2023 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. On 7 September 2017, the island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Irma, particularly to communications and residential and business infrastructure.

Area

land

91 sq km

total

91 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

61 km

Elevation

highest point

Crocus Hill 73 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

61.1% (2018 est.)

other

38.9% (2018 est.)

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 economic zone

200 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

salt, fish, lobster

Population distribution

most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlmement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparce in the northeast

Terrain

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Age structure

0-14 years

21% (male 2,034/female 1,972)

15-64 years

67.88% (male 5,896/female 7,055)

65 years and over

11.12% (2023 est.) (male 1,037/female 1,085)

Birth rate

11.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

14.1

potential support ratio

7.1 (2021)

total dependency ratio

38.6

youth dependency ratio

24.4

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 97.5% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.5% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.5% of population

Education expenditures

4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

African/Black 85.3%, Hispanic 4.9%, mixed 3.8%, White 3.2%, East Indian/Indian 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)

note

note: data represent population by ethnic origin

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.1 years

male

79.8 years

total population

82.4 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

1,000 THE VALLEY (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

38.6 years

male

34.6 years

total

36.8 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Anguillan

noun

Anguillan(s)

Net migration rate

10.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

19,079 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlmement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparce in the northeast

Population growth rate

1.77% (2023 est.)

Religions

Protestant 73.2% (includes Anglican 22.7%, Methodist 19.4%, Pentecostal 10.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Baptist 7.1%, Church of God 4.9%, Presbyterian 0.2%, Brethren 0.1%), Roman Catholic 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 10.9%, other 3.2%, unspecified 0.3%, none 4.5% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 99.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.9% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.84 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.96 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.89 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.72 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Capital

etymology

name derives from the capital's location between several hills

geographic coordinates

18 13 N, 63 03 W

name

The Valley

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see United Kingdom

Constitution

amendments

amended 1990, 2012, 2017, 2019

history

several previous; latest 1 April 1982

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Anguilla

etymology

the name Anguilla means "eel" in various Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French) and likely derives from the island's lengthy shape

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council appointed by the governor from among elected members of the House of Assembly

chief of state

King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor Julia CROUCH(since 11 September 2023)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor

head of government

Premier Dr. Ellis WEBSTER (since 30 June 2020); note -  starting in 2019, the title of head of government was changed to premier from chief minister of Anguilla

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, though none on Anguilla

judge selection and term of office

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62

subordinate courts

Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court

Legal system

common law based on the English model

Legislative branch

description

unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 2 appointed by the governor, and 2 ex officio members - the attorney general and deputy governor; members serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APM 7, AUF 4; composition - men 8, women 3, percent of women 27.3%

elections

last held on 29 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Alex RICHARDSON

name

"God Bless Anguilla"

note

note: local anthem adopted 1981; as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)

National holiday

Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

National symbol(s)

dolphin

Political parties and leaders

Anguilla Progressive Movement or APM [Dr. Ellis WEBSTER]; (formerly Anguilla United Movement or AUM)Anguilla United Front or AUF [Cora RICHARDSON-HODGE]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Budget

expenditures

$80.32 million (2017 est.)

revenues

$81.92 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$25.3 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$23.2 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 1998

$8.8 million (1998)

Debt - external 31 December 2013

$41.04 million (31 December 2013)

Economic overview

small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery

Exchange rates

Currency

East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

2.7 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

2.7 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

2.7 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

2.7 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

2.7 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2016

$3.9 million (2016 est.)

Exports 2017

$7.9 million (2017 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

packaged medicines, vaccines and cultures, used clothing, orthopedic appliances, blank audio media (2021)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

48.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

18.3% (2017 est.)

household consumption

74.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-67.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

3% (2017 est.)

industry

10.5% (2017 est.)

services

86.4% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$175.4 million (2009 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2016

$170.1 million (2016 est.)

Imports 2017

$186.2 million (2017 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Industrial production growth rate

4% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-0.6% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.3% (2017 est.)

Labor force

6,049 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

74.1%

agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining

4% (2000 est.)

commerce

36% (2000 est.)

construction

18% (2000 est.)

industry

3%

manufacturing

3% (2000 est.)

services

18%

transportation and utilities

10% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

23% (2002 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2014

20.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Public debt 2015

20.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2004

$108.9 million (2004 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2008

$191.7 million (2008 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2009

$175.4 million (2009 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2009

-8.5% (2009 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2008

$12,200 (2008 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2015

$48.14 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$76.38 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

46.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2002

8% (2002)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

35 (2018 est.)

total

5,000 (2018 est.)

Broadcast media

1 private TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; about 10 radio stations, one of which is government-owned

Internet country code

.ai

Internet users

percent of population

81.6% (2021 est.)

total

13,056 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity is about 38 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity is roughly 170 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

in the telecom sector, with declines seen in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services — the mainstay of short-term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis to a small extent as employees and students have resorted to working from home, but their contribution to the sector has been insufficient to offset steep falls in other areas of the market; one area of the telecom market that does not yet appear poised for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have little appetite for investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage; until the economies and markets stabilize, and overseas visitors return there is unlikely to be much momentum towards implementing 5G capabilities anywhere in the region (2021)

international

country code - 1-264; landing points for the SSCS, ECFS, GCN and Southern Caribbean Fiber with submarine cable links to Caribbean islands and to the US; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

38 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

6,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

170 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

26,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VP-A

Merchant marine

by type

other 2

total

2 (2022)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

4

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Roadways

paved

82 km (2004)

total

175 km (2004)

unpaved

93 km (2004)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

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

Climate

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Environment - current issues

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

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

61.1% (2018 est.)

other

38.9% (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)