Compare Heard Island and McDonald Islands (2003) - Anguilla (2007)

These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

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

antarctic

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

101.9 km

61 km

Constitution

-

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands

conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

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

territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

overseas territory of the UK

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of Australia)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of Australia)

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$9 million (2004 est.)

Economy - overview

No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government allows limited fishing around the islands.

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: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 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 (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 Australia 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

53 06 S, 72 31 E

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

-

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 Australia, 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

islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

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

Map references

Antarctic Region

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

Nationality

-

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Natural hazards

Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

fish

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 (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

-

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

Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Total fertility rate

-

1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate

-

8% (2002)

Waterways

none

-