Paracel Islands (2003) | 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 (2002) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
91 sq km land: 91 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | about half the size of Washington, DC |
Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | 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 | 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 | - | 5.61 deaths/1,000 population (2001 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. 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 |
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 |
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 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 | - | 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 | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 18 15 N, 63 10 W |
Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | - |
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 (1998 est.) | 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 | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
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 | - | 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 | 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 (2000 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 | - | 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: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
12,132 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 2.68% (2001 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:
1.03 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:
NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 5,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | NA |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low and flat | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.79 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 7% (1992 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |