Compare Baker Island (2003) - Anguilla (2007)

The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.

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.

Birth rate

-

13.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Budget

-

revenues: $22.8 million

expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.)

Capital

-

name: The Valley

geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W

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

Climate

equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

4.8 km

61 km

Constitution

-

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Country name

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Baker Island

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Death rate

-

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Debt - external

-

$8.8 million (1998)

Dependency status

unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

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)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$9 million (2004 est.)

Economy - overview

no economic activity

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 - production

-

NA kWh

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location 8 m

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Environment - current issues

no natural fresh water resources

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

Ethnic groups

-

black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 Census)

Exchange rates

-

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)

note: fixed rate since 1976

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

Exports

-

$14.56 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

-

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

Exports - partners

-

UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2006)

Fiscal year

-

1 April - 31 March

Flag description

the flag of the US is used

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 - composition by sector

-

agriculture: 4%

industry: 18%

services: 78% (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

10.2% (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

0 13 N, 176 31 W

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

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

-

$129.9 million (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

-

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners

-

US, Puerto Rico, UK (2006)

Independence

-

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

3.1% (1997 est.)

Industries

-

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

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.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

5.3% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

-

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (1998 est.)

NA

Judicial branch

-

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

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.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (1998 est.)

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Languages

-

English (official)

Legal system

the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

based on English common law

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

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population: 77.46 years

male: 74.53 years

female: 80.49 years (2007 est.)

Literacy

-

definition: age 12 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95%

female: 95% (1984 est.)

Location

Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia

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

Map references

Oceania

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US Coast Guard

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

Nationality

-

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Natural hazards

the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

salt, fish, lobster

Net migration rate

-

5.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

-

NA

Population

uninhabited

note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2003 est.)

13,677 (July 2007 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

23% (2002)

Population growth rate

-

1.375% (2007 est.)

Ports and harbors

none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

-

Radio broadcast stations

-

AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

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)

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.)

Suffrage

-

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

-

general assessment: NA

domestic: modern internal telephone system

international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

-

6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

1,800 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

-

1 (1997)

Terrain

low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone