Anguilla Demography

Geography, Population, language and culture

Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself and a number of much smaller islands with no permanent population.
Beginning in 1650 Anguilla was first colonised by English settlers from Saint Kitts. 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.
Although there is no active garrison or armed forces present on Anguilla it is a protectorate of the united kingdom and as such the U.K. is responsible for its military defense. The Anguillan legal system is based on the British Common Law.
Due to its history 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 and Chinese. However, the most common language other than Standard English is the island's own Creole language. 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.
In July 2009 the population of Anguilla was 14,436 . 72% of the population is Anguillian while 28% is non-Anguillian, of the non-Anguillian population, many are citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, St Kitts & Nevis, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Nigeria.
Economy
Anguilla due to its thin arid soil 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.
Anguilla's traditional industries such as fishing, farming, salt production, livestock rearing and boat building, have in recent years been overshadowed by commercial and residential construction, the tourism industry and a developing Offshore Finance Sector.


Anguilla is one of the Caribbean's smallest islands but produced some of the region's highest growth rates during the late 1980's. This growth was a direct consequence of the Government's emphasis on up-market tourism which led to a period of rapid construction, (new hotels, rental villas, and condominiums), which substantially expanded the island's tourism sector.


Anguilla is currently actively promoting the island as not only a premier tourist destination, but as the offshore jurisdiction for discerning investors. The establishment of the offshore finance industry is aimed at diversifying and complementing the tourist industry.

Offshore industry - Types of companies - Banking - Tax agreements