History Cayman Islands

 Historical dates

In 1503, Christopher Columbus discovers the archipelago.
It is from then on that pirates start to land on their coasts. And this until the 18th century.
In 1586, when Francis Drake arrives in Grand Cayman, the three islands are already called Caymanas, due to the presence of crocodiles in the mangroves of inland lakes.
It is only in 1660 that settlers decide to move to the islands. The pioneers are said to have been two deserting soldiers of the British Army, who were came from Jamaica.
In 1670, the islands are under the supervision of the British Crown which puts them under Jamaica's administrative control.
In the 1800's, the population does not exceed
1,000 inhabitants, with a high proportion of slaves.
In 1835, when slavery is abolished, many of them decide to stay on the archipelago. The population starts to increase.
In 1962, when Jamaica becomes independent from the United Kingdom, the Cayman Islands decide to stay under the British Crown's supervision. Nevertheless, the colony still has its own government.
In the 70's, the island sets up laws of tax exemption, which makes the island very attractive for banks. Today, there are more than 600 registered banks on the islands. During that same time, the Cayman Islands start to see their tourist sector increase. It now represents 70% of the archipelago's GNP.