Map of Anguilla | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


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. On 7 September 2017, the island suffered extensive damage from Hurricane Irma, particularly to communications and residential and business infrastructure.


top of page


Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map reference: Central America and the Caribbean

Area
Total: 91 km²
Land: 91 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 61 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

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

Elevation
Highest point: Crocus Hill 73 m
Lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural resources: salt, fish, lobster

Land use
Agricultural land: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
Forest: 61.1% (2018 est.)
Other: 38.9% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October)

Geography
Note: the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles


top of page


Population
Distribution: most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlmement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparce in the northeast: 19,079 (2023 est.)
Growth rate: 1.77% (2023 est.)
Below poverty line: 23% (2002 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Anguillan(s)
Adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups: African/Black 85.3%, Hispanic 4.9%, mixed 3.8%, White 3.2%, East Indian/Indian 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
Note: data represent population by ethnic origin

Languages: English (official)

Religions: Protestant 73.2% (includes Anglican 22.7%, Methodist 19.4%, Pentecostal 10.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.3%, Baptist 7.1%, Church of God 4.9%, Presbyterian 0.2%, Brethren 0.1%), Roman Catholic 6.8%, Jehovah's Witness 1.1%, other Christian 10.9%, other 3.2%, unspecified 0.3%, none 4.5% (2011 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21% (male 2,034/female 1,972)
15-64 years: 67.88% (male 5,896/female 7,055)
65 years and over: 11.12% (2023 est.) (male 1,037/female 1,085)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 38.6
Youth dependency ratio: 24.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.1
Potential support ratio: 7.1 (2021)

Median age
Total: 36.8 years (2023 est.)
Male: 34.6 years
Female: 38.6 years

Population growth rate: 1.77% (2023 est.)

Birth rate: 11.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate: 4.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate: 10.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution: most of the population is concentrated in The Valley in the center of the island; settlmement is fairly uniform in the southwest, but rather sparce in the northeast

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.47% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1,000 THE VALLEY (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Male: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.4 years (2023 est.)
Male: 79.8 years
Female: 85.1 years

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.5% of population
Improved total: 97.5% of population
Unimproved urban: 2.5% of population
Unimproved total: 2.5% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: NA

Physicians density: NA

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban:
Unimproved urban:

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Total population: NA
Male: NA
Female: NA

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Anguilla
Etymology: the name Anguilla means "eel" in various Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French) and likely derives from the island's lengthy shape

Government type: parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK

Capital
Name: The Valley
Geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W
Time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: name derives from the capital's location between several hills

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest 1 April 1982
Amendments: amended 1990, 2012, 2017, 2019

Legal system: common law based on the English model

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see United Kingdom

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state:
Head of government: Premier Dr. Ellis WEBSTER (since 30 June 2020); note - starting in 2019, the title of head of government was changed to premier from chief minister of Anguilla
Cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among elected members of the House of Assembly
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 2 appointed by the governor, and 2 ex officio members - the attorney general and deputy governor; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held on 29 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APM 7, AUF 4; composition - men 8, women 3, percent of women 27.3%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, though none on Anguilla
Judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62
Subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of the UK)
From the us embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4,000

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 a turquoise-blue field below; the white in the background represents peace; the blue base symbolizes the surrounding sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope; the three dolphins stand for endurance, unity, and strength

National symbols: dolphin

National anthem
Name: "God Bless Anguilla"
Lyrics/music: Alex RICHARDSON
Note: local anthem adopted 1981; as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the King" is official (see United Kingdom)

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

Real gdp growth rate: -8.5% (2009 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $12,200 (2008 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 74.1% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 18.3% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 26.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 48.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -67.4% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 3% (2017 est.)
Industry: 10.5% (2017 est.)
Services: 86.4% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Industries: tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 6,049 (2001)

Unemployment rate: 8% (2002)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 23% (2002 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10%: NA
Highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $81.92 million (2017 est.)
Expenditures: $80.32 million (2017 est.)
Surplus  or deficit: 0.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 46.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt:

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance:

Exports:
Note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Commodities: packaged medicines, vaccines and cultures, used clothing, orthopedic appliances, blank audio media (2021)

Imports:
Commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Access electrification-total population: 100% (2020)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 6,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 26,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 170 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: 1 private TV station; multi-channel cable TV subscription services are available; about 10 radio stations, one of which is government-owned

Internet
Country code: .ai
Users total: 13,056 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 81.6% (2021 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 5,000 (2018 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35 (2018 est.)


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 4

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: VP-A

Airports: 1 (2021)
With paved runways: 1
With paved runways note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 175 km (2004)
Paved: 82 km (2004)
Unpaved: 93 km (2004)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 2 (2022)
By type: other 2

Ports and terminals
Major seaports: Blowing Point, Road Bay


top of page


Disputes international: none identified

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe