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Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650, Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants - was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this arrangement was formally recognized in 1980 with Anguilla becoming a separate British dependency. |
Location: | |
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Geographic Coordinates: | |
18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Area: | |
Total: 91 sq km Land: 91 sq km Water: 0 sq km |
Area - Comparative: | |
About one-half the size of Washington, DC |
Land Boundaries: | |
0 km |
Coastline: | |
61 km (Rank: 177) |
Maritime Claims: | |
Territorial sea: 3 nm Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate: | |
Tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Terrain: | |
Flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Elevation Extremes: | |
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m Highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
Natural Resources: | |
Salt, fish, lobster |
Land Use: | |
Arable land: 0% Permanent crops: 0% Other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005) |
Natural Hazards: | |
Frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Environment - Current Issues: | |
Supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Geography - Note: | |
The most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles |
Nationality: | |
Noun: Anguillan(s) Adjective: Anguillan |
Ethnic Groups: | |
Black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 census) |
Languages: | |
English (official) |
Religions: | |
Protestant 83.1% (Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%), Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3% (2001 census) |
Population: | |
15,094 (July 2011 est.) |
Age Structure: | |
0-14 years: 24% (male 1,861/female 1,764) 15-64 years: 68.1% (male 4,855/female 5,427) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 577/female 610) (2011 est.) |
Median Age: | |
Total: 33.3 years Male: 31.9 years Female: 34.7 years (2011 est.) |
Population Growth Rate: | |
2.173% (2011 est.) |
Birth Rate: | |
12.92 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
Death Rate: | |
4.44 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) |
Net Migration Rate: | |
13.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) |
Urbanization: | |
Urban population: 100% of total population (2010) Rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.) |
Major Cities - Population: | |
THE VALLEY (capital) 2,000 (2009) |
Sex Ratio: | |
At birth: 1.031 male(s)/female Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
Infant Mortality Rate: | |
Total: 3.47 deaths/1,000 live births Male: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births Female: 3.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.) |
Life Expectancy At Birth: | |
Total population: 80.87 years Male: 78.32 years Female: 83.51 years (2011 est.) |
Total Fertility Rate: | |
1.75 children born/woman (2011 est.) |
Drinking Water Source: | |
Urban: 60% of population Total: 60% of population Unimproved: Urban: 40% of population Total: 40% of population (2000) |
Sanitation Facility Access: | |
Urban: 99% of population Total: 99% of population Unimproved: Urban: 1% of population Total: 1% of population (2008) |
Education Expenditures: | |
3.5% of GDP (2008) |
Literacy: | |
Definition: age 12 and over can read and write Total population: 95% Male: 95% Female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Average Years of Schooling: | |
Total: 11 years Male: 11 years Female: 11 years (2008) |
Country Name: | |
Conventional long form: none Conventional short form: Anguilla |
Capital: | |
Name: The Valley Geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Administrative Divisions: | |
None (overseas territory of the UK) |
Dependency Status: | |
Overseas territory of the UK |
Independence: | |
None (overseas territory of the UK) |
National Holiday: | |
Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) |
Constitution: | |
Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Legal System: | |
Common law based on the English model |
Suffrage: | |
18 years of age; universal |
Executive Branch: | |
Chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Alistair HARRISON (since 21 April 2009) Head of government: Chief Minister Hubert HUGHES (since 16 February 2010) Cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly Elections: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
Legislative Branch: | |
Unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) Elections: last held on 15 February 2010 (next to be held in 2015) Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - AUM 4, AUF 2, APP 1 |
Judicial Branch: | |
High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Political Parties and Leaders: | |
Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Brent DAVIS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]; Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES] |
International Organization Participation: | |
Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU |
Diplomatic Representation in the US: | |
None (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic Representation From the US: | |
None (overseas territory of the UK) |
Flag Description: | |
Blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with a turquoise-blue field below; the white in the background represents peace; the blue base symbolizes the surrounding sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope; the three dolphins stand for endurance, unity, and strength |
National Symbols: | |
Dolphin |
National Anthem: | |
Name: "God Bless Anguilla" Lyrics/music: Alex RICHARDSON Note: local anthem adopted 1981; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) |
Affiliation: | |
(overseas territory of the UK) |
Economy - Overview: | |
Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism industry has spurred the growth of the construction sector contributing to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector, which is small but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on favorable weather conditions. |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): | |
$175.4 million (2009 est.) $191.7 million (2008 est.) $108.9 million (2004 est.) |
GDP (Official Exchange Rate): | |
$175.4 million (2009 est.) |
GDP - Real Growth Rate: | |
-8.5% (2009 est.) |
GDP - Per Capita (PPP): | |
$12,200 (2008 est.) |
GDP - Composition By Sector: | |
Agriculture: 2.1% Industry: 26.6% Services: 71.3% (2010 est.) |
Labor Force: | |
6,049 (2001) |
Labor Force - By Occupation: | |
Agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining: 4% Manufacturing: 3% Construction: 18% Transportation and utilities: 10% Commerce: 36% Services: 29% (2000 est.) |
Unemployment Rate: | |
8% (2002) |
Population Below Poverty Line: | |
23% (2002) |
Household Income / Consumption By Share: | |
Lowest 10%: NA% Highest 10%: NA% |
Investment (Gross Fixed): | |
41.9% of GDP (2010 est.) |
Budget: | |
Revenues: $22.8 million Expenditures: $22.5 million (2009 est.) |
Taxes and Other Revenues: | |
13% of GDP (2009 est.) |
Budget Surplus / Deficit: | |
0.2% of GDP (2009 est.) |
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices): | |
1.1% (2010 est.) -0.7% (2009 est.) |
Central Bank Discount Rate: | |
6.5% (31 December 2010 est.) 6.5% (31 December 2009 est.) |
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate: | |
10.6% (31 December 2010 est.) 9.273% (31 December 2009 est.) |
Stock of Money: | |
$21.12 million (31 December 2008) $23.57 million (31 December 2007) |
Stock of Quasi Money: | |
$449.5 million (31 December 2008) $470.1 million (31 December 2007) |
Stock of Narrow Money: | |
$16.42 million (31 December 2010 est.) $19.03 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
Stock of Broad Money: | |
$439.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) $430.7 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
Stock of Domestic Credit: | |
$500.6 million (31 December 2010 est.) $489 million (31 December 2009 est.) |
Agriculture - Products: | |
Small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Industries: | |
Tourism, boat building, offshore financial services |
Industrial Production Growth Rate: | |
NA% |
Electricity - Production By Source: | |
Fossil fuel: NA Hydro: NA Nuclear: NA Other: NA |
Current Account Balance: | |
-$160.6 million (2010 est.) -$102.4 million (2009 est.) |
Exports: | |
$11.5 million (2010 est.) $26.23 million (2009 est.) |
Exports - Commodities: | |
Lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum |
Imports: | |
$175 million (2010 est.) $153.4 million (2009 est.) |
Imports - Commodities: | |
Fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles |
Debt - External: | |
$8.8 million (1998) |
Exchange Rates: | |
Convert East Caribbean Dollar to Any Currency East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - |
Telephones - Main Lines In Use: | |
6,300 (2010) |
Telephones - Cellular: | |
24,000 (2010) |
Telephone System: | |
General assessment: modern internal telephone system Domestic: fixed-line teledensity is roughly 40 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 160 per 100 persons International: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (2009) |
Broadcast Media: | |
1 private television station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; about 10 radio stations, one of which is government-owned (2007) |
Radio Broadcast Stations: | |
AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2009) |
Television Broadcast Stations: | |
1 (1997) |
Internet Country Code: | |
.ai |
Internet Hosts: | |
271 (2010) |
Internet Users: | |
3,700 (2009) |
Airports: | |
3 (2010) |
Airports - With Paved Runways: | |
Total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2010) |
Airports - With Unpaved Runways: | |
Total: 2 Under 914 m: 2 (2010) |
Roadways: | |
Total: 175 km Paved: 82 km Unpaved: 93 km (2004) |
Ports and Terminals: | |
Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Manpower Available For Military Service: | |
Males age 16-49: 3,641 (2010 est.) |
Manpower Fit For Military Service: | |
Males age 16-49: 3,009 Females age 16-49: 3,397 (2010 est.) |
Manpower Reaching Militarily Significant Age Annually: | |
Male: 111 Female: 113 (2010 est.) |
Military - Note: | |
Defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Illicit Drugs: | |
Transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
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