Compare Paracel Islands (2001) - Anguilla (2002)

This archipelago is surrounded by productive fishing grounds and potentially large oil reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Prattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops captured a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. However, the islands are still claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

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

-

14.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Budget

-

revenues: $20.4 million

expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million

Capital

-

The Valley

Climate

tropical

tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

518 km

61 km

Constitution

-

Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Country name

conventional long form:
none

conventional short form:
Paracel Islands

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Currency

-

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Death rate

-

5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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

occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

none

Economic aid - recipient

-

$3.5 million (1995)

Economy - overview

China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

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

-

45.85 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

-

fossil fuel: NA%

hydro: NA%

nuclear: NA%

other: NA%

Elevation extremes

lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m

highest point:
unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 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), 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

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

-

0% (2001 est.)

Geographic coordinates

16 30 N, 112 00 E

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Geography - note

-

the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles

Highways

-

total: 105 km

paved: 65 km

unpaved: 40 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

-

$80.9 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

-

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, textiles

Imports - partners

-

US, Puerto Rico, UK

Independence

-

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

3.1%

Industries

-

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Infant mortality rate

-

23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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

0 sq km (1993)

NA sq km

Judicial branch

-

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Labor force

-

6,735 (1999) (1999)

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%

permanent pastures:
0%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
100%

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: 76.5 years

male: 73.6 years

female: 79.5 years (2002 est.)

Literacy

-

definition: age 12 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 95%

female: 95% (1984 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

NA

exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Merchant marine

-

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

occupied by China

defense is the responsibility of the UK

National holiday

-

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Nationality

-

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Natural hazards

typhoons

frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Natural resources

none

salt, fish, lobster

Net migration rate

-

15.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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

no indigenous inhabitants

note:
there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2001 est.)

12,446 (July 2002 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA%

Population growth rate

-

2.44% (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded

Blowing Point, Road Bay

Radio broadcast stations

-

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: 1.02 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 (2002 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

mostly low and flat

flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone