Anglican, Methodist, and Roman Catholic
Language: English (official)
Literacy: 80%
Labor force: 2,780 (1984)
Organized labor: NA
- Government
Long-form name: none
Type: dependent territory of the UK
Capital: The Valley
Administrative divisions: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Independence: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Constitution: 1 April 1982
Legal system: based on English common law
National holiday: Anguilla Day, 30 May
Executive branch: British monarch, governor, chief minister,
Executive Council (cabinet)
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Assembly
Judicial branch: High Court
Leaders:
Chief of State—Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by
Governor Geoffrey O. WHITTAKER (since NA 1987);
Head of Government—Chief Minister Emile GUMBS (since NA March 1984, served previously from February 1977 to May 1980)
Political parties and leaders: Anguilla National Alliance (ANA), Emile
Gumbs; Anguilla United Party (AUP), Ronald Webster; Anguilla Democratic Party
(ADP), Victor Banks
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: House of Assembly—last held 27 February 1989 (next to be held February 1994); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(11 total, 7 elected) ANA 3, AUP 2, ADP 1, independent 1
Communists: none
Member of: Commonwealth
Diplomatic representation: none (dependent territory of the UK)
Flag: two horizontal bands of white (top, almost triple width) and light blue with three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design centered in the white band
- Economy Overview: Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends heavily on lobster fishing, offshore banking, tourism, and remittances from emigrants. In recent years the economy has benefited from a boom in tourism. Development is planned to improve the infrastructure, particularly transport and tourist facilities, and also light industry. Improvement in the economy has reduced unemployment from 40% in 1984 to about 5% in 1988.
GDP: $23 million, per capita $3,350 (1988 est.); real growth rate 8.2% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.5% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5.0% (1988 est.)
Budget: revenues $9.0 million; expenditures $8.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1988 est.)
Exports: $NA; commodities—lobsters and salt; partners—NA
Imports: $NA; commodities—NA; partners—NA
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 3,000 kW capacity; 9 million kWh produced, 1,300 kWh per capita (1988)
Industries: tourism, boat building, salt, fishing (including lobster)
Agriculture: pigeon peas, corn, sweet potatoes, sheep, goats, pigs, cattle, poultry
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970–87), $33 million
Currency: East Caribbean dollar (plural—dollars); 1 EC dollar
(EC$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: East Caribbean dollars (EC$) per US$1—2.70 (fixed rate since 1976)
Fiscal year: NA
- Communications
Highways: 60 km surfaced
Ports: Road Bay, Blowing Point
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways of 1,100 m
(Wallblake Airport)
Telecommunications: modern internal telephone system; 890 telephones; stations—3 AM, 1 FM, no TV; radio relay link to island of St. Martin
- Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
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Country: Antarctica
- Geography
Total area: about 14,000,000 km2; land area: about 14,000,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US; second-smallest continent (after Australia)
Land boundaries: see entry on Disputes
Coastline: 17,968 km
Maritime claims: see entry on Disputes
Disputes: Antarctic Treaty suspends all claims; sections (some overlapping) claimed by Argentina, Australia, Chile, France (Adelie Land), New Zealand (Ross Dependency), Norway (Queen Maud Land), and UK; Brazil claims a Zone of Interest; the US and USSR do not recognize the territorial claims of other nations and have made no claims themselves (but reserve the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90o west and 150o west
Climate: severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica colder than Antarctic Peninsula in the west; warmest temperatures occur in January along the coast and average slightly below freezing
Terrain: about 98% thick continental ice sheet, with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges up to 5,000 meters high; ice-free coastal areas include parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, and the scientific research areas of Graham Land and Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves along about half of coastline
Natural resources: coal and iron ore; chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum, and hydrocarbons have been found in small quantities along the coast; offshore deposits of oil and gas
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other (98% ice, 2% barren rock)
Environment: mostly uninhabitable; katabatic (gravity) winds blow coastward from the high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau; cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise around the coast; during summer more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; in October 1987 it was reported that the ozone shield, which protects the Earth's surface from harmful ultraviolet radiation, has dwindled to its lowest level ever over Antarctica; subject to active volcanism (Deception Island)
Note: the coldest continent
- People Population: no indigenous inhabitants; staffing of research stations varies seasonally;
Summer (January) population—3,330; Argentina 179, Australia 216,
Brazil 36, Chile 124, China 62, France 46, FRG 9, GDR 15, India 59,
Italy 121, Japan 52, NZ 251, Poland 19, South Africa 102, South
Korea 17, UK 72, Uruguay 47, US 1,250, USSR 653 (1986–87);
Winter (July) population—1,148 total; Argentina 149, Australia
82, Brazil 11, Chile 59, China 16, France 32, FRG 9, GDR 9, India 17,
Japan 37, NZ 11, Poland 19, South Africa