Anguilla

Anguilla (/æŋˈɡwɪlə/ ang-GWIL-ə) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean.^[3] It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The territory consists of the main island of Anguilla, approximately 16 miles (26 km) long by 3 miles (5 km) wide at its widest point, together with a number of much smaller islands and cays with no permanent population. The island's capital is The Valley. The total land area of the territory is 35 square miles (90 km²),^[4] with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate).

Anguilla has become a popular tax haven, having no capital gains, estate, profit or other forms of direct taxation on either individuals or corporations. In April 2011, faced with a mounting deficit, it introduced a 3% "Interim Stabilisation Levy", Anguilla's first form of income tax.^[5]

Name

The name Anguilla is an anglicised or latinate form of earlier Spanish anguila, French anguille, or Italian anguilla, all meaning "eel" in reference to the island's shape.^[6] For similar reasons, it was formerly known as Snake or Snake Island.^[6]^[7]^[8]

History

Main article: History of Anguilla

Wallblake House

Anguilla was first settled by Indigenous tribes who migrated from South America. The earliest Native American artefacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC; remains of settlements date from AD 600.^[9] The Arawak name for the island seems to have been Malliouhana. The date of European colonisation is uncertain: some sources claim that Columbus sighted the island during his second voyage in 1493, while others state that the island was first discovered by the French explorer René Goulaine de Laudonnière in 1564.^[10]

Traditional accounts state that Anguilla was first colonised by English settlers from Saint Kitts beginning in 1650.^[6]^[11] In this early colonial period, however, Anguilla sometimes served as a place of refuge and recent scholarship focused on Anguilla has placed greater significance on other Europeans and creoles migrating from St. Christopher,^[12] Barbados, Nevis and Antigua. The French temporarily took over the island in 1666 but returned it to English control under the terms of the Treaty of Breda the next year. A Major John Scott who visited in September, 1667, wrote of leaving the island "in good condition" and noted that in July, 1668, "200 or 300 people fled thither in time of war."^[13]

It is likely that some of these early Europeans brought enslaved Africans with them. Historians confirm that African slaves lived in the region in the early 17th century. For example, Africans from Senegal lived in St. Christopher in 1626. By 1672 a slave depot existed on the island of Nevis, serving the Leeward Islands. While the time of African arrival in Anguilla is difficult to place precisely, archival evidence indicates a substantial African presence of at least 100 slaves by 1683. These seem to have come from Central Africa as well as West Africa.^[14]

Attempts by the French to capture the island during the War of Austrian Succession (1745) and the Napoleonic Wars (1796) ended in failure.^[10]

During the early colonial period, Anguilla was administered by the British through Antigua; in 1825, it was placed under the administrative control of nearby Saint Kitts.^[10] In 1967, Britain granted Saint Kitts and Nevis full internal autonomy. Anguilla was also incorporated into the new unified dependency, named Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, against the wishes of many Anguillians. This led to two Anguillian Revolutions in 1967 and 1969 headed by Atlin Harrigan ^[15] and Ronald Webster. The island briefly operated as the independent "Republic of Anguilla". The goal of the revolution was not independence per se, but rather independence from Saint Kitts and Nevis and a return to being a British colony. British authority was fully restored in July 1971 and in 1980 Anguilla was finally allowed to secede from Saint Kitts and Nevis and become a separate British Crown colony (now a British overseas territory).^[3]

Governance

Map of the European Union in the world with overseas countries and territories and outermost regions

Political system

Main article: Politics of Anguilla

Defence

Anguilla being a dependency of the UK, the UK is responsible for its military defence, although there are no active garrison or armed forces present. Anguilla has a small marine police force, comprising around 32 personnel, which operates one M160-class fast patrol boat.

Population

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Anguilla

The majority of residents (90.08%) are black, the descendants of slaves transported from Africa. Minorities include whites at 3.74% and people of mixed race at 4.65% (figures from 2001 census).

72% of the population is Anguillian while 28% is non-Anguillian (2001 census). Of the non-Anguillian population, many are citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, St Kitts & Nevis, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Nigeria.

2006 and 2007 saw an influx of large numbers of Chinese, Indian and Mexican workers, brought in as labour for major tourist developments due to the local population not being large enough to support the labour requirements.

Religion

Christian churches did not have a consistent or strong presence during the initial period of English colonisation. Spiritual and religious practices of Europeans and Africans tended to reflect their regional origins. As early as 1813, Christian ministers formally ministered to enslaved Africans and promoted literacy in English among converts.^[16] The Wesleyan (Methodist) Missionary Society of England built churches and schools in 1817.^[17]

According to the 2001 census, Christianity is Anguilla's predominant religion, with 29.0 percent of the population practising Anglicanism. Another 23.9 percent are Methodist. Other churches on the island include Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Roman Catholic (served by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John's - Basseterre, with see at Saint John on Antigua and Barbuda) and Jehovah's Witnesses (0.7%).^[18] Between 1992 and 2001 the number of followers of the Church of God and Pentecostal Churches increased considerably. There are at least 15 churches on the island, several of architectural interest. Although a minority on the island, it is an important location to followers of Rastafarian religion – Anguilla is the birthplace of Robert Athlyi Rogers, author of The Holy Piby which has had a strong influence on Rastafarian beliefs. Various other religions are practised as well. More recently a Muslim cultural center has opened on the island.^[18]

Religions in Anguilla^[18]
in percent
Religion	1992	2001
Anglican	40.4	29.0
Methodist	33.2	23.9
Seventh-day Adventist	7.0	7.6
Baptist	4.7	7.3
Roman Catholic	3.2	5.7
Church of God	-	7.6
Pentecostal	-	7.7
Jehovah's Witnesses	-	0.7
Rastafarian	-	0.7
Evangelical	-	0.5
Plymouth Brethren	-	0.3
Muslim	-	0.3
Presbyterian	-	0.2
Hindu	-	0.4
Jewish	-	0.1
None	-	4.0
Other	10.7	3.5
Not stated	0.7	0.3

Languages

Main article: Anguillian Creole

Overlooking Sandy Ground, Anguilla

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, Chinese and the languages of other immigrants. However, the most common language other than Standard English is the island's own English-lexifier Creole language (not to be confused with Antillean Creole ('French Creole'), spoken in French islands such as Martinique and Guadeloupe). It is referred to locally by terms such as "dialect" (pronounced "dialek"), Anguilla Talk or "Anguillian". 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 terms of its structural features and to the extent of being considered one single language.^[19]

Linguists who are interested in the origins of Anguillian and other Caribbean Creoles point out that some of its grammatical features can be traced to African languages while others can be traced to European languages. Three areas have been identified as significant for the identification of the linguistic origins of those forced migrants who arrived before 1710: the Gold Coast, the Slave Coast and the Windward Coast.^[20]

Sociohistorical information from Anguilla's archives suggest that Africans and Europeans formed two distinct, but perhaps overlapping speech communities in the early phases of the island's colonisation. "Anguillian" is believed to have emerged as the language of the masses as time passed, slavery was abolished and locals began to see themselves as "belonging" to Anguillian society.^[14]

Culture

The beach at the Cap Juluca resort on Maundays Bay

Island Harbour

The Anguilla National Trust (ANT) was established in 1988 and opened its offices in 1993 charged with the responsibility of preserving the heritage of the island, including its cultural heritage. The Trust has programmes encouraging Anguillian writers and the preservation of the island's history. In 2015, Where I See The Sun – Contemporary Poetry in Anguilla A New Anthology by Lasana M. Sekou was published by House of Nehesi Publishers.^[21] Among the forty three poets in the unprecedented collection are Rita Celestine-Carty, Bankie Banx, John T. Harrigan, Patricia J. Adams, Fabian Fahie, Dr. Oluwakemi Linda Banks, and Reuel Ben Lewi.^[22]

The island's cultural history begins with the Taino Native Americans. Artifacts have been found around the island, telling of life before European settlers arrived.

As throughout the Caribbean, holidays are a cultural fixture. Anguilla's most important holidays are of historic as much as cultural importance – particularly the anniversary of the emancipation (previously August Monday in the Park), celebrated as the Summer Festival. British festivities, such as the Queen's birthday, are also celebrated.

Cuisine

Main article: Anguillian cuisine

Anguillian cuisine is influenced by native Caribbean, African, Spanish, French and English cuisines.^[23] Seafood is abundant, including prawns, shrimp, crab, spiny lobster, conch, mahi-mahi, red snapper, marlin and grouper.^[23] Salt cod is a staple food eaten by itself and used in stews, casseroles and soups.^[23] Livestock is limited due to the small size of the island and people there utilise poultry, pork, goat and mutton, along with imported beef.^[23] Goat is the most commonly eaten meat, utilised in a variety of dishes.^[23]

A significant amount of the island's produce is imported due to limited land suitable for agriculture production; much of the soil is sandy and infertile.^[23] Among the agriculture produced in Anguilla includes tomatoes, peppers, limes and other citrus fruits, onion, garlic, squash, pigeon peas and callaloo. Starch staple foods include imported rice and other foods that are imported or locally grown, including yams,^[24] sweet potatoes^[24] and breadfruit.^[23]

Due to its internationally recognised culinary community, the island has enjoyed a reputation as "the culinary capital of the Caribbean." This reputation was reinforced with the publication of the (WE) Are Anguilla Cookbook, a guide to the cuisine of Anguilla featuring emerging and established local chefs, who share both their signature dishes and personal anecdotes regarding the island’s epicurean culture. A publishing contract was secured by The Britto Agency, which had conceived the idea for the book itself.

Music

Main article: Music of Anguilla

The island's burgeoning musical community made history with the recording of Sounds of Anguilla (Volume 1), the first album ever composed solely of artists from a single Caribbean island representing multiple musical genres: pop, reggae, hip-hop, soca music and R&B. The production was the brainchild of Marvet Britto of the Britto Agency, the island's global public relations and brand-architecture firm. Britto secured a recording contract with Massenburg and both served as executive producers along with Haydn Hughes, at that time the Parliamentary Secretary Responsible for Tourism. Sounds of Anguilla (Volume 1) debuted on iTunes on June 30, 2015 and included celebrated Anguillian musicians such as Bankie Banx, Amalia Watty, True Intentions and Gerswin Lake and The Parables.

Education

Main article: Education in Anguilla

Sports

A modern square rigger viewed from Long Bay

Boat racing has deep roots in Anguillian culture and is the national sport.

There are regular sailing regattas on national holidays, such as Carnival, which are contested by locally built and designed boats. These boats have names and have sponsors that print their logo on their sails.

As in many other former British Colonies, cricket is also a popular sport. Anguilla is the home of Omari Banks, who played for the West Indies Cricket Team, while Cardigan Connor played first-class cricket for English county side Hampshire and was 'chef de mission' (team manager) for Anguilla's Commonwealth Games team in 2002.

Rugby union is represented in Anguilla by the Anguilla Eels RFC, who were formed in April 2006.^[27] The Eels have been finalists in the St. Martin tournament in November 2006 and semi finalists in 2007, 2008, 2009 and Champions in 2010. The Eels were formed in 2006 by Scottish club national second row Martin Welsh, Club Sponsor and President of the AERFC Ms Jacquie Ruan, and Canadian standout Scrumhalf Mark Harris (Toronto Scottish RFC).

Anguilla is also the home of Zharnel Hughes who now represents Great Britain since 2015. He specialises in the 100m and 200m sprint. He won the 100m in the 2013 CARIFTA Games in a time of 10.44 seconds, despite his time being some way below his PB.^[28] He currently holds the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships record for the 100m, with a time of 10.12s having taken the record from Yohan Blake.[5][6] On March 13, 2015, Hughes made his Diamond League debut where he was commended for almost beating world champion Usain Bolt.[7] On 24 July 2015, Hughes won the 200m at the London Diamond League meet to take the lead in the Diamond League standings for the season.[8] On 27 August 2015, Hughes came 5th in the 200m at the World Championships in Beijing in a time of 20.02 sec

Shara Proctor British Long Jump Silver Medalist in World Championships in Beijing first represented Anguilla in the event until 2010 when she began to represent UK. Under the Anguilla Flag she achieved several medal in the NACAC are games.

Keith Connor, triple jumper, is also an Anguillian. He represented Great Britain achieved several international titles including Commonwealth and European Games gold medals and an Olympic bronze medal. Keith later became Head Coach of Australia Athletics. Chesney Hughes, is a West Indian cricketer who plays for Derbyshire. He was born in Anguilla. Having signed for the side in June 2009, and holding a British passport, Hughes made his List A debut for the side during the 2009 Pro40 League against Warwickshire.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Anguilla

An aerial view of the western portion of the island of Anguilla. The Blowing Point ferry terminal is visible in the lower right, as are (right to left) Shaddick Point, Rendezvous Bay, Cove Bay and Maundays Bay.

Anguilla is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It is directly north of Saint Martin, separated from that island by the Anguilla Channel. The soil is generally thin and poor, supporting scrub tropical and forest vegetation.

Anguilla is noted for its spectacular and ecologically important coral reefs and beaches. Apart from the main island of Anguilla itself, the territory includes a number of other smaller islands and cays, mostly tiny and uninhabited. Some of these are:

Anguillita
Dog Island
Prickly Pear Cays
Sandy Island
Scrub Island
Scilly Cay
Seal Island
Sombrero, also known as Hat Island

Map showing location of Anguilla relative to Sint Maarten/Saint Martin and other islands to its south

Map of Anguilla

Climate

Main article: Climate of Anguilla

Temperature

Northeastern trade winds keep this tropical island relatively cool and dry. Average annual temperature is 80 °F (27 °C).^[4] July–October is its hottest period, December–February, its coolest.

Rainfall

Rainfall averages 35 inches (890 mm) annually,^[4] although the figures vary from season to season and year to year. The island is subject to both sudden tropical storms and hurricanes, which occur in the period from July to November. The island suffered damage in 1995 from Hurricane Luis and severe flooding 5–20 feet from Hurricane Lenny.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Anguilla

2009 export percentages

Anguilla's thin arid soil being largely unsuitable for agriculture, the island has few land-based natural resources. Its main industries are tourism, offshore incorporation and management, offshore banking, captive insurance and fishing.

Before the 2008 world-wide crisis the economy of Anguilla was expanding rapidly, especially the tourism sector which was driving major new developments in partnerships with multi-national companies.

Anguilla's currency is the East Caribbean dollar, though the US dollar is also widely accepted. The exchange rate is fixed to the US dollar at US$1 = EC$2.70.

The economy, and especially the tourism sector, suffered a setback in late 1995 due to the effects of Hurricane Luis in September but recovered in 1996. Hotels were hit particularly hard during this time. Another economic setback occurred during the aftermath of Hurricane Lenny in 2000.^[29]

Anguilla's financial system comprises 7 banks,^[30] 2 money services businesses, more than 40 company managers, more than 50 insurers, 12 brokers, more than 250 captive intermediaries, more than 50 mutual funds and 8 trust companies.^[31]

Anguilla's tourism industry received a major boost when it was selected to host the World Travel Awards in December 2014. Known as "the Oscars of the travel industry," the awards ceremony was held at the CuisinArt Resort and Spa and was hosted by award-winning actress Vivica A. Fox. Anguilla was voted the World's Leading Luxury Island Destination from a short list of top-tier candidates such as St. Barts, Maldives and Mauritius. The event marked a first in the island's history and was arranged and organised by Marvet Britto of the Britto Agency, which oversees Global Brand Strategy and Public Relations for the island.

Anguilla aims to obtain 15% of its energy from solar power so it is less reliant on expensive imported diesel. The Climate & Development Knowledge Network is helping the government gather the information it needs to change the territory's legislation, so it can integrate renewables into its grid. Barbados, have also made good progress in switching to renewables, but many other SIDS are still at the early stages of planning how to integrate renewable energy into their grids. “For a small island we’re very far ahead,” said Beth Barry, Coordinator of the Anguilla Renewable Energy Office. "We’ve got an Energy Policy and a draft Climate Change policy and have been focussing efforts on the question of sustainable energy supply for several years now. As a result we have a lot of information we can share with other islands.”^[32]

Transportation

Main article: Transport in Anguilla

Air

Anguilla is served by Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (prior to 4 July 2010 known as Wallblake Airport). The primary runway at the airport is 5,462 feet (1,665 m) in length and can accommodate moderate-sized aircraft. Services connect to various other Caribbean islands via regional carrier LIAT, local charter airlines and others. Although there are no direct scheduled flights to or from continental America or Europe, Tradewind Aviation and Cape Air provide scheduled air service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The airport can handle large narrow-body jets such as the Boeing 727, Boeing 737 and Boeing 757.

Road

Aside from taxis, there is no public transport on the island. Cars drive on the left.

Boat

Ferry Terminal, Blowing Point

There are regular ferries from Saint Martin to Anguilla. It is a 20-minute crossing from Marigot, St. Martin to Blowing Point, Anguilla. Ferries commence service from 7:00 am. There is also a Charter Service, from Blowing Point, Anguilla to Princess Juliana Airport to make travel easier. This way of travel is the most common method of transport between Anguilla and St. Martin or St. Maarten.

References

↑ Anguilla World Fact Book
↑ Country Profile: Anguilla, Travel & Living Abroad, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
1 2 "Introduction ::Anguilla".
1 2 3 "Anguilla Facts". Government of Anguilla. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
↑ KPMG. "Tax TIES: Anguilla - Overview and introduction". KPMG. Retrieved 2011-04-01.
1 2 3 Martin (1839).
↑ EB (1878).
↑ EB (1911).
↑ Caribbean Islands, Sarah Cameron (Footprint Travel Guides), p. 466 (Google Books)
1 2 3 "Anguilla's History", The Anguilla House of Assembly Elections, Government of Anguilla, 2007, retrieved 9 June 2015 .
↑ Charles Prestwood Lucas (2009). A Historical Geography of the British Colonies: The West Indies. General Books LLC. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-4590-0868-7.
↑ Cooper, V.O. 1998. St. Kitts: The Launching Pad for Leeward Islands Creoles. In St. Kitts and the Atlantic Creoles, the Texts of Samuel Augustus Mathews in Perspective, P. Baker and A. Bruyn (eds.). London: University of Westminster Press.
↑ British Colonial and State Papers 1661-1668, 16 November 1667 and 9 July 1668.
1 2 Walicek, Don E. 2009. "The Founder Principle and Anguilla's Homestead Society," Gradual Creolization: Studies Celebrating Jacques Arends, ed. by M. van den Berg, H. Cardoso, and R. Selbach. (Creole Language Library Series 34), Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 349-372.
↑ http://www.gov.ai/documents/budget/Budget_2009.pdf
↑ Walicek, Don E. 2011. "Christianity, Literacy, and Creolization in Nineteenth-Century Anguilla." In Anansi's Defiant Webs, Contact, Continuity, Convergence, and Complexity in the Language, Literatures and Cultures of the Greater Caribbean, ed. by N. Faraclas, R. Severing, et al. Willemstad: University of Curaçao and Fundashon pa Planifikashon di Idioma, pp. 181-189.
↑ Hodge, S. Wilfred (2003). Bethel- the road - and due west. In Wilbert Forker (Ed.), Born in slavery: A story of Methodism in Anguilla and its influence in the Caribbean (pp. 20-29). Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press.
1 2 3 "Persons by Religion, Census 1992 and 2001 (Table 14)". Statistics Department of Anguilla. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
↑ Ethnologue report for language code: aig
↑ Singler, John. 1993. African influence upon Afro-American language varieties: A consideration of sociohistorical factors. In Africanisms in Afro-American language varieties, S. Mufwene and n. Condon (eds.), 235-253. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press.
↑ http://theanguillian.com/2015/05/where-i-see-the-sun-anthology-available-in-anguilla/
↑ http://soualiganewsday.com/local/soualiga-newsday-features/item/3890-think-and-know-where-i-see-the-sun-–-contemporary-poetry-in-anguilla.html
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robinson, Peg. "Foods That Are Important in Anguilla." USA Today Travel. Retrieved July 2011.
1 2 Higgins, Michelle. (28 January 2007). "For Foodies: Anguilla." The New York Times - Travel. Retrieved July 2011.
↑ "Saint James Medical School Officially Opened". The Anguillian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015.
↑ "Saint James School of Medicine’s top MD Program". Bonaire.sjsm.org. 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2014-02-09.
↑ Rugby in Anguilla!, Anguilla News
↑ 2013 CARIFTA Games
↑ South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2003 (11 ed.). Routledge. 2002. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-85743-138-4.
↑ List of Banks in Anguilla
↑ Market Participants
↑ Fry, Carolyn. 28 June 2012. Anguilla moves towards cleaner energy

"Anguilla", Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. II, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1878, p. 46–47 .
"Anguilla", Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. II, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1911, p. 42–43 .
Hakluyt, Richard (1904), "The second voyage unto Florida, made and written by Captaine Laudonniere, which fortified and inhabited there two Summers and one whole Winter", The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, & Discoveries of the English Nation Made by Sea or Over-land to the Remote and Farthest Distant Quarters of the Earth at any time within the compasse of these 1600 Yeeres, Vol. IX Made to Florida and New Mexico; certeine Voyages made for the discovery of the Gulfe of California, and to the famous city of Mexico, with the Discourses and Letters depending upon the Voyages of this ninth Volume, Glasgow: James MacLehose & Sons .
Martin, Robert Montgomery (1839), "Chapter XIV.—Anguilla.", Statistics of the Colonies of the British Empire in the West Indies, South America, North America, Asia, Austral-Asia, Africa and Europe; comprising the Area, Agriculture, Commerce, Manufactures, Shipping, Custom Duties, Population, Education, Religion, Crime, Government, Finances, Laws, Military Defence, Cultivated and Waste Lands, Emigration, Rates of Wages, Prices of Provisions, Banks, Coins, Staple Products, Stock, Moveable and Immoveable Property, Public Companies, &c. of Each Colony; with the Charters and the Engraved Seals. From the Official Records of the Colonial Office., London: William H. Allen & Co., p. 102 .

External links

Government

Government of Anguilla official government website

General information

Anguilla entry at The World Factbook
Anguilla from UCB Libraries GovPubs
Wikimedia Atlas of Anguilla

Articles relating to Anguilla

Geographic locale

Lat. and Long. 18°13′14″N 63°4′7″W / 18.22056°N 63.06861°W / 18.22056; -63.06861

Countries and dependencies of North America

Sovereign states

Entire	Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Panama St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States

In part	Colombia San Andrés and Providencia France Guadeloupe Martinique Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Venezuela Federal Dependencies Nueva Esparta

Dependencies

Denmark	Greenland

France	Clipperton Island St. Barthélemy St. Martin St. Pierre and Miquelon

Netherlands	Aruba Curaçao Sint Maarten

United Kingdom	Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands

United States	Navassa Island Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands

International membership

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

Secretariat (Secretary-General)

Members	Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas¹ Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti¹ Jamaica Montserrat² St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago

Associate members	Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

Observers	Aruba Colombia Curaçao Dominican Republic Mexico Puerto Rico Sint Maarten Venezuela

Institutions	Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) Court of Justice (CCJ) Disaster Emergency Management (CDEMA) Examinations Council (CXC) Meteorological Institute (CMI) Meteorological Organisation (CMO) Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Single Market and Economy (CSME)

Related organizations	CARIFORUM Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

¹ Member of the Community but not of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) ² British overseas territory awaiting entrustment to join the CSME

Countries, territories and dependencies of the United Kingdom

Constituent countries	England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales

Overseas territories	Akrotiri and Dhekelia¹ Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory² British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

Crown dependencies	Bailiwick of Guernsey Guernsey Alderney Sark Isle of Man Jersey

Former colonies	List of countries that gained independence from the United Kingdom

¹ Sovereign Base Areas. ² Partial suspension of sovereignty due to the Antarctic Treaty.

Dependencies of European Union states

Crown dependencies	Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey

Sovereign Base Areas	Akrotiri and Dhekelia

Overseas territories	Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

Members of the Commonwealth of Nations

Sovereign states
(Members)

Dependencies
of Members

Australia	Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australian Antarctic Territory Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Coral Sea Islands Heard Island and McDonald Islands Norfolk Island

New Zealand	Cook Islands Niue Ross Dependency Tokelau

United Kingdom	Akrotiri and Dhekelia Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Montserrat Pitcairn Islands St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

Source: Commonwealth Secretariat - Member States

Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)

Members	Antigua and Barbuda Dominica Grenada Montserrat St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Associate members	Anguilla British Virgin Islands

Financial institutions	East Caribbean dollar Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Eastern Caribbean Central Securities Registry Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange

Other institutions	Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court

Outlying territories of European countries

Territories under European sovereignty but closer to or on continents other than Europe (see inclusion criteria for further information).

Denmark	Greenland

France	Clipperton Island French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern and Antarctic Lands Adélie Land Crozet Islands Île Amsterdam Île Saint-Paul Kerguelen Islands Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean Guadeloupe Martinique Mayotte New Caledonia Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna

Italy	Pantelleria Pelagie Islands Lampedusa Lampione Linosa

Netherlands	Aruba Caribbean Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Curaçao Sint Maarten

Norway	Bouvet Island Peter I Island Queen Maud Land

Portugal	Azores Madeira

Spain	Canary Islands Ceuta Melilla Plazas de soberanía Chafarinas Islands Peñón de Alhucemas Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera

United Kingdom	Anguilla Bermuda British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands

Territories of the British Empire and the United Kingdom

Legend: Current territory; Former territory; * Now a Commonwealth realm; Now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Europe

1708–1757 Minorca Since 1713 Gibraltar 1763–1782 Minorca 1798–1802 Minorca 1800–1813 Malta (Protectorate) 1813–1964 Malta (Colony) 1807–1890 Heligoland 1809–1864 Ionian Islands 1878–1960 Cyprus 1921–1937 Irish Free State

North America

17th century and before		18th century	19th and 20th century

1579 New Albion 1583–1907 Newfoundland 1605–1979 *Saint Lucia 1607–1776 Virginia Since 1619 Bermuda 1620–1691 Plymouth Colony 1623–1883 Saint Kitts *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1624–1966 *Barbados 1625–1650 Saint Croix 1627–1979 *Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1628–1883 Nevis *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1629–1691 Massachusetts Bay Colony 1632–1776 Maryland since 1632 Montserrat 1632–1860 Antigua *(Antigua & Barbuda) 1636–1776 Connecticut 1636–1776 Rhode Island 1637–1662 New Haven Colony	1643–1860 Bay Islands Since 1650 Anguilla 1655–1850 Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655–1962 *Jamaica 1663–1712 Carolina 1664–1776 New York 1665–1674 and 1702–1776 New Jersey Since 1666 British Virgin Islands Since 1670 Cayman Islands 1670–1973 *Bahamas 1670–1870 Rupert's Land 1671–1816 Leeward Islands 1674–1702 East Jersey 1674–1702 West Jersey 1680–1776 New Hampshire 1681–1776 Pennsylvania 1686–1689 Dominion of New England 1691–1776 Massachusetts	1701–1776 Delaware 1712–1776 North Carolina 1712–1776 South Carolina 1713–1867 Nova Scotia 1733–1776 Georgia 1754–1820 Cape Breton Island 1762–1974 *Grenada 1763–1978 Dominica 1763–1873 Prince Edward Island 1763–1791 Quebec 1763–1783 East Florida 1763–1783 West Florida 1784–1867 New Brunswick 1791–1841 Lower Canada 1791–1841 Upper Canada Since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands	1818–1846 Columbia District/Oregon Country¹ 1833–1960 Windward Islands 1833–1960 Leeward Islands 1841–1867 Province of Canada 1849–1866 Vancouver Island 1853–1863 Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands 1858–1866 British Columbia 1859–1870 North-Western Territory 1860–1981 *British Antigua and Barbuda 1862–1863 Stikine Territory 1866–1871 Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1867–1931 *Dominion of Canada² 1871–1964 British Honduras (*Belize) 1882–1983 *Saint Kitts and Nevis 1889–1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1907–1949 Newfoundland³ 1958–1962 West Indies Federation

1. Occupied jointly with the United States.
2. In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. See Canada's name.
3. Gave up self-rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949.

South America

1651–1667 Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1670–1688 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands⁴ 1831–1966 British Guiana (Guyana) Since 1833 Falkland Islands⁵ Since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands⁵

4. Now the San Andrés y Providencia Department of Colombia. 5. Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982.

Africa

17th and 18th centuries	19th century		20th century

Since 1658 Saint Helena¹⁴ 1792–1961 Sierra Leone 1795–1803 Cape Colony	Since 1815 Ascension Island¹⁴ Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha¹⁴ 1806–1910 Cape Colony 1807–1808 Madeira 1810–1968 Mauritius 1816–1965 The Gambia 1856–1910 Natal 1868–1966 Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874–1957 Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882–1922 Egypt	1884–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884–1960 British Somaliland 1887–1897 Zululand 1890–1962 Uganda 1890–1963 Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891–1964 Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891–1907 British Central Africa Protectorate 1893–1968 Swaziland 1895–1920 East Africa Protectorate 1899–1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan	1900–1914 Northern Nigeria 1900–1914 Southern Nigeria 1900–1910 Orange River Colony 1900–1910 Transvaal Colony 1903–1976 Seychelles 1906–1954 Nigeria Colony 1910–1931 South Africa 1914–1954 Nigeria Colony and Protectorate 1915–1931 South West Africa (Namibia) 1919–1960 Cameroons (Cameroon)⁶ 1920–1963 Kenya 1922–1961 Tanganyika (Tanzania)⁶ 1923–1965 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)⁷ 1924–1964 Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 1954–1960 Nigeria 1979–1980 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)⁷

6. League of Nations mandate.
7. Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003.

Asia

17th and 18th century	19th century		20th century

1685–1824 Bencoolen (Sumatra) 1702–1705 Pulo Condore 1757–1947 Bengal (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762–1764 Manila and Cavite 1786–1946 Penang (Malaysia) 1795–1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796–1965 Maldives	1812–1824 Banka (Sumatra) and Billiton (Sumatra) 1819–1826 British Malaya (West Malaysia and Singapore) 1826–1946 Straits Settlements (Malaysia and Singapore) 1839–1967 Colony of Aden 1839–1842 Afghanistan 1841–1997 Hong Kong 1841–1946 Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia) 1848–1946 Labuan (Malaysia) 1858–1947 British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) 1874–1963 British Borneo (East Malaysia and Brunei)	1879–1919 Afghanistan (protectorate) 1882–1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885–1946 Unfederated Malay States 1888–1984 Sultanate of Brunei 1891–1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892–1971 Trucial States 1895–1946 Federated Malay States 1898–1930 Weihai Garrison 1878–1960 Cyprus	1907–1949 Bhutan (protectorate) 1918–1961 Kuwait protectorate 1920–1932 Iraq⁸ 1921–1946 Transjordan⁸ 1923–1948 Palestine⁸ 1945–1946 South Vietnam 1946–1963 North Borneo (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Sarawak (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Singapore 1946–1948 Malayan Union 1948–1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) Since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus) Since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory (before as part of Mauritius and the Seychelles)

⁸ League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty

Oceania

18th and 19th centuries		20th century

1788–1901 New South Wales 1803–1901 Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1807–1863 Auckland Islands⁹ 1824–1980 New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824–1901 Queensland 1829–1901 Swan River Colony/Western Australia 1836–1901 South Australia since 1838 Pitcairn Islands	1841–1907 Colony of New Zealand 1851–1901 Victoria 1874–1970 Fiji¹⁰ 1877–1976 British Western Pacific Territories 1884–1949 Territory of Papua 1888–1901 Cook Islands⁹ 1889–1948 Union Islands (Tokelau)⁹ 1892–1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands¹¹ 1893–1978 British Solomon Islands¹²	1900–1970 Tonga (protected state) 1900–1974 Niue⁹ 1901–1942 *Commonwealth of Australia 1907–1953 *Dominion of New Zealand 1919–1942 Nauru 1945–1968 Nauru 1919–1949 Territory of New Guinea 1949–1975 Territory of Papua and New Guinea¹³

9. Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand.
10. Suspended member.
11. Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu.
12. Now the *Solomon Islands.
13. Now *Papua New Guinea.

Antarctica and South Atlantic

Since 1658 Saint Helena¹⁴ Since 1815 Ascension Island¹⁴ Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha¹⁴ Since 1908 British Antarctic Territory¹⁵ 1841–1933 Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1947 Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand)

14. Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. 15. Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).

United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories

France	French Polynesia New Caledonia

New Zealand	Tokelau

Spain / Morocco	Western Sahara

United Kingdom	Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn Islands Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Turks and Caicos Islands

United States	American Samoa Guam United States Virgin Islands

English-speaking world

Click on a coloured area to see an article about English in that country or region

Further links

Articles

Lists

Countries and territories where English (or English Creole) is the national language or the native language of the majority

Africa	Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Americas	Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda The Bahamas Barbados Belize Bermuda British Virgin Islands Canada Cayman Islands Dominica Falkland Islands Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat Saba Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Islands United States United States Virgin Islands

Europe	Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Jersey United Kingdom

Oceania	Australia New Zealand Norfolk Island Pitcairn Islands

Countries and territories where English is an official language, but not the majority first language

Africa	Botswana Cameroon The Gambia Ghana Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mauritius Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Sierra Leone Somaliland South Africa South Sudan Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

Americas	Puerto Rico

Asia	Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Hong Kong Special Administrative Region India Pakistan Philippines Singapore

Europe	Gibraltar Malta

Oceania	American Samoa Cook Islands Fiji Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Micronesia Nauru Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tuvalu Vanuatu

Dependencies shown in italics.

Coordinates: 18°13′38″N 63°02′56″W / 18.22723°N 63.04899°W / 18.22723; -63.04899

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