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Guide to Anguilla

Introduction

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.

Geography

Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total
Area - comparative: about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 61 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: NA
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

People

Population: 13,254 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 1.77% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 14.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 5.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.6% (2001 Census)
Religions: 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)
Languages: English (official)
Literacy: definition

Government

Country name: conventional long form
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
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
Judicial branch: High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders: Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The 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 Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), 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 blue wavy water below

Economy

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, 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, 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): $112 million (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.8% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
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 or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3%
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising
Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: NA
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 42.6 million kWh
Exports: $2.6 million (1999)
Exports - commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum
Exports - partners: UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)
Imports: $80.9 million (1999)
Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles
Imports - partners: US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)
Debt - external: $8.8 million (1998)
Economic aid - recipient: $9 million (2004 est.)
Currency (code): East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Currency code: XCD
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000) note
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,800 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
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: 3,000 (2002)

Transportation

Highways: total
Ports and harbors: Blowing Point, Road Bay
Airports: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total

Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe
Last updated: 20 October, 2005