Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Anguilla (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)

Anguilla (2001)

Administrative divisions

-

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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.)

Agriculture - products

-

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Airports

1 (2006)

3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)

total:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

-

total:
2

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)

Area

total: 54,400 sq km

land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km

water: 54,340 sq km

note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands

total:
91 sq km

land:
91 sq km

water:
0 sq km

Area - comparative

land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

about half the size of Washington, DC

Background

Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.

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

-

15.17 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Budget

-

revenues:
$20.4 million

expenditures:
$23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.)

Capital

-

The Valley

Climate

tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

698 km

61 km

Constitution

-

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Country name

conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Anguilla

Currency

-

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Death rate

-

5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Debt - external

-

$8.8 million (1998)

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

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

Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain;

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$3.5 million (1995)

Economy - overview

All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.

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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

-

fossil fuel:
NA%

hydro:
NA%

nuclear:
NA%

other:
NA%

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point:
Crocus Hill 65 m

Environment - current issues

NA

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

Ethnic groups

-

black

Exchange rates

-

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch

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

Exports

-

$4.5 million (1998)

Exports - commodities

-

lobster, fish, livestock, salt

Exports - partners

-

NA

Fiscal year

-

1 April - 31 March

Flag description

white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

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.)

GDP - per capita

-

purchasing power parity - $8,200 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

7% (1999 est.)

Geographic coordinates

6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

-

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%

Illicit drugs

-

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

Imports

-

$57.6 million (1998)

Imports - commodities

-

NA

Imports - partners

-

NA

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

-

24.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

2.5% (1998 est.)

International organization participation

-

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

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

-

16 (2000)

Irrigated land

0 sq km

NA sq km

Judicial branch

-

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Labor force

-

4,400 (1992)

Labor force - by occupation

-

commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (2005)

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)

Languages

-

English (official)

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

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.)

Literacy

-

definition:
age 12 and over can read and write

total population:
95%

male:
95%

female:
95% (1984 est.)

Location

archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico

Map references

Political Map of the World

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
3 NM

Merchant marine

-

none (2000 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Nationality

-

noun:
Anguillan(s)

adjective:
Anguillan

Natural hazards

NA

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

coconuts, fish, sugarcane

salt, fish, lobster

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

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)

12,132 (July 2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.68% (2001 est.)

Ports and harbors

-

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

-

3,000 (1997)

Railways

-

0 km

Religions

-

Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

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.)

Suffrage

-

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available

domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet

international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

general assessment:
NA

domestic:
modern internal telephone system

international:
microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Telephones - main lines in use

NA

5,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

NA

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Terrain

flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Total fertility rate