Anguilla (2007) | Saint Martin (2008) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 22.3% (male 1,546/female 1,502)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 4,979/female 4,705) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 423/female 522) (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising | - |
Airports | 3 (2007) | 1 |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
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Area | total: 102 sq km
land: 102 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 54.4 sq km
land: 54.4 sq km water: NEGL |
Area - comparative | about half the size of Washington, DC | more than one-third the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Although sighted by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1493 and claimed for Spain, it was the Dutch who occupied the island in 1631 and set about exploiting its salt deposits. The Spanish retook the island in 1633, but continued to be harassed by the Dutch. The Spanish finally relinquished St. Martin to the French and Dutch, who divided it amongst themselves in 1648. The cultivation of sugar cane introduced slavery to the island in the late 18th century; the practice was not abolished until 1848. The island became a free port in 1939; the tourism industry was dramatically expanded during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003, the populace of St. Martin voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the northern portion of the island became a French overseas collectivity. |
Birth rate | 13.97 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $22.8 million
expenditures: $22.5 million (2000 est.) |
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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) |
name: Marigot
geographical coordinates: 18 04 N, 63 05 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour |
Climate | tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds | temperature averages 80-85 degrees all year long; low humidity, gentle trade winds, brief, intense rain showers; July-Novemeber is the hurricane season |
Coastline | 61 km | 58.9 km (for entire island) |
Constitution | Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Anguilla |
conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin
conventional short form: Saint Martin local long form: Collectivity d'outre mer de Saint-Martin local short form: Saint-Martin |
Death rate | 5.34 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $8.8 million (1998) | - |
Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK | overseas collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | - |
Economic aid - recipient | $9 million (2004 est.) | - |
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. | The economy of Saint Martin centers around tourism with 85% of the labor force engaged in this sector. Over one million visitors come to the island each year with most arriving through the Princess Juliana International Airport in Sint Maarten. No significant agriculture and limited local fishing means that almost all food must be imported. Energy resources and manufactured goods are also imported, primarily from Mexico and the United States. Saint Martin is reported to have the highest per capita income in the Caribbean. |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pic du Paradis 424 m |
Environment - current issues | supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing demand largely because of poor distribution system | fresh water supply is dependent on desalinization of sea water |
Ethnic groups | black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other 1.5% (2001 Census) | creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia), white, East Indian |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002)
note: fixed rate since 1976 |
euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
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 |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Louis-Constant FLEMING (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory economic, social, and cultural council election: French president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Louis-Constant FLEMING unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
Exports | $14.56 million (2005 est.) | - |
Exports - commodities | lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum | - |
Exports - partners | UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2006) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | - |
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 blue wavy water below | the flag of France is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (2000) |
GDP - real growth rate | 10.2% (2004 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 18 15 N, 63 10 W | 18 05 N, 63 57 W |
Geography - note | the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles | the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe | - |
Imports | $129.9 million (2005 est.) | - |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles | crude petroleum, food, manufactured items |
Imports - partners | US, Puerto Rico, UK (2006) | US, Mexico (2006) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (overseas collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.1% (1997 est.) | - |
Industries | tourism, boat building, offshore financial services | tourism, light industry and manufacturing, heavy industry |
Infant mortality rate | total: 19.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.3% (2006 est.) | - |
International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS (associate), UPU | UPU |
Irrigated land | NA | - |
Judicial branch | High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court) | - |
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.) | 85% directly or indirectly employed in tourist industry |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 15 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 15 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some commercial salt ponds) (2005) |
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Languages | English (official) | French (official language), English, Dutch, French Patois, Spanish, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles) |
Legal system | based on English common law | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
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 |
unicameral Territorial Council (23 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of seats by party - UPP 49%, RRR 42.2%, Reussir Saint-Martin 8.9%; seats by party - UPP 16, RRR 6, Reussir Saint-Martin 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.46 years
male: 74.53 years female: 80.49 years (2007 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 12 and over can read and write
total population: 95% male: 95% female: 95% (1984 est.) |
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Location | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico | island 300 km southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK | defense is the responsibility of France |
National holiday | Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is Schoalcher Day (Slavery Abolition Day) 12 July (1848) |
Nationality | noun: Anguillan(s)
adjective: Anguillan |
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Natural hazards | frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to October) | - |
Natural resources | salt, fish, lobster | salt |
Net migration rate | 5.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
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] | Union Pour le Progres or UPP [Louis Constant FLEMING]; Rassemblement Responsabilite Reussite or RRR [Alain RICHARDSON]; Reussir Saint-Martin [Jean-Luc HAMLET] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 13,677 (July 2007 est.) | 33,102 (October 2004 census) |
Population below poverty line | 23% (2002) | - |
Population growth rate | 1.375% (2007 est.) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) | FM 3 (2007) |
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) | Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Protestant, Hindu |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.029 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.058 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.033 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age, universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: modern internal telephone system international: country code - 1-264; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic 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) |
general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Gudaloupe |
Telephones - main lines in use | 6,200 (2002) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,800 (2002) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | - |
Terrain | flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone | - |
Total fertility rate | 1.72 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
Transportation - note | - | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten |
Unemployment rate | 8% (2002) | - |