Anguilla

Anguilla
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Strength and Endurance"
Anthem: God Save the Queen (official) God Bless Anguilla (unofficial)1
Capital	The Valley
Largest city
Official language	English
Government	UK overseas territory
- Queen	HM Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor	Andrew George
- Chief Minister	Osbourne Fleming
Overseas territory	of the United Kingdom
Area
- Total	102 km² (220th) 39.4 sq mi
- Water (%)	negligible
Population
- 2006 estimate	13,477 (221st)
- Density	132/km² (n/a) 342/sq mi
Currency	East Caribbean dollar (BMD)
Time zone	(UTC-4)
Internet TLD	.ai
Calling code	+1-264
1 National Song of Anguilla. Official Website of the Government of Anguilla. Retrieved on 12 October, 2005.

Anguilla (English pronunciation: ang-GWILL-a) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately 16 miles long by 3 miles wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The island's capital is The Valley. The total land area of the territory is 102 square kilometres (39.4 square miles), with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate).

History

Anguilla was first settled in pre-history by Amerindian tribes who migrated from South America. The date of European discovery is uncertain: some sources claim that Columbus sighted the island in 1493, while others state that the island was first discovered by the French in 1564 or 1565. The name Anguilla derives from the word for "eel" in any of various Romance languages (modern Spanish: anguila; French: anguille; Italian: Anguilla), probably chosen because of the island's eel-like shape.

Anguilla was first colonised by English settlers from Saint Kitts, beginning in 1650. The island was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th century, when – against the wishes of the inhabitants – it was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. After a 1967 rebellion and brief period as a self-declared independent republic, it became a separate British dependency (now termed a British overseas territory) in 1980.

Politics

Anguilla is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Its politics takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief Minister is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system.

The United Nations Committee on Decolonisation includes Anguilla on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The territory's constitution is Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982 (amended 1990). Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the House of Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.

Geography

Map of Anguilla

Overlooking Sandy Ground, Anguilla

Anguilla is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. It is approximately 16 miles long by 3 miles wide. The soil is generally thin and poor, supporting only scrub vegetation.

Anguilla is noted for its spectacular and ecologically important coral reefs. Apart from the main island of Anguilla itself, the territory includes a number of other smaller islands and cays, mostly tiny and uninhabited. Some of these are:

• Anguillita
• Dog Island
• Prickly Pear Cays
• Scrub Island
• Seal Island
• Sombrero, also known as Hat Island

Climate

Anguilla has a tropical though rather dry climate, moderated by northeast trade winds. Temperatures vary little throughout the year. Average daily maxima range from about 27°C (80°F) in December to 30°C (86°F) in July. Rainfall is erratic, averaging about 90 cm (35 in) per year, the wettest months being September and October, and the driest February and March. Anguilla is vulnerable to hurricanes from June to November.

Economy

Anguilla's thin arid soil is largely unsuitable for agriculture, and the island has few land-based natural resources. Its main industries are tourism and fishing, with the formation of offshore companies playing an increasingly important role in the economy.

Anguilla's currency is the East Caribbean dollar, though the US dollar is also widely accepted.

Demographics

The majority of residents (90.08%) are predominantly black, the descendants of slaves transported from Africa. Growing minorities include whites at 3.74% and persons of mixed race at 4.65% (figures from 2001 census).

72% of the population is Anguillian while 28% is non-Anguillian (2001 census). Of the non-Anguillian population, many are citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, St Kitts & Nevis, the Dominican Republic, or Jamaica.

Culture

The Anguilla National Trust, or ANT was established in 1993 to preserve the heritage of the island, including its cultural heritage. The Trust has programs encouraging Anguillan writers and the preservation of the island's history.

The island's cultural history begins with the Arawak Indians. Artifacts have been found around the island, telling of life before Europeans settlers arrived.

As throughout the Caribbean, holidays are a cultural fixture. Anguilla's most important holidays are of historic as much as cultural importance – particularly the anniversary of the emancipation (previously August Monday in the Park), celebrated as the Summer Festival. British holidays such as the Queen's birthday are also celebrated.

Religion

Christianity is Anguilla's predominant religion, with 40 percent of the population practicing Anglicanism. Another 33 percent are Methodist. Other churches on the island include Catholic, Seventh Day Adventist, and Baptist. Various other religions are practiced as well.^[1]

Rastafarianism

Anguilla is the birthplace of Robert Athlyi Rogers, author of The Holy Piby. The Holy Piby has a large influence on Rastafarian beliefs, and to this day many Rastafarian activists such as Ijahnya Christian of Anguilla have praised Rogers as a key shaker and mover of the faith. Today, there are many "rastas" living on the island, and the influence of the religion spreads even to those who are not a member of it.

Music

See also

• Communications in Anguilla
• Transportation in Anguilla

References

External links

Official sites

• Government of Anguilla - Official government web site
• Anguilla Experience - Official publication of Anguilla Tourism Board
• The Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association - Official site of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association
• Anguilla Guide - Official publication of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association

News and media

• The Anguillian - Weekly newspaper of Anguilla
• Anguilla Life News Talk - Online news source in Anguilla

Portals

• Anguilla - Library of Congress Portals on the World
• CIA World Factbook entry on Anguilla

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
Antigua and Barbuda | Bahamas¹ | Barbados | Belize | Dominica | Grenada | Guyana | Haiti¹ | Jamaica | Montserrat² | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Suriname | Trinidad and Tobago
Associate members: Anguilla | Bermuda | Cayman Islands | British Virgin Islands | Turks and Caicos Islands
Observer status: Aruba | Colombia | Dominican Republic | Mexico | Netherlands Antilles | Puerto Rico | Venezuela
¹ member of the community but not the CARICOM (Caribbean) Single Market and Economy. ² territory of the United Kingdom awaiting British instruments of entrustment to join the CSME

British overseas territories and crown dependencies

Overseas territories: Anguilla • Bermuda • British Antarctic Territory • British Indian Ocean Territory • British Virgin Islands • Cayman Islands • Falkland Islands • Gibraltar • Montserrat • Pitcairn Islands • Saint Helena (Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha) • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands • Turks and Caicos Islands Crown dependencies: Guernsey • Jersey • Isle of Man Sovereign base areas: Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Outlying territories of European countries

	Territories under European sovereignty but closer to continents other than Europe (see inclusion criteria for further information)
Denmark	Arctic	Grønland (Kalaallit Nunaat)
France	Atlantic and Caribbean	Guadeloupe (Guadeloupe, Saint-Barthélemy et Saint-Martin) • Martinique • Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
	Indian Ocean	Mayotte • Réunion • Îles Éparses (Bassas da India, Île Europa, Île Juan da Nova, Îles Glorieuses, Île Tromelin)
	Pacific	Île de Clipperton • Nouvelle-Calédonie (Kanaky) • Polynésie française (Îles Marquises, l'Archipel des Tuamotu, l'Archipel de la Société) • Wallis et Futuna
	South America	Guyane française
	Southern Ocean	Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (Îles Amsterdam et Saint-Paul, l'Archipel Crozet, Îles Kerguelen)
Italy	Mediterranean	Pantelleria • Isole Pelagie (Lampedusa, Linosa, Lampione)
Netherlands	Caribbean	Aruba • Nederlandse Antillen (Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten)
Norway	Southern Ocean	Bouvetøya
Portugal	Atlantic	Arquipélago dos Açores • Arquipélago da Madeira
Spain	North Africa	Ceuta • Melilla • Plazas de soberanía menores (Chafarinas, Vélez de la Gomera, Alhusemas)
	Atlantic	Islas Canarias
United Kingdom	Atlantic and Caribbean	Anguilla • Bermuda • British Virgin Islands • Cayman Islands • Falkland Islands • Montserrat • Saint Helena (Ascension, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Gough) • Turks and Caicos Islands
	Indian Ocean	British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)
	Pacific	Pitcairn Islands (Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, Oeno)
	Southern Ocean	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands