The Cayman Islands are made up of three islands, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac & Little Cayman, which are situated approx 150 miles south of Cuba, 480 miles (approx) southwest of Miami and 180 miles (approx) northwest of Jamaica. The Brac is 89 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and Little Cayman is 5 miles west of Cayman Brac. The Islands are the peaks of underwater mountains with the highest point being 60ft above sea level.

The Cayman Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, the capital is Georgetown and the total area of all 3 Islands is 100 sq.miles. As of the 2003 census the population is approx. 44,000 of which, close to 60% are Caymanians.

The Islands are a British Overseas Territory with a British Governor appointed by the UK Government. The 15 member Legislative Assembly and Executive Council are responsible for the daily administration of the country.

Believed to be discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503 who actually by-passed the Islands on his way to Jamaica, archive research suggests that Cayman is a word of Carib Indian origin (caymanas) meaning crocodile. It is very possible that the Caribs were our first visitors. The Islands were originally known as Las Tortugas, after the abundance of sea turtles found swimming off its shores.

The turtles and isolation of the Islands proved too beneficial for some of the most notorious Pirates in Caribbean history, including Blackbeard and Henry Morgan who came to hide their booty and repair their vessels on route to capturing Spanish treasure galleons with the wealth of the New World.

Sir Francis Drake was the first English visitor to the islands, in 1586. The islands became British under the Treaty of Madrid, 1670. The first recorded permanent settlers followed the first land grant by Britain in 1743. They were of British (mainly Scottish) origin, and came by way of Jamaica.

1788 saw the famous incident know as the Wreck of the Ten Sail, when a convoy of British ships on their way to Britain from Jamaica hit the reef in East End, and the local population showed great bravery in rescuing all those aboard. Legend has it that a royal personage was among those saved and in gratitude King George III granted Cayman freedom from conscription and/or taxation.

In 1832 a Legislative Assembly was established, and in 1849, a legal system put into place. In 1863 Cayman was placed under the direct control of Jamaica and later a Commissioner, appointed from Jamaica, took over the administration of the islands.