Anguilla (2001) | Western Sahara (2008) | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (under de facto control of Morocco) |
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.) |
0-14 years: 45.4% (male 88,176/female 85,421)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 98,345/female 101,895) 65 years and over: 2.3% (male 3,705/female 5,075) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish |
Airports | 3 (2000 est.) | 9 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
Area | total:
91 sq km land: 91 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about half the size of Washington, DC | about the size of Colorado |
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. | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. In April 2007, Morocco presented an autonomy plan for the territory to the UN, which the U.S. considers serious and credible. The Polisario also presented a plan to the UN in 2007. Since August 2007, representatives from the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front have met three times to negotiate the status of Western Sahara, with a fourth round of negotiations planned for March 2008. |
Birth rate | 15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA 39.95 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$20.4 million expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
Capital | The Valley | none
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew |
Coastline | 61 km | 1,110 km |
Constitution | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 | - |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Anguilla |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $8.8 million (1998) | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none |
Disputes - international | none | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; several states have extended diplomatic relations to the "Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic" represented by the Polisario Front in exile in Algeria, while others recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; most of the approximately 102,000 Sahrawi refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria |
Economic aid - recipient | $3.5 million (1995) | $NA |
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. | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. Incomes in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. The Moroccan Government controls all trade and other economic activities in Western Sahara. Morocco and the EU signed a four-year agreement in July 2006 allowing European vessels to fish off the coast of Morocco, including the disputed waters off the coast of Western Sahara. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. However, in 2006 the Polisario awarded similar exploration licenses in the disputed territory, which would come into force if Morocco and the Polisario resolve their dispute over Western Sahara. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 79.05 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 85 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
Environment - current issues | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system | sparse water and lack of arable land |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | black | Arab, Berber |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.2827 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003) |
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 |
none |
Exports | $4.5 million (1998) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | lobster, fish, livestock, salt | phosphates 62% |
Exports - partners | NA | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | - |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $96 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: 40% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 7% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 18 15 N, 63 10 W | 24 30 N, 13 00 W |
Geography - note | - | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas |
Highways | total:
279 km paved: 253 km unpaved: 26 km (1998 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $57.6 million (1998) | 1,698 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | NA | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | NA | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2006) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.1% (1997 est.) | NA% |
Industries | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services | phosphate mining, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 24.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (1998 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 16 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) | - |
Labor force | 4,400 (1992) | 12,000 |
Labor force - by occupation | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% | agriculture: 50%
industry and services: 50% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
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) |
arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2005) |
Languages | English (official) | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic |
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)
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 |
- |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
76.31 years male: 73.41 years female: 79.29 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition:
age 12 and over can read and write total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
NA |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | - |
National holiday | Anguilla Day, 30 May | - |
Nationality | noun:
Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan |
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility |
Natural resources | salt, fish, lobster | phosphates, iron ore |
Net migration rate | 17.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | - |
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 | none |
Population | 12,132 (July 2001 est.) | 382,617
note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.68% (2001 est.) | NA |
Ports and harbors | Blowing Point, Road Bay | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 3,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% | Muslim |
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.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,000 (1997) | about 2,000 (1999 est.) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 0 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 7% (1992 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | none | - |