Anguilla

(dependent territory of the UK)

Geography

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

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total area: 91 sq km
land area: 91 sq km
comparative area: about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 3 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Terrain: flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Natural resources: negligible; salt, fish, lobster

Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: NA%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system
natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)
international agreements: NA

People

Population: 7,099 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 32% (female 1,129; male 1,115)
15-64 years: 60% (female 2,101; male 2,126)
65 years and over: 8% (female 362; male 266) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.66% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 24.09 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.03 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -9.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 17.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.1 years
male: 71.32 years
female: 76.91 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.05 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic divisions: black African

Religions: Anglican 40%, Methodist 33%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, Baptist 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, other 12%

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: age 12 and over can read and write (1984)
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95%

Labor force: 4,400 (1992)
by occupation: commerce 36%, services 29%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, manufacturing 3%, agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%

Government

Names:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla

Digraph: AV

Type: dependent territory of the UK

Capital: The Valley

Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)

National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution: Anguilla Constitutional Orders 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system: based on English common law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor Alan W. SHAVE (since 14 August 1992)
head of government: Chief Minister Hubert HUGHES (since 16 March 1994)
cabinet: Executive Council; appointed by the governor from the elected members of the House of Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral
House of Assembly: elections last held 16 March 1994 (next to be held March 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (11 total, 7 elected) ANA 2, AUP 2, ADP 2, independent 1

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders: Anguilla National Alliance (ANA); Anguilla United Party (AUP), Hubert HUGHES; Anguilla Democratic Party (ADP), Victor BANKS

Member of: CARICOM (observer), CDB, INTERPOL (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in US: none (dependent territory of the UK)

US diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)

Flag: two horizontal bands of white (top, almost triple width) and light blue with three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design centered in the white band; a new flag may have been in use since 30 May 1990

Economy

Overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on lobster fishing, offshore banking, tourism, and remittances from emigrants. In recent years the economy has benefited from a boom in tourism and construction. Development plans center around the improvement of the infrastructure, particularly transport and tourist facilities, and also light industry.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $49 million (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: 7.5% (1992)

National product per capita: $7,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: 7% (1992 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $13.8 million
expenditures: $15.2 million, including capital expenditures of $2.4 million (1992 est.)

Exports: $556,000 (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: lobster and salt
partners: NA

Imports: $33.5 million (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities: NA
partners: NA

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 2,000 kW
production: 6 million kWh
consumption per capita: 862 kWh (1992)

Industries: tourism, boat building, salt

Agriculture: pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes, sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, poultry, fishing (including lobster)

Economic aid:
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $38 million

Currency: 1 EC dollar (EC$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1 - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year: NA

Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways:
total: 105 km (1992 est.)
paved: 65 km
unpaved: gravel and earth 40 km

Ports: Blowing Point, Road Bay

Merchant marine: none

Airports:
total: 3
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
with paved runways under 914 m: 2

Communications

Telephone system: 890 telephones; modern internal telephone system
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: radio relay microwave link to island of Saint Martin

Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 1, shortwave 0
radios: NA

Television:
broadcast stations: 0
televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK