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Country Name
Anguilla.
Location
Anguilla is a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin.
Capital
The Valley.
Reason for naming the country
The name Anguilla is from the Italian Anguilla, meaning "eel" (in turn from the Latin Anguilla, diminutive of anguis, snake) in reference to the island's shape.
It is believed by most sources to have been named by Christopher Columbus. For similar reasons, it was also known as Snake or Snake Island.
Flag
The flag was adopted on 12 July 1967. The current flag was officially adopted in 1990.
The flag is composed of a blue background with a British Union Jack in the top left corner and a coat of arms on the right side, which features a turquoise-blue base and three orange dolphins on a white background. The dolphins, which appear to be jumping out of the sea, are interlocked in a circle. The flag is known as the “Blue Ensign” and is considered to be the official national flag of Anguilla. The three dolphins represent strength, wisdom, and friendship. The circular arrangement of the dolphins is a symbol of continuity.
Their orange color represents strength, unity, and power. The turquoise blue represents the surrounding sea. It also represents youth, faith, and hope. The white background on the court of arms is representative of peace and tranquility. The incorporation of the Union Jack is a tribute to the affiliation of Anguilla with Britain
Language
The official language of Anguilla is English.
Other languages are also spoken on the island, including varieties of Spanish, Chinese, and the languages of other immigrant communities. However, the most common language other than Standard English is the island's own English-lexifier Creole language (not to be confused with Antillean Creole ('French Creole'), spoken in French islands such as Martinique and Guadeloupe).
Religion
Anguilla is predominantly Christian, with more than 85% identifying themselves with a denomination of Christianity (Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity:(Lutheranism, Calvinism (Presbyterians), and Anglican Christianity (Episcopalians)), Baha'i faith, Buddhism (Theravada Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, & Hoa Hao), Islam (Sunni and Shia), Jainism, Judaism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Taoism, & Zoroastrianism.
Traditional beliefs are Animism, Badimo, & Confucianism.
Currency
Eastern Caribbean dollar (XCD).
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