Background: 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.
Capital: The Valley
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Geography of Anguilla
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 91 sq. km
land: 91 sq. km
water: 0 sq. km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 61 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m
Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster
Land use:
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)
Irrigated land: NA sq. km
Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
Environment – current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
People of Anguilla
Population: 13,254 (July 2005 est.)
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)
Population growth rate: 2.68%
Birth rate: 15.17 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 5.61 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: 17.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 24.56 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.31 years
male: 73.41 years
female: 79.29 years
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman
Nationality:
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan
Ethnic groups: black
Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%
Languages: English (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)
Anguilla Economy
Economy – overview: 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, contributed to economic growth in 1997-98. Anguillan officials have put substantial effort into developing the offshore financing 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity – $96 million (1999 est.)
GDP – real growth rate: 7% (1999 est.)
GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity – $8,200 (1999 est.)
GDP – composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1997 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (1998 est.)
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%
Unemployment rate: 7% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $20.4 million
expenditures: $23.3 million, including capital expenditures of $3.8 million (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services
Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (1997 est.)
Agriculture – products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising
Exports: $4.5 million (1998)
Exports – commodities: lobster, fish, livestock, salt
Imports: $57.6 million (1998)
Debt – external: $8.8 million (1998)
Economic aid – recipient: $3.5 million (1995)
Currency: 1 East Caribbean dollar (EC$) = 100 cents
Map of Anguilla
