Sunday, August 16, 2009

Anguilla

Beach Scene - Anguilla
Beach Scene - Anguilla by LionFRR (Traveling)

Anguilla (pronounced /æŋˈɡwɪlə/ ang-GWIL-ə) is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean, one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles. It consists of the main island of Anguilla itself, approximately 26 km (16 mi) long by 5 km (3.1 mi) 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 102 km2 (39 sq mi), with a population of approximately 13,500 (2006 estimate).

Sandy Island - Anguilla
Sandy Island - Anguilla by troymckaskle

Anguilla is a flat, low-lying island of coral and limestone in the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico. The soil is generally thin and poor, supporting only scrub vegetation.

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

HDR Anguilla Beach 4
Anguilla Beach 4 by CristalArt

Anguilla is served by Wallblake Airport. 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.

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.

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