Anguilla

British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean

Anguilla is a group of five islands in the Caribbean Sea. The islands are ruled by the United Kingdom.

Anguilla
Motto: "Unity, Strength and Endurance"
Anthem: 
Location of  Anguilla  (circled in red)
Location of  Anguilla  (circled in red)
Location of Anguilla
StatusBritish Overseas Territory
Capital
and largest city
The Valley
Official languagesEnglish
Ethnic groups
([1])
Religion
90.3 % Christian
9.7 % Others
Demonym(s)Anguillian
GovernmentParliamentary dependency under a constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Charles III
• Governor
Tim Foy
• Deputy Governor
Perin A. Bradley
Victor Banks
• Responsible Ministerb (UK)
Alan Duncan MP
LegislatureHouse of Assembly
Establishment
1980
Area
• Total
91 km2 (35 sq mi) (unranked)
• Water (%)
negligible
Population
• 2021 estimate
15,753[2][3]
• 2011 census
13,452
• Density
132/km2 (341.9/sq mi) (n/a)
GDP (PPP)2014 estimate
• Total
$311 million[4]
• Per capita
$29,493.3
CurrencyEast Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Time zoneUTC-4
Driving sideleft
Calling code+1-264
ISO 3166 codeAI
Internet TLD.ai
  1. "National Song of Anguilla". Official Website of the Government of Anguilla. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  2. For the Overseas Territories.

    UK Postcode: AI-2640

Anguilla was colonized by the British Empire and used to be part of what is now Saint Kitts and Nevis, but broke away in 1980 so it could stay part of Great Britain. Saint Kitts and Nevis wanted to be independent.

It is named after the Spanish word for "eel", because it has such a shape.

Anguilla was first settled by Arawakan-speaking Indians who called it Malliouhana.

Politics change

The King or Queen of the United Kingdom is the ruler of Anguilla, but she works through a governor. He or she names, or appoints the governor, and he is just working there in place of the monarch. The legislature is elected by the people, has 11 members, and is called the House of Assembly.

Economy change

Anguilla has mostly been part of the British Empire since the 17th century. The British brought thousands of slaves from Africa and forced them to work, like they did all over the Caribbean and North America. Many of the slaves decided to run away rather than be forced to work.[5] When the British decided to abolish slavery they paid all the slave owners a lot of money,[6] but didn't give anything to the slaves. Now Anguilla gets most of its money from fishing and tourism.

Culture change

Most people in Anguilla are Protestants, and speak English.

References change

Other websites change

  Media related to Anguilla at Wikimedia Commons