 | 45.5 | 44.8 | 44.8 | 44.1 | 43.1 | 43.1 | 45.5 |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.2 (90.0) |
31.7 (89.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.9 (93.0) |
34.4 (94.0) |
34.4 (94.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.4 (94.0) |
33.6 (92.4) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.2 (82.8) |
28.6 (83.4) |
29.1 (84.3) |
29.9 (85.9) |
30.7 (87.3) |
31.6 (88.9) |
32.2 (89.9) |
32.2 (89.9) |
31.7 (89.0) |
31.0 (87.8) |
29.6 (85.2) |
28.6 (83.5) |
30.3 (86.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 25.8 (78.4) |
26.1 (79.0) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
28.5 (83.3) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.7 (85.5) |
29.3 (84.7) |
28.5 (83.3) |
27.5 (81.5) |
26.2 (79.2) |
27.9 (82.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 22.3 (72.2) |
22.4 (72.3) |
22.7 (72.9) |
23.7 (74.6) |
24.7 (76.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.7 (78.2) |
25.6 (78.0) |
25.3 (77.6) |
24.7 (76.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
23.2 (73.8) |
24.2 (75.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
15.0 (59.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
16.7 (62.0) |
17.2 (63.0) |
21.7 (71.0) |
20.6 (69.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
14.1 (57.3) |
14.1 (57.3) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 51.8 (2.04) |
38.1 (1.50) |
33.5 (1.32) |
32.2 (1.27) |
151.4 (5.96) |
157.5 (6.20) |
146.8 (5.78) |
149.8 (5.90) |
222.0 (8.74) |
219.8 (8.65) |
153.7 (6.05) |
71.0 (2.80) |
1,427.6 (56.21) |
| Average rainy days | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 123 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 76 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 77 | 78 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 |
| Source 1: National Weather Service (Cayman Islands) | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather In Cayman | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for George Town | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average sea temperature °C (°F) | 26.4 (79.5) |
26.3 (79.3) |
26.6 (79.9) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.3 (82.9) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.3 (84.7) |
30.1 (86.2) |
30.1 (86.2) |
29.1 (84.4) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.6 (81.7) |
28.2 (82.8) |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 11.1 | 11.5 | 12.1 | 12.6 | 13.1 | 13.3 | 13.2 | 12.8 | 12.2 | 11.7 | 11.2 | 11.0 | 12.2 |
| Average Ultraviolet index | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 10.5 |
| Source #1: seatemperature.org | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: Weather Atlas | |||||||||||||
George Town's Economy
Financial Services
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George Town is a major center for money and banking. In 2007, financial services made up 55% of the total economy. This industry also provided 36% of all jobs. It brought in 40% of the government's money.
The Cayman Islands is a top place for banks. It has branches of 40 of the world's 50 biggest banks. It is also a leader in "captive insurance." This is when a company creates its own insurance company. Over 700 such companies are based here.
Many large law firms and accounting firms also have offices in George Town. These include famous names like KPMG and Deloitte. This makes George Town a very important international banking hub.
Tourism and Visitors
George Town is a popular stop for cruise ships in the Caribbean. Cruise ships often visit from Tuesday to Friday. They anchor offshore and use smaller boats to bring passengers to land. Passengers arrive right in the middle of George Town's shopping area.
There are many fun things for tourists to do. You can take submarine tours of the harbor. There are also glass-bottom boat tours to see underwater life. Other activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, and parasailing.
You can also visit rum distilleries or art galleries. There is a historical museum to learn about the island's past. Of course, shopping and eating are also popular. For evening fun, Seven Mile Beach has many nightclubs and bars.
George Town's waterfront has a Harley-Davidson shop. You can also find a Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville restaurant. The famous artist Guy Harvey has an art studio and restaurant here too. The Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa and The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman are very fancy hotels on the island.
George Town's Neighborhoods
- Spotts is a living area southeast of George Town. It is known for its beautiful Spotts Beach.
- Red Bay is a residential area in eastern George Town. It has Red Bay Primary School. The main highway from the east runs through here.
- Prospect is east of George Town, where the city limits end. It is a residential area with a primary school and small shops.
- South Sound is a suburb south of the city. It has some of the most expensive homes in the Cayman Islands. Several private schools are here, like St. Ignatius Catholic School. John Gray High School and the University College of the Cayman Islands are also in this area.
- Downtown George Town is the city's business center. It has many banks and law firms. The Parliament of the Cayman Islands and the main courthouse are also located here. George Town Primary School is in this area.
- Whitehall Estates is a residential area north of Downtown George Town. It is close to Seven Mile Beach.
- Dog City is a residential area very close to Downtown George Town. It has some shops and services.
- Central George Town is the busiest part of the city. Most people pass through here to get to other areas. It has many shopping centers. The Cayman Islands Container Yard, run by the Port Authority, is also here.
- Windsor Park is a residential area in Central George Town. It has several parks. Triple C School is located nearby.
- Meegan Galeano Estates is a residential area near West Bay Road. It is next to Eastern Avenue.
- Industrial Park is northeast of George Town. Most of the island's factories are here. Many government offices are also located in this area. Owen Roberts International Airport is part of the Industrial Park.
- Tropical Gardens is a residential area south of Owen Roberts International Airport. It is just off Crewe Road.
- Half Way Pond is a residential area near South Sound. It has one school for both primary and middle school students, First Baptist Christian School.
- Grand Harbour is just off the main highway coming into George Town from the east. It has a shopping center with the same name. There is also a wealthy residential area to the north.
- Camana Bay is like its own small town north of George Town. It is still considered a neighborhood of the city. It is a walking-friendly area with many shops and cafes. There is also a cinema, apartments, and office buildings. Cayman International School, a private school, is located here.
- Seven Mile Beach is the main area for tourism in the Cayman Islands. It is full of fancy hotels, condos, bars, and shops. It has a special walking path that goes over to Camana Bay.
Getting Around George Town
Air Travel
George Town and the rest of Grand Cayman are served by Owen Roberts International Airport. This airport is just east of the city. It is one of only two airports where you can fly into the Cayman Islands. The other is Charles Kirkconnell Airport on Cayman Brac.
More than 55 flights arrive in the Cayman Islands each week. Cayman Airways is the national airline. It uses Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets and smaller planes. You can fly directly to Grand Cayman from many cities. These include Atlanta, London, Toronto, New York, and Miami.
Roads and Highways
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Several main roads serve George Town:
- East/West Arterial
- Linford Pierson Highway
- Esterly Tibbetts Highway
- Maxine Eldermire Way
Buses
A group of minibuses serve as public transportation in the city.
Education in George Town
The Cayman Islands Education Department runs several public schools in George Town. These include George Town Primary School, Red Bay Primary School, and Prospect Primary School. They also operate John Gray High School and the University College of the Cayman Islands.
Since 2012, John Gray High School has been in the building that used to be George Hicks High School. Children in the Cayman Islands can get free primary and secondary education.
Many churches and private groups also run private schools. These schools offer studies based on American and British systems. They teach students from nursery age up to college prep levels.
Some of the private schools include:
- Cayman International School
- Cayman Prep & High School
- St. Ignatius Catholic School
The Montessori School also has three schools in George Town. These schools are on South Church Street, Hind's Way, and Prospect Point Road in Red Bay.
St. Matthew's University, which is a Medical and Veterinary school, is located just outside George Town.
See also
In Spanish: George Town (Islas Caimán) para niños
