Anguilla

Introduction

Top of Page

Background:

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.

Anguilla

Geography

Top of Page

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:

Central America and the Caribbean

Area:

total:  91 sq km land:  91 sq km water:  0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

61 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive fishing zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  3 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% permanent pastures:  0% forests and woodland:  0% other:  100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds)

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

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

Anguilla

People

Top of Page

Population:

12,132 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years:  25.55% (male 1,574; female 1,526) 15-64 years:  67.47% (male 4,200; female 3,985) 65 years and over:  6.98% (male 376; female 471) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.68% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:

15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:

17.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth:  1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years:  1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years:  1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over:  0.8 male(s)/female total population:  1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

24.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population:  76.31 years male:  73.41 years female:  79.29 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun:  Anguillan(s) adjective:  Anguillan

Ethnic groups:

black

Religions:

Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Languages:

English (official)

Literacy:

definition:  age 12 and over can read and write total population:  95% male:  95% female:  95% (1984 est.)

Anguilla

Government

Top of Page

Country name:

conventional long form:  none conventional short form:  Anguilla

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

The Valley

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:

based on English common law

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:  Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTON (since NA February 2000) head of government:  Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March 2000) cabinet:  Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the elected members of the House of Assembly elections:  none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members and 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections:  last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA March 2005) election results:  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UF 4, AUM 2, independent 1

Judicial branch:

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate)

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 blue wavy water below

Anguilla

Economy

Top of Page

Economy - overview:

Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and remittances from emigrants. The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September but recovered in 1996. Increased activity in the tourism industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector, has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector. A comprehensive package of financial services legislation was enacted in late 1994. In the medium term, prospects for the economy will depend on the tourism sector and, therefore, on continuing income growth in the industrialized nations as well as favorable weather conditions.

GDP:	purchasing power parity - $96 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  4% industry:  18% services:  78% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%:  NA% highest 10%:  NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force:

4,400 (1992)

Labor force - by occupation:

commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Unemployment rate:

7% (1992 est.)

Budget:

revenues:  $20.4 million expenditures:  $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.)

Industries:

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  NA% hydro:  NA% nuclear:  NA% other:  NA%

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Exports:

$4.5 million (1998)

Exports - commodities:

lobster, fish, livestock, salt

Exports - partners:

NA

Imports:

$57.6 million (1998)

Imports - commodities:

NA

Imports - partners:

NA

Debt - external:

$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:

$3.5 million (1995)

Currency:

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Anguilla

Communications

Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use:

5,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

NA

Telephone system:

general assessment:  NA domestic:  modern internal telephone system international:  microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:

3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

1 (1997)

Televisions:

1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

16 (2000)

Internet users:

NA

Anguilla

Transportation

Top of Page

Railways:

0 km

Highways:

total:  279 km paved:  253 km unpaved:  26 km (1998 est.)

Waterways:

none

Ports and harbors:

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine:

none (2000 est.)

Airports:

3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total:  1 914 to 1,523 m:  1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:  2 under 914 m:  2 (2000 est.)

Anguilla

Military

Top of Page

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Anguilla

Transnational Issues

Top of Page

Disputes - international:

none

Illicit drugs:

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe