| Country name | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Anguilla etymology: the name Anguilla means "eel" in various Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French) and likely derives from the island's lengthy shape |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK |
| Government type | parliamentary democracy (House of Assembly); self-governing overseas territory of the UK |
| Capital | name: The Valley geographic coordinates: 18 13 N, 63 03 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: name derives from the capital's location between several hills |
| Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Independence | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| National holiday | Anguilla Day, 30 May (1967) |
| Constitution | history: several previous; latest 1 April 1982 amendments: amended 1990, 2012, 2017 |
| Legal system | common law based on the English model |
| Citizenship | see United Kingdom |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor Dileeni DANIEL-SELVARATNAM (since 18 January 2021) head of government: Premier Dr. Ellis WEBSTER (since 30 June 2020); note - starting in 2019, the title of head of government was changed to premier from chief minister of Anguilla cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among elected members of the House of Assembly elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed premier by the governor |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats; 7 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 2 appointed by the governor, and 2 ex officio members - the attorney general and deputy governor; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 29 June 2020 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APM 7, AUF 4; composition - NA |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is the superior court of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States; the ECSC - headquartered on St. Lucia - consists of the Court of Appeal - headed by the chief justice and 4 judges - and the High Court with 18 judges; the Court of Appeal is itinerant, travelling to member states on a schedule to hear appeals from the High Court and subordinate courts; High Court judges reside in the member states, though none on Anguilla judge selection and term of office: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court chief justice appointed by Her Majesty, Queen ELIZABETH II; other justices and judges appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission; Court of Appeal justices appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 65; High Court judges appointed for life with mandatory retirement at age 62 subordinate courts: Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court |
| Political parties and leaders | Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP Anguilla National Alliance or ANA Anguilla Progressive Movement or APM [Dr. Ellis WEBSTER]; prior to 2019, it was known as the Anguilla United Movement or AUM Anguilla United Front or AUF [Victor BANKS] (alliance includes ADP, ANA) Democracy, Opportunity, Vision, and Empowerment Party or DOVE [Sutcliffe HODGE] |
| International organization participation | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UNESCO (associate), UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | embassy: none (overseas territory of the UK); alternate contact is the US Embassy in Barbados [1] (246) 227-4000 |
| Flag description | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an interlocking circular design on a white background with a turquoise-blue field below; the white in the background represents peace; the blue base symbolizes the surrounding sea, as well as faith, youth, and hope; the three dolphins stand for endurance, unity, and strength |
| National symbol(s) | dolphin |
| National anthem | name: God Bless Anguilla lyrics/music: Alex RICHARDSON note: local anthem adopted 1981; as a territory of the United Kingdom, "God Save the Queen" is official (see United Kingdom) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
