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
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total
102 sq km
land
102 sq km
water
0 sq km
Area - comparative
about half the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
61 km
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)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
Environment - current issues
Geography - note
the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles
Population
13,677 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
22.3% (male 1,546/female 1,502)
15-64 years
70.8% (male 4,979/female 4,705)
65 years and over
6.9% (male 423/female 522) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
31.6 years
male
31.6 years
female
31.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.375% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
13.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
5.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.029 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.058 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
total population
1.033 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
19.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male
25.74 deaths/1,000 live births
female
13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
77.46 years
male
74.53 years
female
80.49 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.72 children born/woman (2007 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 (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (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
age 12 and over can read and write
total population
95%
male
95%
female
95% (1984 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
none
conventional short form
Anguilla
Dependency status
overseas territory of the UK
Government type
NA
Capital
name
The Valley
geographic coordinates
18 13 N, 63 04 W
time difference
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (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
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 Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006)
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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is 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; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1
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]
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 - 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)
$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
10.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$8,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
4%
industry
18%
services
78% (2002 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 or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.3% (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$22.8 million
expenditures
$22.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
