Pacific Ocean (2008) | Anguilla (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | - | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising |
Airports | - | 3 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world | about half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south. | 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 | - | 14.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | - | The Valley |
Climate | planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds |
Coastline | 135,663 km | 61 km |
Constitution | - | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 |
Country name | - | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | - | 5.42 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $8.8 million (1998) |
Dependency status | - | 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 | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $3.5 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings. | 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 - 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: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
Environment - current issues | endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system |
Ethnic groups | - | black (predominant), mulatto, white |
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); 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 |
Exports | - | $2.6 million (1999) |
Exports - commodities | - | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum |
Exports - partners | - | UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 April - 31 March |
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 - $104 million (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 2.8% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 0 00 N, 160 00 W | 18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Geography - note | the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles |
Highways | - | total: 105 km
paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997) |
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) |
Imports - commodities | - | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles |
Imports - partners | - | US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000) |
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: 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.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 2.3% |
International organization participation | - | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), ECLAC (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | - | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | - | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) |
Labor force | - | 6,049 (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4% (2000 est,) |
Land boundaries | - | 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.) |
Languages | - | English (official) |
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 June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 76.7 years
male: 73.79 years female: 79.7 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
Location | body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Political Map of the World | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | - | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
National holiday | - | Anguilla Day, 30 May |
Nationality | - | noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
Natural hazards | surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) |
Natural resources | oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish | salt, fish, lobster |
Net migration rate | - | 12.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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 |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | - | 12,738 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 2.21% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Blowing Point, Road Bay |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998) |
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: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 4,974 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 1,629 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Transportation - note | Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state) | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 6.7% (2001) |
Waterways | - | none |