Education Caribbean

» OVERVIEW

Country name:	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla
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)
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. The islanders, believing their interests were being ignored and wishing to retain their direct links with Britain, sought separation from the federation in the 1960s. This disquiet culminated in the revolution of 1967. Anguilla came under direct British rule in the 1970s and eventually became a separate British Dependent Territory in 1980.
Nationality:	noun: Anguillan(s) adjective: Anguillan
Population:	14,108 (July 2008 est.)
Ethnic groups:	black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 Census)
Religions:	Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified 4.3% (2001 census)
Languages:	English (official)

» NATIONAL SYMBOLS

Flag

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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

Coat of Arms

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The coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy water below. The three dolphins represent friendship, wisdom, and strength.

National Song

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God Bless Anguilla

Words by: Alex Richardson
Music by: Alex Richardson
Adopted: 1981

God bless Anguilla
Nurture and keep her
Noble and beauteous
She stands midst the sea
Oh land of the happy
A haven we'll make thee
Our lives and love
We give unto thee

Chorus

With heart and soul
We'll build a nation
Proud, strong and free
We'll love her hold her
Dear to our hearts for eternity
Let truth and right our banner be
We'll march ever on

Mighty we'll make
Long may she prosper
God grant her leaders wisdom and grace
May glory and honour
Ever attend her
Firm shall she stand
Throughout every age

National Bird

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The Turtle Dove or Common Ground Dove (Zenaida Aurita)

There is no other common dove like it in the island. The local name is 'Turtle Dove'. The call is very similar to the Mourning Dove with its soft 'oo-ah! Coo-coo-coooo'. The male brings twigs to the female at the nesting site. Here she builds a rough platform where two pure white eggs are laid. After about two weeks the young are hatched and after another two weeks the juveniles fly from the nest.

National Flower

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The White Cedar

The White Cedar is the flower of Anguilla. It grows on a hardwood tree all over the island. The White Cedar tree was very useful to islanders in days gone by as a building material. Varieties of this tree can grow to great heights but because of lack of water and constant breeze the White Cedar rarely grows over 20 ft.

National Holidays

Visit Our Calendar

New Year's Day (1 January), Good Friday*, Easter Monday*, Labour Day ( 1 May), Whit Monday, Anguilla Day (30 May), Queen's Birthday*, August Monday, August Thursday, Constitution Day, National Heroes and Heroines Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day

» GEOGRAPHY

Geography Overview:

Anguilla is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. The island is 16 miles long and a maximum of 3 miles wide. It enjoys clear seas and some of the best beaches in the region. The island itself is predominantly flat and covered with low scrub. Anguilla's capital and administrative centre is the Valley (population 1,400). Its primary ports of entry are Wallblake Airport and Blowing Point Ferry Terminal. The neighbouring island is French St Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten 5 miles to the South.

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Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

18 15 N, 63 10 W

Area:

total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

about half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

61 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 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%
other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005)

Irrigated land:

NA

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

» LEADERS

Governor:	His Excellency Mr Andrew George
Chief Minister and Minister for Labour, Immigration, Lands and Physical Planning, Environment, Gender Affairs	Hon Osbourne Flemin
Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Tourism, Investment and Commerce	Hon Victor Banks
Minister for Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing, Agriculture and Fisheries	Hon Kenneth Harrigan
Minister for Social Development	Hon Evans McNeil Rogers

» HEALTH

Population:	14,108 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:	0-14 years: 24.8% (male 1,795/female 1,706) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 4,569/female 4,970) 65 years and over: 7.6% (male 510/female 558) (2008 est.)
Median age:	total: 32.3 years male: 31.3 years female: 33.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:	2.332% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:	13.11 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:	4.39 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:	14.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.9575 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:	total: 3.54 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:	total population: 80.53 years male: 78.01 years female: 83.12 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:	1.75 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:	NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:	NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:	NA

» EDUCATION

Literacy:

definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 95%
female: 95% (1984 est.)

Additional Resources
UNICEF Education Statistics

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2006)

Education expenditures:

4% (2005)

» POLITICS

Politics Overview:	Anguilla is an internally self-governing UK Overseas Territory with a ministerial system of government. The 1982 Constitution (amended in 1990) provides for a Governor, an Executive Council and a House of Assembly. The Governor, appointed by HM The Queen, has reserved powers in respect of legislation, and is responsible for external affairs, offshore finance, defence and internal security (including the police force) and the public service. The current Deputy Governor, appointed in 2006, is the first Anguillian to hold that position. He has delegated responsibility for running the public service and for disaster management. The Executive Council comprises the elected government plus two Ex-Officio Members (Attorney General and Deputy Governor). The House of Assembly comprises 12members: Speaker, seven elected Members, two Nominated and the two ex-officio Members. Elections are held at least every five years.
Dependency status:	overseas territory of the UK
Government type:	NA
Administrative divisions:	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Independence:	none (overseas territory of the UK)
National holiday:	Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967)
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 Andrew N. GEORGE (since 10 July 2006) 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; 7 members elected by direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, AUM 19.4%, ANSA 19.2%, APP 9.5%, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA 2, AUM 1
Judicial branch:	High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court)
Political parties and leaders:	Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS] (a coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National Alliance or ANA); Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]
Political pressure groups and leaders:	NA
International organisation participation:	Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation from the US:	none (overseas territory of the UK)

» ECONOMY

Economy - overview:	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):	$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):	$108.9 million (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:	10.2% (2004 est.)
GDP- per capita (PPP):	$8,800 (2004 est.)
GDP- composition by sector:	agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.)
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:	8% (2002)
Population below poverty line:	23% (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):	5.3% (2006 est.)
Budget:	revenues: $22.8 million expenditures: $22.5 million (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 kWh
Current account balance:	$-42.87 million (2003 est.)
Exports:	$13 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:	lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum
Exports - partners:	UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2006)
Imports:	$143 million (2006)
Imports - commodities:	fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles
Imports - partners:	US, Puerto Rico, UK (2006)
Debt - external:	$8.8 million (1998)
Economic aid - recipient:	$9 million (2004 est.)
Currency (code):	East Caribbean dollar (XCD)
Exchange rates:	East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Fiscal year:	1 April - 31 March

» INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Telephones - main lines in use:	6,200 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:	1,800 (2002)
Telephone system:	general assessment: NA domestic: modern internal telephone system international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad; microwave radio relay to island of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles) (2007)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios:	3,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:	1 (1997)
Televisions:	1,000 (1997)
Internet country code:	.ai
Internet hosts:	319 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):	16 (2000)
Internet users:	3,000 (2002)

» TRANSPORTATION

Airports:	3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:	total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Roadways:	total: 175 km paved: 82 km unpaved: 93 km (2004)
Ports and terminals:	Blowing Point, Road Bay

» DEFENCE AND SAFETY

Manpower available for military service:	males age 18-49: 3,614 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:	males age 18-49: 2,986 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:	males age 18-49: 120 (2005 est.)
Military - note:	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Authorised Strength of Police:	NA (OSAC, 2007)
Homicides (per 100,000 people), 2000-2004	NA
Prison population total, 2007	55
Prison population (per 100,000 people), 2007	401
Prison population (% female), 2007	NA
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population):	3.6% (2007 - under 18)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population):	7.3% (2007)
Number of establishments / institutions:	1 (2007)
Official capacity of prison system:	40 (2007)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity):	137.5% (2007)