[citation needed] 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 hit to the economy occurred in similar fashion during the aftermath of Hurricane Lenny in 2000.[7] Transportation Main article: Transport in Anguilla Anguilla is served by 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, but the airport cannot receive large jets and there are no direct flights to or from continental America or Europe. 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 Cap Juluca 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. Artefacts 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 holidays, such as the Queen's birthday, are also celebrated. 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%).[8] Between 1992 and 2001 the number of followers of the Church of God and Pentecostal Churches increased considerably. There are at least fifteen 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.[8] Religions in Anguilla[8] 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 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 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 "dialec"), 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. Music Main article: Music of Anguilla 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 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.[9] The Eels have been finalists in the St. Martin tournament in November 2006 and semi finalists in 2007. See also Caribbean portal United Kingdom portal Main article: Outline of Anguilla Index of Anguilla-related articles References ^ Anguilla World Fact Book ^ http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/wofact92/wf930012.txt ^ Caribbean Islands, Sarah Cameron (Footprint Travel Guides), p. 466 (Google Books) ^ Anguilla's History, Government of Anguilla website ^ a b Adapted from the works of Colville Petty O.B.E and Nik Douglas. (2009). "History & Culture". anguilla-vacation.com. http://www.anguilla-vacation.com/island/history-culture. Retrieved 2009-05-07.  ^ "Weatherbase: Historical Weather for The Valley". http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weatherall.php3?s=66887&refer=&units=metric.  ^ South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2003 (11 ed.). Routledge. 2002. pp. 52. ISBN 978-1857431384.  ^ 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 from Wiktionary Textbooks from Wikibooks Quotations from Wikiquote Source texts from Wikisource Images and media from Commons News stories from Wikinews Learning resources from Wikiversity 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 History Imperial History 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 Several nations listed here straddle both North and South America or can also be considered Caribbean. 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 · Panama · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago · United States Dependencies Denmark Greenland France Saint Barthιlemy · Saint Martin · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Clipperton Netherlands Aruba · Netherlands Antilles United Kingdom Anguilla · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Montserrat · Turks and Caicos Islands United States Navassa Island · Puerto Rico · 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 · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Montserrat · Turks and Caicos Islands Netherlands Aruba · Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire · Curaηao · Saba · Sint Maarten · Sint Eustatius) France Guadeloupe · Martinique · St. Barthιlemy · St. Martin United States Navassa Island · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands   International membership v • d • e Caribbean Community (CARICOM) 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 · Dominican Republic · Mexico · Netherlands Antilles · Puerto Rico · Venezuela 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 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 Guernsey · Jersey · Isle of Man Sovereign base areas Akrotiri and Dhekelia 1 includes Saint Helena · Ascension Island · Tristan da Cunha 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 · Rιunion · Saint Barthιlemy · 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) · Ξle Amsterdam · Ξle Saint-Paul · Crozet Islands · Kerguelen Islands · Adιlie Land Italy Pantelleria · Pelagie Islands (Lampedusa • Lampione • Linosa) Netherlands Aruba · Netherlands Antilles (Bonaire • Curaηao • Saba • Sint Maarten • Sint Eustatius) Norway Bouvet Island · Peter I Island · Queen Maud Land Portugal Azores · Madeira Russia Russian Far East · Khabomai Rocks · Kuril Islands · Kunashir · Ratmanov Island · Sakhalin · Shikotan  · Siberia Spain Canary Islands · Plazas de soberanνa (Ceuta · Melilla · Isla Perejil • Peρσn de Vιlez de la Gomera • Peρσn de Alhucemas • Islas Chafarinas) 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 1801-1921  Ireland 1807–1890  Heligoland 1809–1864  Ionian Islands 20th century 1921-1937  Irish Free State North America  17th century 1607–1776  Virginia 1610–1907  Newfoundland since 1619  Bermuda 1620–1691  Plymouth Colony 1629–1691  Massachusetts Bay Colony 1632–1776  Maryland 1636–1776 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