2004 Edition

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.

Area

land

102 sq km

total

102 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about half the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

61 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Crocus Hill 65 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

commercial salt ponds) (2001)

arable land

0%

other

100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some

permanent crops

0%

Location

Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

3 nm

Natural hazards

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

salt, fish, lobster

Terrain

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.8% (male 1,569; female 1,523) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 4,641; female 4,385) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 396; female 494) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

14.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

5.46 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

black (predominant), mulatto, white

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

14.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

28.72 deaths/1,000 live births

total

21.91 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.91 years (2004 est.)

male

73.99 years

total population

76.9 years

Literacy

definition

age 12 and over can read and write

female

95% (1984 est.)

male

95%

total population

95%

Median age

female

30.3 years (2004 est.)

male

30.4 years

total

30.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Anguillan

noun

Anguillan(s)

Net migration rate

10.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

13,008 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.98% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1.03 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital

The Valley

Constitution

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Anguilla

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

represented by Governor Alan Eden HUCKLE (since 28 May 2004)

the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor

2000)

elected members of the House of Assembly

cabinet

Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the

chief of state

Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by

head of government

Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Legal system

based on English common law

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)

ANA 3, AUM 2, ADP 1, independent 1

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -

elections

last held 3 March 2000 (next to be held NA June 2005)

National holiday

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Political parties and leaders

Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The United Front or UF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Patriotic Movement or APM [Quincy GUMBS]; Movement for Grassroots Democracy or MFGD [Joyce KENTISH, John BENJAMIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Budget

(2000 est.)

expenditures

$22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA

revenues

$22.8 million

Currency

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code

XCD

Debt - external

$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$3.5 million (1995)

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.

Electricity - consumption

42.6 million kWh

Electricity - production

NA

Exchange rates

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Exports

$2.6 million (1999)

Exports - commodities

lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners

UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

18%

services

78% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.8% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$80.9 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners

US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (1997 est.)

Industries

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.3%

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.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

6.7% (2001)

Internet country code

.ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

16 (2000)

Internet users

3,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

3,000 (1997)

Telephone system

of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

domestic

modern internal telephone system

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island

Telephones - main lines in use

6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,800 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

1,000 (1997)

Airports

3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

total

1

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2

under 914 m

2 (2004 est.)

Highways

paved

65 km

total

105 km

unpaved

40 km (1997)

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Antarctica