Anguilla (2003) | Christmas Island (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 24.3% (male 1,575; female 1,526)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 4,504; female 4,262) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 387; female 484) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
Agriculture - products | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising | NA |
Airports | 3 (2002) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about half the size of Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | The Valley | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 61 km | 138.9 km |
Constitution | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) | - |
Death rate | 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $8.8 million (1998) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
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. 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. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in the near future |
Electricity - consumption | 42.6 million kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA (2000) | - |
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: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system | NA |
Ethnic groups | black (predominant), mulatto, white | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Peter JOHNSTONE (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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $2.6 million (1999) | NA |
Exports - commodities | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum | phosphate |
Exports - partners | UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000) | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
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 | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.8% (2001 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 18 15 N, 63 10 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total: 105 km
paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997) |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $80.9 million (1999) | NA |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000) | principally Australia |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.1% (1997 est.) | - |
Industries | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | total: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.3% | - |
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 sq km |
Judicial branch | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 6,049 (2001) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% (2000 est,) | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | English (official) | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | based on English common law | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian 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 June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.7 years
male: 73.79 years female: 79.7 years (2003 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, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | Anguilla Day, 30 May | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | salt, fish, lobster | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
People - note | - | the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | Anguilla United Party or AUP [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 | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 12,738 (July 2003 est.) | 361 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Population growth rate | 2.21% (2003 est.) | 0% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Blowing Point, Road Bay | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12% | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
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: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4,974 (2000) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,629 (2000) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 6.7% (2001) | - |
Waterways | none | - |