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Economy of Anguilla

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.

GDP:

purchasing power parity - $104 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $8,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 4%

industry: 18%

services: 78% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.3%

Labor force:

6,049 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%, construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%, services 29% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:

6.7% (2001)

Budget:

revenues: $22.8 million

expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:

small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries:

tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:

3.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:

NA

Electricity - consumption:

42.6 million kWh

Exports:

$2.6 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:

lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Exports - partners:

UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Imports:

$80.9 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Imports - partners:

US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Debt - external:

$8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:

$3.5 million (1995)

Currency:

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:

XCD

Exchange rates:

East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)

Fiscal year:

1 April - 31 March

Geography of Anguilla

Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W Map references: North America Area: total: 91 sq km land: 91 sq km water: 0 sq km Area-comparative: 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 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 Environment-international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Government of Anguilla

Country name:

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Anguilla

Dependency status:

overseas territory of the UK

Government type:

NA

Capital:

The Valley

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:

Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:

Anguilla Constitutional Order 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 Eden HUCKLE (since 28 May 2004)

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

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, AUM 2, ADP 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:

High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:

Anguilla United Movement or AUM [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; Anguilla Patriotic Movement or APM [Quincy GUMBS]; Movement for Grassroots Democracy or MFGD [Joyce KENTISH, John BENJAMIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

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History of Anguilla

The Lonely Planet offers some insight into the History of Anguiila

People of Anguilla

Population growth rate:

1.98% (2004 est.)

Birth rate:

14.45 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate:

5.46 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate:

10.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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 (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 21.91 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.9 years

male: 73.99 years

female: 79.91 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Anguillan(s)

adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:

black (predominant), mulatto, white

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.)

Population:

13,008 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 23.8% (male 1,569; female 1,523)

15-64 years: 69.4% (male 4,641; female 4,385)

65 years and over: 6.8% (male 396; female 494) (2004 est.)

Median age:

total: 30.4 years

male: 30.4 years

female: 30.3 years (2004 est.)