f 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 27 °C (80.6 °F). July–October is its hottest period, December–February, its coolest. Rainfall Rainfall averages 900 mm (35.4 in) annually, 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 Overlooking Sandy Ground, Anguilla. Main article: Economy of Anguilla Anguilla's thin arid soil is largely unsuitable for agriculture, and the island has few land-based natural resources. Its main industries are tourism, offshore incorporation and management, offshore banking, and fishing. Many insurance and financial businesses are headquartered in Anguilla. The economy of Anguilla is falling with the highest speed in the world as a result of the 2008-World crisis.[citation needed] Before that 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$2.68. 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.[11] Transportation Main article: Transport in Anguilla 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, the airport can handle large narrow-body jets such as the Boeing 727 and Boeing 737. Regular ferries link Anguilla and the neighboring island of Saint Martin, with a journey time of about twenty minutes. Aside from taxis, there is no public transport on the island. Cars drive on the left. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Anguilla The majority of residents (90.08%) are black, the descendants of slaves transported from Africa. Growing 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. Culture It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article titled Culture of Anguilla. (Discuss) Proposed since October 2011. 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. The island's cultural history begins with the Taino Indians. 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: Anguillan cuisine Anguillan cuisine is influenced by native Caribbean, African, Spanish, French and English cuisines.[12] Seafood is abundant, and includes prawns, shrimp, crab, spiny lobster, conch, mahi-mahi, red snapper, marlin and grouper.[12] Salt cod is a staple food eaten by itself and used in stews, casseroles and soups.[12] Livestock is limited due to the small size of the island, and people there utilize poultry, pork, goat and mutton, along with imported beef.[12] Goat is the most commonly eaten meat, and is utilized in a variety of dishes.[12] 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.[12] Among the agriculture produced in Anguilla includes tomatoes, peppers, limes and other citrus fruits, onion, garlic, squash, pigeon peas and callalloo, a leaf green native to Africa.[12] Starch staple foods include imported rice and other foods that are locally-grown or imported, including yams,[13] sweet potatoes[13] and breadfruit.[12] Language Main article: Anguillan Creole 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 French Creole spoken in islands such as Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe). It is referred to locally by terms such as "dialect" (pronounced "dialek"), 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. 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. In order to understand how this works it is useful to remember that grammatical "features" consists of much more than words (i.e., lexical items). It is possible that different aspects of this language have different origins and influences. The aspects that should be considered in understanding the history of the grammar of this language are at least 5: semantics (meaning); phonology (the system of consonants and vowels characteristic of a given language), syntax (word order), and morphology (rules for forming words). What language are these early Africans likely to have spoken? 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.[14] 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 colonization. "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.[10] Music Main article: Music of Anguilla Religion According to the 2001 census Christianity is Anguilla's predominant religion, with 29 percent of the population practising Anglicanism. Another 23.9 percent are Methodist. Other churches on the island include Seventh-day Adventist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Jehovah's Witnesses (0.7%).[15] Between 1992 and 2001 the number of followers of the Church of God[disambiguation needed ] 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.[15] Religions in Anguilla[15] 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 Episcopalian - 7.6 Pentecostal - 7.7 Jehovah 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 Sport A modern square rigger viewed from Long Bay See also: Sailing in Anguilla, Cricket in the West Indies, and Rugby union in Anguilla Boat racing[disambiguation needed ] 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.[16] 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). The club was lucky enough to host the HMS Iron Duke in September 2008 which saw a very spirited game going to the visitors 18-13. The St Barts Barracudas have also been to Anguilla to play the Eels also prevailing eleven points to six. See also Geography portal North America portal Caribbean portal United Kingdom portal Outline of Anguilla Bibliography of Anguilla Index of Anguilla-related articles British Overseas Territories Caribbean Sea Leeward Islands References ^ Anguilla World Fact Book ^ Country Profile: Anguilla, Travel & Living Abroad, Foreign & Commonwealth Office ^ http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact92/wf930012.txt ^ Tax Rates. "Anguilla Tax Rates". Taxrates.cc. http://www.taxrates.cc/html/anguilla-tax-rates.html. Retrieved 2011-12-28.  ^ Caribbean Islands, Sarah Cameron (Footprint Travel Guides), p. 466 (Google Books) ^ Anguilla's History, Government of Anguilla website ^ Charles Prestwood Lucas (2009). A Historical Geography of the British Colonies: The West Indies. General Books LLC. p. 143. ISBN 978-1459008687.  ^ British Colonial and State Papers 1661-1668, November 16, 1667 and July 9, 1668. ^ 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 Westminister Press. ^ a b 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. ^ South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2003 (11 ed.). Routledge. 2002. p. 52. ISBN 978-1857431384.  ^ a b c d e f g h Robinson, Peg. "Foods That Are Important in Anguilla." USA Today Travel. Accessed July 2011. ^ a b Higgins, Michelle. (January 28, 2007). "For Foodies: Anguilla." The New York Times - Travel. Accessed July 2011. ^ 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. ^ a b c "Persons by Religion, Census 1992 and 2001 (Table 14)". Statistics Department of Anguilla. http://gov.ai/statistics/census/Demography%20&%20Culture%20tables.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-16.  ^ Rugby in Anguilla!, Anguilla News External links Find more about Anguilla on Wikipedia's sister projects: Definitions and translations from Wiktionary Images and media from Commons Learning resources from Wikiversity News stories from Wikinews Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Textbooks from Wikibooks Government Government of Anguilla official government website General information Anguilla entry at The World Factbook Anguilla from UCB Libraries GovPubs Portals on the World: Anguilla from the Library of Congress of the United States Anguilla at the Open Directory Project Wikimedia Atlas of Anguilla Travel Anguilla travel guide from Wikitravel   Articles Related 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 v d e Countries and dependencies of North America Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Canada Costa Rica Cuba Dominica Dominican Republic El Salvador France Guadeloupe Martinique Grenada Guatemala Haiti Honduras Jamaica Mexico Nicaragua Netherlands Bonaire Saba Sint Eustatius Panama St. Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago United States 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 Bajo Nuevo Bank Navassa Island Puerto Rico Serranilla Bank U.S. Virgin Islands v d e Countries and territories of the Caribbean   Sovereign states Commonwealth Realms Antigua and Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Grenada Jamaica St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Commonwealth republics Dominica Trinidad and Tobago Other republics Cuba Dominican Republic Haiti   Dependencies and other areas by parent state United Kingdom Anguilla British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Montserrat Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba Bonaire Curaçao Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten France Guadeloupe Martinique St. Barthélemy St. Martin United States Bajo Nuevo Bank Navassa Island Puerto Rico Serranilla Bank U.S. Virgin Islands   International membership v d e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat (Secretary-General) Nations 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 Cayman Islands British Virgin Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Observers Aruba Colombia Curaçao Dominican Republic Mexico Puerto Rico Sint Maarten Venezuela Institutions CSME CDEMA CMO CMO CXC CCJ CFC CEHI CARDI REPAHA ACCP CARICAD CFNI CCC CRITI Related organizations Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States 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. v d e 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 Eastern Caribbean Central Securities Registry · Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange · East Caribbean dollar · Eastern Caribbean Central Bank Other institutions Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court v d e British Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies 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 Cunha1 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Turks and Caicos Islands Crown dependencies Guernsey2 Jersey Isle of Man Sovereign base areas Akrotiri and Dhekelia 1 includes Saint Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha 2 includes Alderney and Sark v d e 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 Guadeloupe Martinique Mayotte New Caledonia Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Wallis and Futuna French Southern and Antarctic Lands Scattered islands in the Indian Ocean Banc du Geyser Bassas da India Europa Island Glorioso Islands Juan de Nova Island Tromelin Island Île Amsterdam Île Saint-Paul Crozet Islands Kerguelen Islands Adélie Land 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 Islas Chafarinas Peñón de Alhucemas Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera United Kingdom Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Montserrat Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Turks and Caicos Islands British Antarctic Territory British Indian Ocean Territory Pitcairn Islands South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands v d e British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations Legend Current territory  ·   Former territory * now a Commonwealth realm  ·   now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe  18th century 1708–1757  Minorca since 1713  Gibraltar 1763–1782  Minorca 1798–1802  Minorca 19th century 1800–1964  Malta 1807–1890  Heligoland 1809–1864  Ionian Islands 20th century 1921–1937  Irish Free State North America  17th century 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  *St. 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  Connectic