ANGUILLA
ABOUT ANGUILLA
It is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles and lies about 12 miles (19 km) north of the island of Saint Martin and 60 miles (100 km) northwest of Saint Kitts.
The British did not encounter any Arawaks on the island, but in 1656 a raid by Indians from one of the neighbouring islands wiped out their settlement.
Anguilla is a UK Overseas Territory and is internally selfgoverning with executive powers invested in the British Crown through an appointed Governor. The Governor Chairs the Executive Council (Cabinet) which has general control of the direction of Government.
The British established the first permanent European colony on Anguilla in 1650, and despite a few invasion attempts by the French, it has remained a Crown Colony ever since. While arid conditions thwarted the development of large plantations, the island did become an exporter of tobacco, cotton and salt.
Anguilla was colonized in 1650 by British settlers from Saint Kitts and thereafter remained a British territory, administered as part of the Leeward Islands colony.
Today, the Anguillan economy is heavily dependent on the tourism sector, particularly the high-end segment.