Anguilla
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Strength and Endurance"
Anthem: God Save the Queen National song: God Bless Anguilla 1
Capital		The Valley
Official languages		English
Demonym		Anguillian
Government		British Overseas Territory
-	Monarch	HM Queen Elizabeth II
-	Governor	Andrew George
-	Chief Minister	Osbourne Fleming
Establishment
-	UK overseas territory	1980
Area
-	Total	102 km² (220th) 39. The national flag of Anguilla consists of a Blue Ensign with the British flag in the canton charged with the The Coat of arms of Anguilla consists of the emblem found on the Flag of Anguilla, a traditional symbol of the territory A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's "God Save the Queen", or "God Save the King", is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms It is the National God Bless Anguilla is the anthem of the British overseas territory of Anguilla. The Valley is the Capital of Anguilla and the main "town" on the island An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II List of Governors of Anguilla Alastair Turner Baillie 1983-1987 Geoffrey Owen Whittaker 1987-1989 Brian G Andrew Neil George (born 9 October 1952) is Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Anguilla, since July 2006 List of Chief Ministers of Anguilla Osbourne Berrington Fleming (born February 18, 1940) is the chief minister of Anguilla. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare sizes of different geographic regions we list here Areas between 10 km² (1000 Hectares and 100 km² (10000 hectares This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. 4 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2006 estimate	13,477 (212th)
-	Density	132/km² (n/a) 342/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2004 estimate
-	Total	$108. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 9 million
-	Per capita	$8,800
Currency		East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zone		(UTC-4)
Internet TLD		.ai
Calling code		+1 264
1	National Song of Anguilla. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The East Caribbean dollar ( Currency code XCD) is the Currency of eight of the nine members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Official Website of the Government of Anguilla. Retrieved on 12 October, 2005.

Anguilla (English pronunciation ang-GWILL-ah, IPA: /æŋˈɡwɪlə/) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting The Leeward Islands are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain of islands part of the West Indies. The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately 26 km (16 miles) long by 5 km (3 miles) wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The island's capital is The Valley. The Valley is the Capital of Anguilla and the main "town" on the island The total land area of the territory is 102 km² (39. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 4 square miles), with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile.

History

Main article: History of Anguilla

Anguilla was first settled by Amerindian tribes who migrated from South America. Anguilla was first settled in pre-history by Amerindian tribes who migrated from South America. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The earliest Amerindian artefacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC, and remains of settlements date from 600 AD. ^[1] 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. Christopher Columbus (1451 &ndash May 20 1506 was an Italian Navigator, colonizer ^[2] 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. The Romance languages (sometimes referred to as Romanic languages, or Neolatin languages) are a branch of the Indo-European language family comprising all

Anguilla was first colonised by English settlers from Saint Kitts, beginning in 1650. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies Other early arrivals included Europeans from Antigua and Barbados. Antigua (ænˈtiːgə an-TEE-gah) is an Island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region the main Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation It is likely that some of these early Europeans brought enslaved Africans with them. Historians confirm that African slaves lived in the region in the early seventeenth century. The Atlantic Slave trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade, was the trade of African people supplied to the Colonies of the New World For example, Africans from Senegal lived in St. Senegal (le Sénégal officially the Republic of Senegal, is a country south of the Sénégal River in western Africa. Christopher (today St. Kitts) in 1626. By 1672 a slave depot existed on the island of Nevis, serving the Leeward Islands. The Leeward Islands are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain of islands part of the West Indies. While the time of African arrival in Anguilla is difficult to place precisely, archive evidence indicates a substantial African presence (at least 100) on the island by 1683.

The island was administered by England, and later the United Kingdom, until the early nineteenth century when – against the wishes of the inhabitants – it was incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint Kitts and Nevis. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla was historically an Overseas territory of the United Kingdom located in the Caribbean Sea. Saint Kitts (also known more formally as Saint Christopher Island ( Saint-Christophe in French) is an Island in the West Indies NEVIS, or New Exhaust Valve & Intake System, is a type of Internal combustion engine developed by Cesare Bortone in cooperation with the University After two rebellions in 1967 and 1969 and brief period as a self-declared independent republic headed by Ronald Webster, British rule was fully restored in 1969. Ronald Webster (born 2 March 1926) is a politician from Anguilla. Anguilla became a separate British dependency (now termed a British overseas territory) in 1980. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom

Politics

Main article: Politics of Anguilla

Anguilla is an associated member of the OECS. Politics of Anguilla takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief Minister is the Head of The Flag and Logo of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States consists of a complex pattern of concentric design elements on a pale green field focused

Anguilla is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 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. A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A dependent territory dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political Independence or Sovereignty as a A Chief Minister is the elected Head of government of a sub-national (e This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State

The United Nations Committee on Decolonisation includes Anguilla on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories documents countries that according to the United Nations, are non- decolonized. The territory's constitution is Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982 (amended 1990). Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the House of Assembly. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The House of Assembly of Anguilla has 11 members 7 members elected for a five year term in single-seat constituencies, 2 ex officio members and 2 nominated members The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Geography

Map of Anguilla

Main article: Geography of Anguilla

Anguilla is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. This article describes the Geography of Anguilla. Islands and cays The territory of Anguilla consists of the island of Anguilla itself (by far the Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} 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
• Sandy Island

Climate

Anguilla has a tropical though rather dry climate, moderated by northeast trade winds. Anguillita is a small rocky island off the western tip of Anguilla. The Prickly Pear Cays, sometimes spelled Prickley Pear Cay, are a small pair of uninhabited islands about six miles from Road Bay, Anguilla, in the Scrub Island lying off the eastern tip of Anguilla covers an area of about three square miles (8km² Sombrero, also known as Hat Island, is the northernmost island of the Lesser Antilles in position 18° 60'N 63° 40'W 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, peak season August to mid-October.

Short video of high surf at Shoal Bay, one of Anguilla's famous white sand beaches, from here

Economy

Overlooking Sandy Ground, Anguilla

Main article: Economy of Anguilla

Anguilla's thin arid soil is largely unsuitable for agriculture, and the island has few land-based natural resources. The village of Sandy Ground is Anguilla 's main port/harbour The long curved beach is backed by high cliffs and a salt pond This article is an overview of the economy of Anguilla. Anguilla has few Natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on luxury Tourism, Natural resources are naturally occurring substances that are considered valuable in their relatively unmodified ( natural) form Its main industries are tourism, offshore incorporation and management, offshore banking, and fishing. An offshore company is a company which does not conduct substantial business in its country of incorporation. An offshore bank is a Bank located outside the country of residence of the depositor typically in a low tax jurisdiction (or Tax haven) that provides financial Many insurance and financial business are headquartered in Anguilla.

The economy of Anguilla is expanding rapidly, especially the tourism sector which is driving major new developments in partnerships with multi-national companies. This boom, beginning gently during 2005-2006, is accelerating through 2007 and is expected to continue for years. In an effort to prevent overheating, there is currently a moratorium on "non-belongers" (foreigners) buying land in Anguilla. Anguilla's currency is the East Caribbean dollar, though the US dollar is also widely accepted. The East Caribbean dollar ( Currency code XCD) is the Currency of eight of the nine members of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The exchange rate is fixed to the US dollar at US$1 = EC$2. 70.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Anguilla

The majority of residents (90. Population 12738 (July 2003 est Age structure 0-14 years 243% (male 1575 female 1526 15-64 years 68 08%) are black, the descendants of slaves transported from Africa. Growing minorities include whites at 3. 74% and people 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 and a very few Nigerians ranging from 7-15.

2006 and 2007 saw an influx of large numbers of Chinese, Indian, and Mexican workers, brought in as labor for major tourist developments due to the local population not being large enough to support the labor requirements.

Culture

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

The island's cultural history begins with the Arawak Indians. The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in Artifacts have been found around the island, telling of life before European settlers arrived.

As throughout the Caribbean, holidays are a cultural fixture. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting 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. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Religion

According to the 2001 census Christianity is Anguilla's predominant religion, with 29 percent of the population practising Anglicanism. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Another 23. 9 percent are Methodist. Methodism is a movement within Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations Other churches on the island include Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Jehovah's Witnesses (0. The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination 7%). ^[3] Between 1992 and 2001 the number of followers of the Church of God and Pentecostal Churches increased considerably. Pentecostalism is a renewalist religious movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism There are at least fifteen churches on the island, several of architectural interest. ^[4] Although a minority on the island, it is an important location to followers of Rastafarian religion – Anguilla is the birthplace of Robert Athlyi Rogers, author of The Holy Piby which has had a strong influence on Rastafarian beliefs. The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament The Holy Piby is a proto- Rastafarian text written by an Anguillan Robert Athlyi Rogers (d Various other religions are practised as well. ^[3]

Language

Today most people in Anguilla speak a British-influenced variety of "Standard" English. Other languages are also spoken on the island, including varieties of Spanish, Chinese and the languages of other immigrants. However, the most common language other than Standard English is the island's own English-lexifier Creole language (not to be confused with French Creole spoken in islands such as Haiti, Martinique, and Guadelupe). It is referred to locally by terms such as "dialect" (pronounced "dialec"), or "Anguillian". It has its main roots in early varieties of English and West African languages, and is similar to the dialects spoken in English-speaking islands throughout the Eastern Caribbean.

Music

Main article: Music of Anguilla

Sport

See also: Sailing in Anguilla

Boat racing has deep roots in Anguillian culture, and is the national sport. The music of Anguilla is part of the Lesser Antillean music area. Sailing in Anguilla has a long and deep history and is one of the defining characteristics of the island A national sport is a Sport or Game that is considered to be a intrinsic part of the culture of a Nation. There are regular sailing regattas on national holidays which are contested by locally built and designed boats. A regatta is a term used to describe either a Boat race or series of boat races

Rugby union is represented in Anguilla by the Anguilla Eels RFC, who were formed in April 2006, through the hard work and dedication of Martin Welsh, Jacquie Ruan, and Mark Harris (Toronto Scottish RFC). Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short ^[5] They played their first match against formidable Rugby Club Les Archibalds from nearby Marigot in French St. The French name Marigot is given to several places in the Caribbean Marigot Dominica, the largest village in Dominica Marigot Saint Martin Martin, and won 8-7. The Eels then were finalists in the St. Martin tournament in Nov 2006 and semi finalists in 2007. 2008 has seen the Anguilla Eels play the very strong St Barths Barracudas.

As in many other former British Colonies, cricket is also a popular sport. The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Anguilla is the home of Omari Banks, who played for the West Indies Cricket Team, while Cardigan Connor played first-class cricket for English county side Hampshire and was 'chef de mission' (team manager) for Anguilla's Commonwealth Games team in 2002. Omari Ahmed Clemente Banks (born July 17, 1982 in Anguilla) is a West Indian Cricketer The son of noted Anguillan musician The West Indian cricket team, also known colloquially as The Windies or The West Indies, is a multi-national Cricket team representing Cardigan Adolphus Connor (born March 24, 1961 in Anguilla) is a former English first-class cricketer for Hampshire County Cricket Club. The Commonwealth Games is a multinational Multi-sport event. Held every four years it involves the elite athletes of the Commonwealth of Nations.

See also

• Communications in Anguilla
• Transportation in Anguilla

• Wikimedia Atlas of Anguilla

References

External links

Official sites

• Government of Anguilla – Official government web site
• The 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
• Anguilla entry at The World Factbook
• Anguilla travel guide from Wikitravel